Winemaking is a fun, rewarding & sociable hobby whether you’re making wine from grapes or starting out with a kit at home or at a U-Vint or Brew on Premise facility. At the end of the day, our goal is to enjoy a glass of good wine with like-minded friends.
Can it get any better?
Amateur Winemakers of Ontario is an association of winemaking clubs located in Ontario, Canada. For people who are not a member of a club we invite them to join as Members At Large so we can provide them with the benefits of membership and the ability to compete in our annual competition.
Our Annual competition is the largest amateur wine competition in Canada. It’s a great way to obtain an independent evaluation, by trained judges, of your wine which helps to improve your winemaking skills.
Important Information…
2023 Paul Dunseath Award Winner for Outstanding Service – Patti Polfuss
Attention ! Brock University is offering an online “Foundation in Viticulture” course February 26 – April 12, 2024 (7 weeks).
Instructor is Ryan Brewster. Please check out their brochure.
2023-2024 Schedule…
2023-11-30 Deadline for Membership update & dues
2024-01-04 First date to submit Club Judging Request
2024-01-31 Last date to submit Club Judging Request
2024-03-02 First date for Club Judging
2024-03-24 Deadline to submit Motions for AGM
2024-05-05 Last date for Club Judging
2024-05-08 Deadline to submit entry request for AWO competition
05-31 – 06-02 AWO Competition
2024-06-22 AWO Festival 2024
Freshly Pressed Updates
2024-03-29 Opening word documents is an issue with Google Chrome – use Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge
2024-03-11 Added AWO competition files
2024-02-20 Added 2024 Festival – Vintage 55 Jubilee
2024-02-19 Added Insurance details under ‘Membership Benefits’
2024-02-19 Added AWO Code of Conduct under ‘About Us’
2024-02-08 Added 2024 Club Competition information
2023-08-28 Added Glenlake Vineyards to the list of Grape & Juice suppliers
2023-07-24 Added AWC entry instructions at the end of the 2023 Competitions page
2023-07-24 Added seminars to the Winemaking page – SO2, Sparkling Wine Yeast Creation & Thermoflash
2023-07-07 Added Blank AWC Competition 2023 Bottle Tags to bottom of Competition 2023 page
2023-06-26 Added 2023 AWO Competition Results
2023-05-22 Added Blank AWO Bottle Entry Tag to Competition page
2023-04-24 Opened up Registration for Festival 2023 Sippers Symposium and added AGM call information
2023-04-20 Added Festival 2023 Sippers Symposium information
2023-04-13 Added a link to purchase PH meter under Supplies & Equipment
2023-03-28 Added 2023 AWO Online Wine Registration link
2023-03-08 Added 2023 Club Entry Instructions
2023-02-24 Added 2023 AGM Call for Motions
2023-02-24 Updated Wine Making Clubs information
2023-01-04 Added 2023 Competition including Club Judging Request form
Here’s what our site has to offer
Check out the ‘About Us’ tab for our history, list of directors, and our constitution & bylaws.
Under the ‘Membership’ tab, you will discover all of the benefits that come with belonging to our organization.
This includes a list of our current clubs, how to create a club of your own and how to access Winetalk, our online forum (you need to be a member to access Winetalk). Winetalk allows you to post technical questions and various members, with their years of winemaking experience, will correspond with their insights on the issue.
You can also view our newsletters & picture gallery.
The ‘Competition’ tab has all of the information you need to compete at the next wine competition with your homemade wines (class descriptions, competition procedure, entry form, bottle tags) and to find results for previous years.
Many members compete to receive an independent evaluation of their wines and for bragging rights.
Under the ‘Winemaking’ tab, we have winemaking articles written by our members and others in the winemaking community.
Find out where to buy grapes, juice & winemaking supplies on the ’Links & Resources’ tab.
We also have links to all kinds of other wine related websites.
The ‘Festival’ tab will have the current information for this year’s convention.
Every year we hold a Festival/Convention where we get a chance to meet & network with new members and see old friends from the many different clubs.
At the Festival, there are various seminars & tastings.
This once a year event is a great venue for learning what’s new in the world of winemaking.
We also find out the results of the Ontario winemaking competition and enjoy each other’s wines & food at the club showcase of wines.