Ravine Vineyard

About Ravine Vineyard

Although we’re sure every farm family feels the same about their 5 generations old farm and organic winery, we believe ours is truly unique! Perhaps it’s because of our approach to family.
Our goal was to create a sustainable way to maintain our 100+ year old farm and continue to foster the legacy of our family upon it.

To do this we had to create interest, follow our dreams and find ways to continue to fall in love with the land and each other. Ravine is a paradise within a fabric of tastes, experiences, scenes and sounds across 34 acres of beautiful rolling vineyard.

We are among the few wineries in Niagara with a self-standing restaurant that bakes our own bread and grows our own certified organic vegetables. We are blessed with a renowned wine and culinary team that chooses an ever-changing menu.

With a variety of ingredients picked right from our very own on-site garden, Estate Director and Executive Chef John Vetere not only creates a seasonal menu but also preserves as much as possible so that ‘go local’ is not just a seasonal term. Our meals are paired with the guidance and discriminating palate of our Head Winemaker, Jay Johnston.

Using biodynamics and sustainability as a philosophy to farming, the enhanced quality and flavours in both our small batch premium wines and fresh food products is something we are proud of and very eager to share!

Representative Biography

Jay Johnston, Winemaker

Jay Johnston is the Head Winemaker at Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery in St. Davids, Ontario, where he leads the evolution of the estate’s wine program with a focus on terroir-driven, small-lot wines.

A respected figure in the Ontario wine industry for more than two decades, he has crafted wines at some of the region’s most acclaimed properties, including Skye Chase Estate Winery, Stratus, Tawse, Hidden Bench, Flat Rock Cellars, Organized Crime and others.

At Ravine, Jay is guiding a renewed emphasis on parcel selection, detailed blending, and process-driven refinement from vineyard to cellar, building on the estate’s strong existing portfolio. His approach centres on highlighting individual vineyard blocks, expanding the range of blending components, and using techniques such as tailored maceration times, fermentation temperatures, and barrel programs to continually elevate quality.

A graduate of Niagara College’s Viticulture and Winemaking program, Jay has contributed to the development of some of Canada’s most storied wineries, with experience spanning both viticulture and cellar leadership. Over his career he has been recognized for producing some of Ontario’s finest wines, combining deep technical knowledge with a nuanced understanding of cool-climate terroir.
In his role at Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, Jay works closely with the hospitality teams to ensure the wines reflect the character of the historic St. Davids property and its expanding estate holdings, including the Creek Road Vineyard in the Four Mile Creek sub-appellation. His mandate is to harness these diverse sites to create expressive, age worthy wines that showcase Niagara’s potential while enhancing Ravine’s reputation as a leading destination for authentic, estate-focused wines.

Why We're Cool

Located in the Appellation of Niagara-on-the-lake, the St. David’s Bench is very unique, as it is
20 per cent warmer than any other location in the Niagara Region. The vineyard shares this fortuitous distinguishing feature with its neighbours, but if you go a little deeper, that is where the common physical attributes end.

Ravine’s soil is lighter, with a consistent airflow and water drainage through the vineyard because we are at the highest elevation of the St. David’s Bench. We experience the earliest bud break and a longer growing season. Our 150-year-old family farm sits atop the ancestral channel of the Niagara River as it once raged 22,800 years ago.

Our hillside soils have eroded over the last 5,500 years on these small but relatively steep slopes. Now, the soil continues to be thin, sparse and very mineral-conducive to the growth of some very low cropping, Niagara-style Chardonnay.

Sitting on the highest peak of our Sub-Appellation not only creates a steady airflow, but it generates outstanding high-pressure systems during the growing season for our fruit. This aids in maintaining moderate temperatures well into September and these conditions make an interesting microclimate for our organic cool climate Chardonnay fruit! Winemaker Jay Johnston loves making cool climate chardonnay at Ravine because it highlights our unique terroir and sense of place.