Mike Weir Winery opens memorabilia gallery

Weir_menu

Mike Weir is Canada’s most recognizable golfer, and arguably, one of this country’s most decorated. And now, there’s a place where fans can view never-before-seen Weir memorabilia in one place.

On Saturday, June 21st, the official gallery at the Mike Weir Winery in Beamsville, Ontario – in Niagara wine country – was open to the public.

“Good things come to those who wait,” said Barry Katzman, president of Mike Weir Wine Inc., to a crowd of about 60 people, including Weir himself.

The gallery features trophies and artifacts from Weir’s extensive career as a professional golfer. Some artifacts of note include the trophy from his first PGA Tour victory at the Air Canada Championship in 1999, the official menu from his Masters Champions dinner in 2004, and the set of clubs he used during his magical 2003 season.

Set on top of a Niagara hillside with a clear view of the Toronto skyline in the distance, it’s an idyllic setting for a vineyard. Considering the building has Weir’s name on it, hosting a gallery dedicated to his accomplishments there just made sense.

“We’re excited, because we think people are excited for it – winery visitation is growing,” explained Katzman in an earlier interview.

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The winery itself was officially opened in 2005 not long after Weir’s Masters victory, and 100% of the profits of the wine go towards the Mike Weir Foundation.

The team has found success in terms of sales and growth over the last nine years, but Jim Weir, Mike’s older brother, says despite the success, Mike still remains very much involved.

“I’m always bringing some wine stuff along (when I visit him on the road) so then he can see what we’re doing. He is more active than I expected him to be,” said Jim.

Mike, who flew out to Washington on Sunday before teeing it up at the Quicken Loans National, explained he gets just as many comments about his wine on tour as anything else, “and they are all positive.”

But even for Mike, the reception on Saturday was unexpected.

“I kept asking my brother (Jim) to send me pictures, and he’d do it from really far in the distance so I couldn’t actually see the building,” Mike said. “So today was a great surprise.”

The Weir vineyard and gallery is located at 4041 Locust Lane in Beamsville. Tours of the vineyard happen twice daily (at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.) and the gallery is now open for public viewing.