The Evolution
As a young small-batch custom winemaker in 1985, Diano DiFelice, Winemaker and Brew Master, co-founded a home wine and beer making shop in Niagara. It was not long before word spread, and the demand for Diano’s expertise exceeded expectations. What began as a small Craft Winery/Brewery serving local patrons soon outgrew its modest start-up location, and in 1990, Diano moved the operations to a 6,000 square foot facility where he implemented the on-site Craft Winery/Brewery along with new products and services to accommodate his rapidly expanding clientele.
In 2015, Diano changed the name of his company to The LOCAL Wine & Beer Co. to maintain his independence in the industry which would allow him to source the highest quality ingredients available from around the world. Today, The LOCAL Wine & Beer Co. produces a range of quality beer made using Diano’s expert brewing technique, in addition to the quality, specialty wine that gives The LOCAL Wine & Beer Co. its tremendous reputation.
The Tradition
Descended from a Canadian-Italian family, Diano was inspired by his family’s origins in Abruzzi where the dinner table is the center of family life and mealtimes are leisurely, lively celebrations. In Italy, wine and beer is central to family life, and it is always lovingly handcrafted and served with good food fresh from the farm.
At The Local Wine & Beer Co. Diano shares the tradition of custom-made, handcrafted wine and beer with people from across southern Ontario, inviting them to be a part of his family’s age-old tradition. He has spent over thirty years perfecting his art, and personally oversees the crafting of each batch of wine and beer. In the Old World tradition, Diano’s wine and beer is fresh, natural, and made to please each customer’s individual taste.
The Inspiration
Above all, Diano believes that high quality wine and beer should be accessible and affordable—an everyday pleasure that places your dinner table at the center of your family life, bringing friends and family together.
