Selfie Made

A new look for a Niagara wine tour

Selfie Made

Trius Winery has reimagined the wine tour for the social media age, employing dazzling art installations as part of its interactive visit to the production and hospitality areas of the Niagara-on-the-Lake estate.
Launched in July, the revamped Trius Tour boasts an immersive winery visit that goes beyond the standardized tour and tasting opportunity. In less than an hour, visitors are guided through five stops where they’ll walk through dramatic installations as well as samples of one of the winery’s wine selections and a tasty treat to match.
The idea is to engage all of the senses while providing picture perfect backdrops for Kardashian-style social media posts. It’s being called the most Instagrammable winery tour around.
The Rosé Lounge, an outdoor loft which overlooks the vineyard behind the winery, features a ceiling-high floral wall that would make Mariah Carey blush.
Another stop, the Sparkling Cellar uses light, colour and movement to give wine lovers the impression they’re inside a bottle of bubbly. Other venues include a Bubble Tub and swing seat fashioned to look like the cage that holds the cork in a bottle of sparkling wine. Neon signs sport hashtag worthy phrases: “There’s always room for more bubbles!” and “Rosé All Day.”
Brand manager, Tina Truszyk, explains the goal was to put visitors in the driver’s seat of their individual winery experience. “Today’s consumers want to be an active part of the experience,” she says. “The traditional winery tour was long overdue for an update. Guests want to tour and learn at their own pace in a way that’s fun and accessible.”
The didactic engagement of the traditional walk-around visit — with a tour guide spouting facts, figures and brand building messaging — has been traded for something stylish yet equally informative, adds estate manager Tim Coons.
The Trius Tour is packed with information the winery’s wines and the winemaking process, he explains.
The tour is offered seven days a week from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. for $35 per guest, which includes wine and culinary samples. Advance reservations are recommended. Visit triuswines.com for more information.

About the Author

Christopher Waters

Christopher Waters

Christopher Waters has been writing about wine for two decades. He is the wine and spirits columnist at The Globe and Mail, education director of IWEG Drinks Academy and a WSET certified instructor at the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute, Brock University.
For 21 years, he was the editor/co-founder of Canada's largest circulation wine publication, VINES, and author of the nationally syndicated column, Waters & Wine.
An internationally recognized wine judge, Christopher represents Canada for the Six Nations Wine Challenge and served as head judge and organizer of the InterVin International Wine Awards from 2009-2019. He was awarded the Business Citizen of the Year at the 2011 Niagara Grape and Wine Festival and was received the VQA Promoters Award for Education, also in 2011.
Christopher has been organizing and conducting unforgettable corporate and private fine wine events for 20+ years. He has developed and conducted masterclasses and seminars and moderated panels for organizations, such as The Wine Marketing Association of Ontario, Wines of British Columbia, Wines of Chile, Wines of Germany and Wines of South Africa.