As recently as the 1970s, the term "fine Ontario wine" was an oxymoron, and a bottle of Ontario wine at a wine-tasting produced skeptically raised eyebrows.

The Ontario wine industry in the Niagara region began to experiment as early as the 1920s with French varietals and hybrids -- only to have its efforts frustrated by Prohibition, government restrictions, the Depression,and a World War.

And yet today the wines of Ontario are among some of the finest in the world. What did it take to change the practices of a century and transform an archaic industry into a modern one in just thirty years? Who were the leaders of this revolution? What were the challenges? And what might the future hold for this vibrant community?

In Niagara's Vine Visionaries, Linda Bramble tells the dramatic story of people who carried out this transformation of the Niagara industry. Here are the pioneers, the visionaries, the scientists, the entrepreneurs, and the all-round "characters" who pushed, cajoled, and dragged Niagara into its proud place in the world of international wine-making.

LINDA BRAMBLE is a certified sommelier and a well-known and highly respected wine writer. In addition to teaching at the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute at Brock University, Linda is the Senior Editor of Vines magazine, and was the Canadian contributor to The Oxford Companion to the Wines of North America. She lives in St. Catharines.

Linda Bramble's profile page

"The inside tales of their successes and some spectacular recent failures, makes for an intriguing read."

The Toronto Star

"...a great review of the political process and the ins and outs of wine democracy, and how and why it failed and how and why it succeeded. Quality/Price Rating: 91 a must read."

www.deantudor.com, Drink Book of the Month

"The new book from Linda Bramble, a prolific and authoritative Ontario wine writer, is a must for anyone interested in Canadian wine, with its lively profiles of leading figures that have shaped the business."

johnschreiner.blogspot.com

"An entertaining and educational read, with the perfect blend of wine, business and a touch of gossip, a must have for under the tree!"

The Wine Ladies

"Overall, this book is highly recommended as a portrait of the Ontario wine industry as it earned its international reputation."

Wines & Vines

"I'd like to suggest some reading: Niagara's Wine Visionaries, by Linda Bramble. The book takes an intimate look at those bravely insane souls who did the impossible; created and brought international attention to the Niagara wine industry."

ZoomerMagazine.com

"Am reading Linda Bramble's new book, Niagara's Wine Visionaries: Profiles of the Pioneering Winemakers. Very entertaining, well researched, a real page turner with good gossip. A pleasure to read something about the Ontario wine industry that doesn't talk about Cellared in Canada wines."

Tony Aspler.com

"This book is a "must read" for everyone interested in the Niagara wine industry or in the history of Ontario."

Ontario Wine Society, OWS Newsletter

It's a fascinating book...

CBC Radio's Fresh Air

"For every bottle of Niagara wine Linda Bramble savoured over the past 30 years, she knew there was a human story behind it. Tales of struggle, vision and success. People who transformed Niagara's wine industry from a joke into a world-renowned collective."

The Niagara Falls Review

"A great review of the political process and the ins and outs of wine democracy, and how and why it failed and how and why it succeeded. Quality/Price Rating: 91 a must read."

www.deantudor.com

"For those with an interest in the Ontario wine industry, Bramble's book is a must read."

St. Catherines Standard