Henry of Pelham

What Henry of Pelham does

Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery is a privately held, family-owned VQA-certified winery operating from a 300-acre estate in the Short Hills Bench sub-appellation of the Niagara Peninsula in St. Catharines, Ontario. The Speck family has held the land since 1794 (six generations), with the modern winery established in 1988 when Paul Speck Jr. became president and the winery co-founded the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA). The estate produces approximately 75,000 cases per year of VQA wines spanning three tiers: Classic (entry-level approachable wines at $11-$17), Reserve ($20-$30), and Speck Family Reserve (premium wines from shovel-planted old vines dating to 1984, priced up to $124.95). The portfolio includes Baco Noir, Cabernet-Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Gamay, rosé, traditional method sparkling wines under the Cuvée Catharine label, and Icewine. Value-tier wines are sold under the Speck Bros. sub-brands (Family Tree, House Wine Co., Lazzara, Revel, Sibling Rivalry).

The business operates a hybrid direct-to-consumer and wholesale model. Direct channels include the estate retail store, online store, two wine club tiers (Estate at $29.95/year and Speck Family Reserve at $600+/year delivering 18 bottles), the seasonal Short Hills Kitchen restaurant, and a diversified experiential program (walk-in tastings from $15, public and private tours, Premium Barrel Cellar Tastings in Canada's largest underground working barrel cellar at $50/person, and HELISIX helicopter experiences from $1,999). Wholesale distribution runs through the LCBO retail network across Ontario, recent expansion into convenience stores province-wide, and international export markets. The company employs 11-50 staff, holds Wine Align #1 Winery recognition (2024) and multiple 90+ point ratings from Master of Wine John Szabo, and is led by the three Speck brothers (Paul T. Speck as President, Matthew E. Speck as VP Operations, Daniel Speck as VP Sales). The company is family-owned with no external funding rounds, subsidiaries, or parent company identified.

Name

Henry of Pelham

Legal name

Henry of Pelham Estate Winery

Website

https://henryofpelham.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Henry of Pelham is a family-owned VQA-certified winery in Ontario's Niagara Peninsula producing ~75,000 cases/year of tiered wines (Classic, Reserve, Speck Family Reserve) plus Speck Bros. sub-brands, sold through DTC estate/online channels, wine clubs, on-site restaurant, LCBO, convenience stores, and export.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Winery

NAICS

Wineries (312130)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF), Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB)

Keywords

• Estate winery operations
• VQA wine production
• Wine tourism experiences
• Sparkling wine production
• Wine club memberships

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Catharines

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Wine Sales (Direct): Direct-to-consumer wine sales through the estate winery retail store, online store, and wine club shipments. Includes walk-in tastings, wine flights, and bottle purchases.
2. Restaurant & Hospitality: Seasonal patio dining at Short Hills Kitchen restaurant, private event hosting, venue rentals for celebrations and corporate events.
3. Wine Club Memberships: Estate Wine Club ($29.95/year) and Speck Family Reserve Wine Club ($600+/year) providing recurring revenue through membership fees and scheduled wine shipments.
4. Events & Experiences: Premium tasting experiences, private tours, helicopter experiences, cigar pairing events, live music events, and seasonal celebrations generating event ticket revenue.
5. LCBO Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale distribution through the Liquor Control Board of Ontario retail network and convenience stores across Ontario.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Henry of Pelham is a six-generation family-owned estate winery that produces VQA-certified wines across three tiers — Classic, Reserve, and Speck Family Reserve — including red, white, rosé, traditional-method sparkling (Cuvée Catharine), and Canadian Icewine varieties. Beyond winemaking, the winery operates an on-site seasonal restaurant (Short Hills Kitchen), wine tourism experiences (tastings, tours, helicopter experiences), two wine club memberships, and event hosting for private and corporate functions.

