Lake Erie North Shore

and Pelee Island Wineries

Picture - Pelee Island

A scenic way to see the wineries of Lake Erie North Shore and Pelee Island is to follow Highway 3 and 24 West from Niagara along the Lake Erie shoreline. This is called the Talbot Trail. This region is farming country, as far as the eye can see, and is a stark contrast to the side by side country urban setup of Niagara.

Lake Erie North Shore and Pelee Island offers seven wineries and many other attractions that can diversify this route. Among them are Point Pelee National Park, Hillman Marsh, Jack Miner Bird Sanctuary and Colasanti Tropical Gardens. You can drive your car onto the Pelee Island ferry MV Jiimaan for the pleasant one and a half hour crossing (in season). When you arrive, visit the Pelee Island Wine Pavillion, the vineyards, a pheasant farm, and beaches.

The mainland area of this wine region runs from Kingsville through Harrow and Amherstburg. Allow about 3 days to visit the entire region, if driving from Toronto. For more information on Lake Erie North Shore, visit the Southwestern Ontario Vintners Association site.

Grape Tree Estates

308 Mersia Rd. 3 Leamington Ontario 519-322-2081 Hours open to be announced. Located on the same road as Jack Miners and Colasanti's Tropical garden. The wines are to be made from varietals which are suitable to the Essex County region. These include Cabernet Franc, Merlot Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Expansion plans include a bed & breakfast, tourist oriented visitor and cultural centre and a restaurant. Touring and tasting information to be announced.

Pelee Island Winery

Mainland Winery 455 Seacliff Road #20, Kingsville, Ontario (519) 733-6551. Guided wine tours, retail wine store and gift shop. Open seven days a week. Call for tour times. Wine Pavilion on Pelee Island (519) 724-2469, 1-800-597-3533. Open seven days a week from May to October 15. Guided wine tours, picnic facilities, family barbecues in wine garden, petting zoo and playground, restaurant. Call for their special events calendar. One and a half hour ferry trip from Leamington required, call (800) 661-2220 for rates and schedule. Wine tours $5.00 per person. Free tram ride from ferry docks. The only winery in this VQA designated area. Estabished in 1865. Pelee Island has found good success in export markets as well as Ontario. Their wine is sold in such diverse places as Hong Kong airport Duty Free shops, Cameron House resort in Scotland and Publix supermarkets in Florida!

The Monarch butterfly migrates from here South each year. One of the unique features of this winery is their beautiful wine labels featuring art of local flowers, birds, and the Monarch butterfly (on bottles of their Monarch wine).

The island is the Southernmost point in Canada and is the same latitude as Northern California. Award-willing wines are Pinot Noir Country Red, Fenian Cuvee and Vidal Icewine. My personal favorite is their Pinot Gris, look for it at your local LCBO store. Pelee Island

Grapevines draped over archway at entrance to Pelee Island Winery

Colio Estate Winery

1 Colio Drive, Harrow, Ontario (519) 738-2241, (800) 265-1322. And 14 retail outlets across Ontario. Wines made here are internationally acclaimed. An upscale tasting area has been established by their new barrel room with hand-painted murals on the wall. This is the only winery that uses grapes from all 3 designated VQA areas in Ontario. Award winning wines include Riesling-Traminer, Pinot Gris, Blanc de Noir, Vin de Cure (made from grapes dried in a greenhouse), Ice Wine Chardonnay, and sparkling wine. Bulk wines are also made. Public tours and tastings available. Colio

LeBlanc Estate Winery

4716-4th Concession R.R.#2, Harrow, Ontario (519) 738-9228 email: leblanc@mnsi.net Seasonal store hours. Call for details. A cosy 22 acre operation growing Vidal, Riesling, Seyval Blanc, Pinot Blanc, and other experimental plantings. All wines are bottled and labelled by hand, and with the thumbprint of the winemaker on each bottle. A tented luncheon and barbecue area is available for themed breakfasts, lunches and other events in season. Platters of cheeses and baguettes can be purchased. Award winning wines are Cabernet Franc, Zweigelt, Auxerrois, and Pinot Blanc.

D'Angelo Estates Winery

5141 Concession 5, R.R.#4, Amherstberg, Ontario (519) 736-7959. Grows Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Baco Noir, Vidal grapes. Award winning wines in Cabernet, Pinot Noir and Marechal Foch, and Ice Wines. Vineyard picnics and Blues concerts in summer. Second floor terrace and tasting bar with panoramic view of the vineyards. Retail store faces barrel room. Tours are available.

