Picture - Waupoos Winery Store
Eight wineries are now open in the region: The County Cider Company, Carmela Estate Wines, Waupoos Estate Winery and By Chadsey's Cairns Huff Estates Winery Black Prince Winery, The Grange and Closson Chase.
Picture - View from Waupoos Winery's balcony of the indoor/outdoor restaurant and Lake Ontario
There are approximately 50 growers in Prince Edward County, with about 600 acres planted. Of these, 38 growers are commerical vineyards or wineries.
John Fricker and Marian Saunders of East Lake Sunset Vineyard hope to plant 1000 vines each year for the next five years to establish a winery or become a contract grape grower.
Picture - By Chadsey's Cairns Winery tasting Bar and owners Richard Johnson and Vida Zalnieriunas.
By Chadsey's Cairns is the newest winery to open in Prince Edward County, at 17432 Loyalist Parkway (Highway 33) near Wellington. Touring the grounds is a fascinating glimpse of pioneer life. The winery is a barn complex about 100 years old, and the barns were made from much older beams. The tasting room is a brick building circa 1800's that was perhaps an old school. One of the oldest sheep barns in Ontario is on the property, and the owners still raise sheep. On the grounds, there is an old cemetery, with the oldest grave from about 1802.
Picture - A former horse stables is now the wine production facility.
The owners have meticulously restored the wood interiors of the buildings.
Picture - (Orange) Pekoe the cat at By Chadsey's Cairns
By Chadsey's Cairns currently offers four wines. A very dry Riesling, a non-oaked Chardonnay, and a Gewurtztraminer are all from hand-picked and locally grown grapes. The red includes Pinot Noir and Gamay blended grapes. Local appelation Chenin Blanc, Gamay and Pinot Noir should be available this year. St. Laurent and Muscat vines have been planted for future vintages. The winery will be open 7 days a week from 10:30 am to 6:00 pm.
Picture - Carmela Estates Exterior shot of winery
Carmela Estates Winery
This winery has 43 acres near Hillier. It currently has 28,900 vines of Cabernet Franc Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Riesling. Originally called, Peddlesden Wines it opened in early November 2002. The 6,000 square foot winery offers in-store tastings (3 for $2.00) and winery tours, as well as a selection of giftware.
Picture - Carmela Estates Lunch Buffet
The winery serves a buffet lunch on weekends, $18.95 for adults and $12.95 for children. Ample lunch seating is available downstairs, in the loft and outside among the landscaped grounds. Their 2002 Pinot Gris sold out immediately, but as of July 7, Riesling was still available. Three other wines are also available for purchasing. The winery is Located at 1186 Greer Road, Wellington, phone (613) 399-3939. Carmela website.
Geoff Heinricks, the guru for grape growing in the county, has a property near Hillier. He has 6500 vines planted of Pinot Noir St. Laurent and Melon De Bourgogne (3630 vines per acre and hopes to keep adding planted acreage until he gets to the five acres required to establish a winery.
Dan Taylor owns a 17 acre property at Danforth and Greer Rds in Hillier. He plans to plant five acres of Pinot Noir using various clones and rootstocks over the next five years, and to have a winery built on his property.
This is just a glimpse of some of the pioneers of this new region For more complete profiles checkout Little Fat Wino, and for news and more photos The Prince Edward County Winegrowers Association.
The first winery in the region is the County Cider Company. County Road 8, Picton (613) 476-6224. Apple wine and cider. Winter Apple wine (similar to icewine). Open May through November. Samplings are free, non-alcoholic cider available for children. Gift shop with crafts, jams, scented soaps made by Latimer, cookbooks, and in season, apples. Try the Country Premium Cider. Dry, sparkling cider with 6.5% alcohol, available at many Ontario LCBO liquor outlets. Vineyards have been planted with 3 grape varities: Riesling, Zweigelt and Gamay. The County Cider produced their first major grape harvest in 2002. The County Cider Home Page
Picture - County Cider Company Wine Store and Tasting Bar
In order to take advantage of the million dollar view, the County Cider Company has opened a restaurant on the patio seasonally. You can come for lunch, or if you prefer, just a glass or two of cider.
Picture - View of seasonal restaurant.
Down the road from the County Cider Company, near the shores of Lake Ontario is Ed Neuser's Waupoos Estates Winery 3016 County Rd 8 Waupoos. (613) 476-7484. Call for hours as they are closed in the winter. This is the second winery in the new Prince Edward County wine region. The skylit pavillion was made from natural limestone. Doors open from the winestore to the back balcony and a wonderful view of gardens, vineyards and Lake Ontario. The name Waupoos comes from the Indian word for rabbit. Tastings are $2.00 for up to four samples. Offerings include Chardonnay, Vidal, Geisenheim (riesling style) Rose, Cabernet Gamay and Baco Noir. The shop also sells a selection of wine glasses, candles, maple syrup and other gift items. Wine production facilities are under the wine store. A small building out back serves as an indoor/outdoor restaurant restaurant, open seasonally from 11:30 am to 9:00 pm for lunch and dinner, or just a glass of wine. Waupoos Estates Winery website
Picture - The vineyards of Waupoos Estate Winery
Picture - Waupoos Estate Winery Pavillion
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