By Rick VanSickle
Tawse winery’s Augusta Van Muyen has been chosen by her peers as the 2025-2026 Ontario Grape King, becoming only the fourth female “king” since 1956 to be awarded the honour.
“Augusta has accomplished an enormous amount in her time as vineyard manager at Tawse. She is the fourth female Grape King to be honoured, and her knowledge of grape growing is the perfect blend for our industry’s ambassador,” said Grape Growers of Ontario Chair Matthias Oppenlaender.
The last female grape “king” was in 2010 with Debbie Inglis, below, chosen and before that Livia Sipos was awarded the title in 2004 and Donna Lailey before her in 1991.
In 2010, Grape Growers of Ontario CEO Debbie Zimmerman said: “We’re delighted to have Debbie as the new Grape King. Debbie brings a family history of grape growing to the role. It’s wonderful having a female as king.”
While the GGO has always maintained that the word “king” is gender neutral, the Oxford dictionary describes king as “a male sovereign ruler of an independent state or people, esp. one who inherits the position by right of birth; a male monarch.”
It’s also interesting to note that the Grape “Queen” came into existence in Niagara in 1952, four years before there was a Grape “King.” Grape royalty was chosen to preside over the Grape and Wine Festival. Beginning that year, a Grape Queen was chosen with any woman in attendance eligible and the Queen would be elected by popular applause at 10 p.m. following a dance. The winner was awarded $500. The first Grape Queen was Jeanette Lakowska, 18, from Toronto. In later years women were nominated from participating local social and service clubs. It wasn’t until 1956 that the festival included a Grape King.
Also back in the day, a Prince and Princess was chosen to make it a true Royal Family. A Prince was chosen but he had to be under 7 years of age. The first Prince, Brian Stouck, was chosen in 1959. In 1960 they began having a contest to choose a Princess who was also required to be under 7 years of age. The first Grape Princess was Janet Whitty. None of the festival events could begin until the Grape King was chosen and crowned.
In a news release yesterday, Zimmerman said: “The annual crowning of the Grape King is a time-honoured tradition that began in 1956 to recognize exemplary vineyard management and understanding of the industry. Augusta exemplifies the very best standard of what it means to be a great grape grower.”
In 1956, the first Grape King was Tom Davis Sr. Historical photographs show Davis posing beside the Niagara Grape Queen. One might wonder what would have happened if the first Grape King was a woman posing beside the Grape Queen. Talk about confusing.
“FCC is pleased to support the tradition of naming an Ontario Grape King and with it, celebrating the best in the business,” said Clinton Buttar, Ontario vice-president commercial and small business at Farm Credit Canada, a sponsor of the award. “At FCC, we admire the passion that goes into every vineyard, every harvest, and every bottle. Congratulations to all the past Grape Kings, and a special toast to the 2025-2026 Grape King, Augusta Van Muyen.”
The Grape King carries the distinction of being nominated by their peers and selected by industry judges who visit each of the nominated vineyards. The Grape King serves as a representative for Ontario’s grape and wine industry at events across the country, starting with the annual Grande Parade on Sep. 27 at the Niagara Grape and Wine Festival and the Mayor’s Invitational Grape Stomp on Sep. 28 in Montebello Park.
Currently, vineyard manager at Tawse Winery, Van Muyen, followed a path to success that took her across Ontario and the world. Born in Prince Edward County, Van Muyen grew up in a family that built ploughs for the region’s newly developing vineyards, instilling in her an interest in grapes and wine. She pursued her interest to Niagara and studied for a time at Brock University before transferring to Niagara College to learn the ropes of grape-growing.
Augusta’s studies at Niagara College took her to Tawse in 2009-10, then overseas to work in wineries in Germany’s Rhine-Hessen region. When she returned to Canada, she worked at a winery in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley. Augusta returned to Tawse in 2013, serving as assistant winemaker. In 2019, she made the jump into the vineyard. Since 2021, she has served as vineyard manager.
Van Muyen places great importance on sustainability and leaving the land better than she found it, the GGO said in a news release. For her, the most important aspect of grape-growing is being present on the farm, dedicating time to scouting the vineyard to keep ahead of problems. “There’s nothing better,” she says, “than walking through the farm on a gorgeous sunny morning – the birds are singing, the bugs are out, everything feels alive and vibrant.”
Van Muyen is a member of the Grape Growers of Ontario’s Next Generation Committee and the Board of Directors of Farm and Food Care.
She will be officially installed as the 67th Grape King at Tawse Winery, located at 3955 Cherry Ave, Vineland, on Wednesday, Sep. 17, following the Grape Growers of Ontario’s annual Celebrity Luncheon.
Note: Some information has been provided to Wines in Niagara by the Grape Growers of Ontario.
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