Where Vines Meet Hives
At Trail Hub, we believe every ingredient and sip should tell a story and ideally, a local one. For both our wine list and our honey, that story begins in Lincoln, Ontario, along the Niagara Escarpment, at Rosewood Winery & Honey Estate.
Rosewood isn't your typical winery. Founded in the early 2000s and family-run from day one, they combine the craftsmanship of award-winning winemaking with the ancient art of beekeeping. This means that when you raise a glass at Nest or enjoy honey in one of our desserts, you're experiencing not just exceptional flavour, but a connection to a place where vines and hives thrive side by side.
At Trail Hub, our farm-to-table philosophy is about more than food and drink. It's about bringing forward the stories of people who pour their hearts into cultivating Ontario's best. Rosewood's dual legacy of wine and honey fits that mission beautifully.
Rooted in Niagara, Shared at Nest
The Beamsville Bench is one of Ontario's most renowned wine-growing regions and a stretch of the Niagara Escarpment where mineral-rich soils, lake-effect breezes, and cool nights create the perfect conditions for vibrant, expressive wines. From this land, Rosewood produces 8,000–10,000 cases annually, offering a range of wines that includes Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Riesling, Pinot Grigio, and carefully crafted red blends.
Each bottle reflects not only the terroir of the Niagara region but also the family's philosophy of balance between tradition and innovation. For the Rosewood family, every bottle is more than wine. It's an expression of Niagara itself and a way of bringing the character of the land and the craft of the cellar to every table, including ours at Nest.
Inside the Cellar
Stepping into Rosewood's cellar is like stepping behind the curtain of the winemaking process. Grapes harvested from the local vines are brought into the fermentation hall, where the magic truly begins. Large French oak fermentation tanks stand alongside modern variable tanks, striking a balance between time-honoured tradition and contemporary technique.
Rosewood marries art and science in their cellar. As lead winemaker Doug Mackenzie explains: "We can test our wines and break it down from a molecular level and basically see what's going on from a chemical standpoint."
Yet even with all the lab equipment at their disposal, the palate remains the ultimate guide. Grapes may spend anywhere from a week to over three weeks fermenting, depending on the varietal and desired style, before being transferred to underground barrel rooms. There, in carefully controlled temperature and humidity, flavours deepen and mature, transforming fruit from the vine into wines that embody both place and craft.
From Hive to Honey Jar
While Rosewood's vines anchor them to the land, their hives keep them buzzing. With over 300 hives across the Niagara region, about 50 of which are on-site, Rosewood produces honey that is as pure as nature intended.
Each frame of honey can weigh 5–7 lbs when fully capped, a remarkable feat of natural collaboration between bees and beekeepers. Harvesting involves carefully removing the wax caps from the comb and spinning the frames in a centrifuge-style extractor. From there, the honey is strained for small bits of wax, but otherwise remains untouched, raw, and unpasteurized. "It's such a pure product" notes Alana Jackson Beekeeper at Rosewood.
This simplicity is deceptive because behind it lies deep care for the health of the hives, the sustainability of the environment, and the quality of the final product.
A Local Legacy on Every Plate
Working with Rosewood is about more than just sourcing great wine and honey. It's about celebrating a partner that embodies what farm-to-table truly means: respect for the land, care for craft, and pride in sharing with the community.
When you sip a glass of Rosewood wine with your meal or taste their honey folded into a dessert, you're experiencing a direct connection to a Niagara family who has mastered the balance between two worlds: vineyard and apiary.
Rosewood themselves put it best: "We're super happy with the partnership we have with the restaurant and the group in general, and we can't wait to have more continued success together."
This is what excites us at Trail Hub, knowing that every guest can enjoy not only exceptional flavour, but also the knowledge that what they're tasting is rooted in Ontario, created by people who care deeply about their craft.
A Taste of Ontario at Nest
Whether you're hiking our trails, relaxing with a glass of Rosewood Chardonnay in the lounge, or celebrating life's milestones at a private event, we invite you to discover the magic Rosewood brings to your table.
At Trail Hub, we are proud to partner with producers like Rosewood who remind us that food and drink are about stories as much as flavour. Every sip of wine and every spoonful of honey tells the tale of the Niagara region and when shared at Nest, it becomes part of your story too.
Reserve your table at Nest and taste for yourself why Rosewood's wines and honey embody the very spirit of Ontario farm-to-table dining.
About the Author
Trail Hub is your premier destination for adventure in the Greater Toronto Area. Situated in the Durham Region, we are trailside to more than 240 km of trails perfect for biking, hiking, disc golf, and skiing. Our chalet offers farm-to-table dining, breathtaking vistas, and memorable events such as corporate gatherings and weddings. Immerse yourself in the nature and vibrant community at Trail Hub.
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