Inniskillin's
vineyard is called The Brae Burn Estate. "Brae Burn" is of Gaelic origin and translates
literally as "Hill Stream", referring to the Niagara Escarpment and the Niagara
River. The
historic Brae Burn Barn, constructed in the mid-1920s, houses the winery boutique.
The
main floor consists of the retail wine boutique and tours centre, while the upper
level loft, maintained in its original open-beamed structure, features a training
centre and demonstration kitchen for guest chefs, and a gallery. The
barn and several others in the area were constructed in a similar style and are
thought to be designed or influenced by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright,
who designed the Larkin Building in Buffalo, New York. Architects have admired
the functional simplicity, integrity and craftsmanship of the barn. The
word "barn" was originally created from the old English words bere, meaning barley,
and ern, meaning a place for the laying up of any sort of grain, hay or straw.
At Inniskillin, the meaning of barn has been adapted as the laying down of fine
wines. |