Grape harvest in wine country is a not-to-be-missed wine experience. No time or budget to buzz off to the Napa Valley or Burgundy? No problem. Just hop in your car and head north to Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario, Canada. In less than four hours you can be in one of North America's prettiest grape-growing regions, where 55 wineries are growing 50 varieties of vinifera grapes.

The Canadian wine industry dates from 1811. By 1890 there were 58 wineries in Ontario growing the lambrusco grape, a native North American variety which produced rather underwhelming wines. Until 1975, the most acclaimed wine of Ontario was ice wine made from the vidal grape, a French-American hybrid. That year a few boutique wineries began growing European vinifera grapes. The result was the birth of world-class table wines in the region and rapid expansion. Today there are 13,000 acres planted in vinifera vines.

Ontario is geographically on the same latitude as Languedoc in France and Chianti in Italy, but Niagara is closer climatically to Burgundy.

The mild climate of the region is due to the moderating influence of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Average sunshine hours during the growing season are 1,500 on the Niagara Peninsula and 1,315 in Burgundy, which explains why the chardonnay and pinot noir wines produced in the region are so highly regarded.

Niagara also can produce elegant riesling, pinot gris (pinot grigio), gewurztraminer and sauvignon blanc. Most wineries also produce a full range of reds.

Winery visits provide delights for the senses, from the vivid colors of vine leaves in the vineyards to the yeasty aroma of fermenting grape must in the cellar. It is also a chance to get an up-close look at the wine-making process and to talk to the people who grow grapes and make wine.

All of the wineries in Niagara are open for tours and tastings seven days a week. I found the tasting-room staffs knowledgeable and able to answer all sorts of technical questions.

As a wine-tourism destination, Niagara can compete with the best, which means great restaurants, cooking schools, spas, art galleries, museums, boutiques, golf and bike rentals. Niagara-on-the-Lake is also home to the Shaw Festival, a repertory offering of classical plays from April through October each year.

The main street of town has to be one of the most charming and picturesque in all of Canada. Georgian architecture and a riotous explosion of eye-popping floral displays line the street. There are not only grand hotels but also a network of bed-and-breakfast establishments. I loved The Historic Wilson-Guy House, which is just a few steps off the main drag.

Hosts Valerie and Ray Guy not only served amazing three-course breakfasts, but also guided us to their favorite restaurants and cellars. Don't miss a meal at the Stone Road Grille, a simple bistro with a contemporary menu of fresh and local foods prepared with imagination and artistry and served in a casual, store-front space. They have a wine list with 100 bottles of the best of the local production and a sommelier who is willing to share his vast knowledge of Ontario wines with guests.

If cooking classes are of interest, one can spend a day at Strewn Winery just outside of the town where Wine Country Cooking School offers full-day, hands-on classes and an opportunity to dine on the three-course meal prepared in class paired with wines from Strewn's own cellars.

If you go

To help with planning a weekend in Ontario's wine capital, try these Web sites for additional information:

• www.winesofontario.ca
• www.wro.ca, www.stoneroadgrille.com
• www.shawfest.com
• www.winecountrycook-ing.com

And before you go, you might want to try some Ontario wines available at our state stores.

• Cave Springs Pinot Noir, 2005, PLCB # 10219, $19.99
• Malivoire Pinot Gris 2004, PLCB # 17861, $16.99
• Konzelmann Estate Riesling, PLCB 10027 $12.49
• Jackson-Triggs Proprietor's Reserve Vidal Icewine 2005, PLCB # 10231, $12.99 (187 ml bottle). This is a Chairman's Selection, normally $22.49, that will be available in stores after mid-October.