Product overview

Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery offers a multi-tiered wine portfolio with three quality tiers: Classic (entry-level, approachable wines), Reserve (select vineyard blocks with greater complexity), and Speck Family Reserve (pinnacle wines from oldest estate vineyards). Their wine collection includes red wines (Baco Noir, Cabernet-Merlot, Pinot Noir, Gamay), white wines (Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio), rosé wines, traditional method sparkling wines under the Cuvée Catharine label, Canadian Icewine, and Speck Bros. value brands (Family Tree, House Wine Co., Lazzara, Revel, Sibling Rivalry). The winery also operates Short Hills Kitchen seasonal restaurant, offers Estate and Speck Family Reserve Wine Club memberships, and provides wine experiences including tastings, tours, and event hosting. The 300-acre vineyard is located in the Short Hills Bench sub-appellation of the Niagara Peninsula.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Speck Bros. Sub-brand of Henry of Pelham led by brothers Paul, Matthew, and Daniel Speck producing wines including Family Tree, House Wine Co., Lazzara Secco, Revel, Sibling Rivalry, and Three of Hearts wines.
• Cuvée Catharine
• Speck Family Reserve

Products and services

• Classic Tier White Wines

Quantifiable outcome

• #1 Winery at Wine Align National Wine Awards 2024
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• JP Niagara Tulip ExperienceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the 'Sip & Pick Experience' - guests can stroll tulip fields, hand-pick 10 tulips, then continue to Henry of Pelham for wine tasting. Creates a combined tourism experience linking the tulip farm with the winery.
• Café AmoréminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFamily-run Mediterranean-Italian restaurant in St. Catharines that proudly pours Henry of Pelham Baco Noir and Sauvignon Blanc by the glass.
• WineAlignminorOthersWineAlign is the primary wine review platform in Canada. Henry of Pelham consistently receives high scores (90+ points) from Master of Wine John Szabo, contributing to brand credibility and sales.
• VQA OntariocoreOthersPaul Speck Jr. co-founded the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) in 1988. VQA is the regulatory body that sets quality standards for Ontario wines. Paul continues to serve as Vice Chair of VQA.
• Wine Council of OntariocoreOthersPaul Speck is former Chairman of the Wine Council of Ontario. Henry of Pelham is one of only six Ontario wineries certified by the Wine Council for sustainable winemaking practices from vine to table.
• Crush ToursminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCrush Tours offers the 'Libations & Big Bites' wine dinner tour that includes Henry of Pelham as one of the featured wineries on the Niagara Benchlands experience.
• HELISIXminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHELISIX offers private helicopter charters to Henry of Pelham. Guests soar above Niagara's vineyards, lakefront, and escarpment before touching down for a 2-hour winery visit. Packages start from $1,999.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Inniskillin Wines: Niagara-based Canadian winery and one of the most internationally recognized Ontario producers (especially for Icewine). Directly comparable premium VQA DTC model, tasting room tourism, and broad LCBO distribution.
• Jackson-Triggs: Large Niagara-based VQA winery with national retail distribution and tasting rooms; comparable on wine portfolio breadth, VQA certifications, and Ontario distribution strategy.
• Flat Rock Cellars: Family-owned Niagara Bench winery focused on estate-grown VQA wines with on-site tasting; comparable on family ownership, estate production, and DTC tourism strategy.
• Pillitteri Estates Winery: Family-owned Niagara winery known for Icewine and table wines with on-site retail and tasting experiences; closely comparable on family-ownership profile, VQA production, and DTC tourism model.
• Tawse Winery: Award-winning Niagara winery with a strong organic/biodynamic program; comparable on premiumization, critical acclaim, sustainability positioning, and DTC tasting room experience.
• Peller Estates: Major Niagara Peninsula winery with VQA-certified portfolio, on-site restaurant (Pillitteri/Peller), tasting experiences, and broad retail distribution — directly comparable to Henry of Pelham on product mix and DTC model.
• Stratus Vineyards: Premium Niagara winery focused on terroir-driven VQA wines with a sustainability and design-driven brand; closely comparable on premium tier portfolio, awards profile, and VQA production.
• Trius Winery & Restaurant: Niagara winery operating an on-site restaurant and tasting room; directly comparable on combined winery + hospitality experience model within the same VQA system.
• Château des Charmes: Estate winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake producing VQA wines with strong tourism and DTC focus; comparable premium positioning and family-ownership model.

Emerging players

• Benjamin Bridge: Nova Scotia winery recognized for traditional-method sparkling wines — comparable on premium traditional-method sparkling craftsmanship (relevant given Henry of Pelham's Cuvée Catharine program) and award-winning positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/hopfamilyestate
• Instagraminstagram.com/henryofpelham
• Xx.com/henryofpelham

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Henry of Pelham