Heritage

The De Simone family has been producing wine for many generations.  Our ancestors owned and operated a wine boutique and barrel cellar in the mountains of Southern Calabria, Italy, supplying an entire village with wine.

In 1967, the De Simone family immigrated to Canada with only a few dollars in their pockets.  Vincenzo’s parents worked long, hard hours to provide for their family, eventually opening three variety stores in the city of St. Catharines. In 1991 they purchased the farm of their dreams and worked the farm, opening a family run fruit stand that still exists to this day. 

Vincenzo spent most of his youth, along with his three siblings helping his parents on the family farm and learned the trade of growing and producing fruit from a very young age. In 2010, he and his father hand planted their first vinifera grape vines; three rows of Cabernet Franc. After seeing the success of the new vines, they continued to plant the rest of the vineyard. Today there is over 17 acres planted of various varieties on the 40 acre Estate.

Vincenzo enrolled into the Niagara College Wine and Viticulture program, graduating in 2011. He worked at local wineries determined to follow his passion, opening De Simone Vineyards Estate Winery in 2017.

(To learn more about our Winemaker Vincenzo! visit winemaker page)