Although technically not in this designated VQA region, I have added these wineries to the page because of their geographic locations.

Cox Creek Cellars

Highway 6 between Guelph and Fergus, Ontario. (519)767-3253, fax (519)824-0808. This new winery makes white and red grape wines, as well as apple and black currant wines. Tours, tastings, events. Cox Creek Cellars

St. Jacobs Winery and Cidery

40 Benjamin Rd. E. Waterloo 519-747-2337 Next to the St.Jacobs Farmers Market, this winery sells mostly fruit wines wine some grape wines brought in from Niagara. Tasting and gifts are at the front of the building Contact the winery details on hours of business and tastings and tours. Excellent cider.

Bellamere Country Market and Winery

120 Gainsborough Rd London 519-4732273 Open daily 10 am to 6pm. Makes wine from different fruit and grapes. Licensed restaurant open for lunch inside or on the outdoor deck. The market contains fresh meat, vegetables, and fresh baked bread and other goods baked on premises. An upstairs loft section contains unique childrens toys, books, cards, oven and table kitchenware.

Seasonal pick your own fruit and vegetables are available. The property has a replica train that transports pick-your-own customers and other visitors around the property. Wine tastings are available. Free public tours are available on the weekend between 1:30 and 3 pm. Private tours are available for a charge. Contact the winery for details.

Munro Honey and Meadery

3115 River St. Alviston 519-847-5333 This place specializes in 3 different styles of Honey wine or Mead. They sell Mead, Kosher wines and melomels, a fruit and honey blend. The term honeymoon was derived from this honey wine, which was drunk for 30 days after the wedding, to ensure fertility. They also make and sell Honey Beeswax and Pollen, as well as Beekeeper supplies. Tours of the honey production facilities are available.

Meadow Lane Winery

RR #3 St.Thomas 519-633-1933 Contact winery for hours of business. This winery is on a 45 acre farm that contains calming meadows and some woodlands. The winery produces mostly fruit wines and some grape wines but has been planting some grapevines starting with Zweigelt.It is planned to further plant other grape varietals in years to come. Patrons can enjoy a mile nature walk. The winery holds different events including huge "Yard Sales". Tours are available by appointment and tastings are complimentary.

Quai Du Vin

45811 Fruitridge Line RR5 St Thomas 591-775-2216 Open Mon to Sat 10 am to 5 pm Sun 1200 to 5 pm. This small winery is deliberately so that owners Robert and Lisa Quai can maintain control on how the wine is made - simple with low overhead. Wines are made from Vidal, Chardonnay, Auore Seyvre-Villard 23-512 Riesling, Pinot Noir and De Chaunac. They offer a twenty five cent deposit in their wine bottles to keep you coming back and to recycle. Tours available (no set hours) as well as public tastings.

Norfolk Estate Winery

R.R.#1 St.Williams 510-586-7995 Open Mon to Sat 12 to 5 pm Sun 12 to 5pm The property is 100 acres large and has been farming apples since 1946. Ontario's first apple winery was established here in 1995. There is a large selection of wines to choose from including icewine with a Ginseng root in it. Winery tours are available by appointment and complimentary tastings are available.

Rush Creek Wines

On the North Shores of Lake Erie 32 km from Hwy 401. Signage from the 401 at Hwy #73 South through Aylmer. 519-773-5432 fax 519-7735431 email rushcreek@amtelecom.net Winery hours:open 7 days a week Monday –Saturday,10-5 Sunday 12-5 all year long. Group & Bus tours welcome, please book ahead. Outdoor licensed BBQ court with seating for 60. Groups are welcome to use the BBQ at no charge. Check out their website for upcoming events such as music concerts and festivals. The festival area is licensed for 1000. Wine shop and gift store offers free tastings from their selection of 30 wines: very dry wines to the Iced wine styles, which have won over 79 International wine awards. Fruit wines, honey and maple syrup wines, Kosher wines. Charted members of the Fruit Wines of Ontario and the Fruit Wines of Canada. Secure online store, they will ship to anywhere in Canada. www.rushcreekwines.com The wines display the QC approved label from the Fruit Wines of Canada.

Sanson Estate Winery

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