Best Prince Edward County Wineries (+ Top things to do!)
Prince Edward County (PEC), or the county, as the locals call it, is tucked between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. The island lake is home to more than 30 wineries and a dozen craft breweries. This is the perfect playground for many Torontonians as it offers access beautiful to lake beaches, great food and great wineries.
In this guide, we will share the Best Prince Edward County Wineries along with things to do, where to eat, drink and sleep. The county is very rural and has 3 main towns Picton (the hub), Wellington and Bloomfield. Between the fields and the forests, you will get a glimpse of English colonial architecture as the region was a loyalist hub. Below you will find a complete guide to the best wineries and the top things to do in Prince Edward County so this can be the perfect weekend getaway for you!
After a long week of work filled with overtime, a deserved relaxing weekend was in order. The county is around three hours drive from Montreal and around 2 hours drive from Toronto so I suggest taking your afternoon off so you don't arrive too late.
Wondering how to make the most of your weekend or how to ask for days off? Head to my plan from the office section! ;)
So get ready to start your county wine tour with me!
County Cider Company patio views
Best Prince Edward County Wineries
The closeness to the lake and the richness of the soil make the perfect factors for winemaking. The clay soil scattered with rock and shale fragments on a calcareous limestone is the base of the county’s soil which makes similar conditions as the Burgundy region in France, hence making similar wines. The Prince Edward County wines are mostly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but you can also find Cabernet Franc, Riesling, Gamay, Pinot Gris, Baco Noir, and Merlot. If you are outside of the county you can search for their wines with the VQA appellation of origin, Prince Edward County.
Prince Edward County is the second wine region in Ontario, after Niagara-on-the-Lake. Just like its sister region, you can do Prince Edward County wine tours either by bike, or car or go on organized wine tours.
Travel tips to play your visit better :
All the tastings range from $8 to $12.
If you are doing the tour by yourself, plan your visits geographically. If you have some wineries that you would like to visit check their location, they might be too far apart to do them back to back or they might be in two different towns. After all, you don’t want to be in the car all day.
If you are two or more, it might be a good idea to split the tastings if you are planning to do several wineries, this way you can avoid over drinking ;)
Please don’t drink and drive.
Most of the wineries are open daily and they all have similar schedules, however, I would suggest checking the times before as well.
RoseHall run vineyards
This award-winning winery specializes in sparkling wines, and who doesn’t love sparkling wine? The estate of 150-acre farm has 3 kinds of bubbles, from dry to fruity. Besides the sparkling wine, they offer Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Rosé, to name a few. Their tasting bar also provides Tutored Tastings of around 30 min. This is one of the oldest vineyards in Prince Edward County and it offers beautiful outdoor area to enjoy your wine and offer events throughout the year. Of course, being a lover of bubbles, we bought a bottle of Ceremony, a brut with aromas of poached pear/apple and honeydew, to bring back home. Their top selling wine is the sparkling rosé Pixie and the Pixie Petite a Rosé Spritzer.
The Grange winery
The Grange winery is located in a beautiful rustic old barn. The estate offers a tasting tour where you can taste 3 different wines while they explain to you the winemaking process. While you are enjoying your time at the property, you can do a picnic that highlights local ingredients like charcuterie, cheeses and bread. You can either do the picnic outside by the vines or enjoy the scenery from the inside in the beautiful barn.
The winery is run by a mother and daughter duo, which is worth to be highlighted since winemaking has traditionally been a male-dominated world. The designs and the look of their brand that they want to portrait are beautifully crafted.
Karlo Estate
Mixing wine processes of the old world with the new world, this winery has a wide range of wines. Plus, they have the most photographed cat in the winery, easily recognizable by its bi-colour head. The winery is in an old barn with wooden beams and oak barrels which gives it a unique rustic feeling.
Black Prince Winery
This is one of the first wineries in the county and they offer great Cabernet Franc. The winery has already prepared for the legalization of marijuana in Canada and will offer a marijuana wine.
Unfortunately, we just didn’t have the chance to visit them all on our weekend getaway. I guess we will have to go back again! Here are the other top wineries in Prince Edward County. Hinterland Wine Company specializes in bubbly wine. Closson Chase Vineyards has sustainability at the core of its process, it is easily recognizable by its purple barn. This Prince Edward Country winery combines old European traditions with sustainable and innovative modern techniques. It has received recognition by the New York Times and was recommended by Wine Spectator in 2019.
Huff Estates Winery is one of the bigger establishments in the area and was established in 2004. The Old Third Vineyard produces wines and ciders. Finally, Waupoos Estate Winery is another great option paired with their farm-to-table restaurant. Traynor Family Vineyard is focused on family and sustainability, with many permaculture practices and organic standards in place. The wines are also certified vegan. The Old Third Vineyard is a boutique winery located on a steep slope in Hillier and produces wines with dark fruit, wild thyme and minerality. They also have a pasta bar if you are hungry. Trail Estate WineryThis winery focuses on low-intervention wines and offers intimate tasting experiences so you need to plan your visit in advance. They are also known for their Orange wine. Hillier Creek Estates Winery is known for its Gamay, Vidal, and Baco Noir grapes and its restored 160-year-old barn. Lastly, Sandbanks Estates Winery offers award-winning wines and an outdoor picnic area with events.
Things to do in Prince Edward County
The twin centrepieces of the region are the beaches as well as many wineries and restaurants, putting the county as a top weekend getaway.
The PEC is often compared to the other wine regions in Ontario, Niagara on the Lake. The region is less busy with tourists, and less commercialized. The good side is that you can enjoy a great wine-tasting weekend in a more affordable fashion!
Hit the Beaches
The region is home to beautiful lake beaches in Lake Ontario. The Sandbanks Provincial Park offers sandy beaches and blue waters that are almost the same as the colour of the Caribbean Sea. The park is also known for its golden sand dunes that can reach up to 25 m high. The North Beach Provincial Park is another great park to visit, it is less popular by tourists but more frequented by the locals.
Heads up, Sandbanks Park gets extremely crowded in the summer. The island also offers more secluded beaches where the locals play. Here is a complete list of beaches and watersports. The owner of the inn we stayed in told us that beaches get so packed that the entrance to the beaches is denied to new customers due to the high number of people.
You can camp in the park and stargaze at night. If you are planning to camp, book it as soon as possible since this is one of the busiest campgrounds in Ontario.
FOLLOW THE TRAILS
The country has many thematic trails like the Loyalist Parkway, the Millennium Trail, the Arts Trail and of course the delicious Tasting Trail. Each route takes you into a different aspect of the county: gastronomy, arts, and history with various vistas and natural landscapes. The trails can be done by bike or by car.
The Taste Trail has everything from ice cream to artisan cheese ( I heard that Fifth Town Artisan Cheese and Black River Cheese are good but since I’m lactose intolerant, I couldn’t confirm it.) All you need to do is follow the signs along the roads. They will take you from one foodie place to another! The Arts trail is full of modern galleries and art studios in rustic barns, there are 20 official stops. This is the best way to admire emerging talents and different styles. You should go to Oeno Gallery for an art immersion, especially in their sculpture garden.
Did you know that the Loyalist Parkway connects the cities of Trenton and Kingston? This way is filled with charming art galleries, restaurants and B&B. And you can dig deeper into Canadian history and learn more about the 1700s. The Millennium Trail is almost 50 kilometres of hiking trails. It has beautiful vistas of this unique rural setting. Formerly a railway, it is now a hiker’s dream filled with forests, marshes and a great number of wildlife to spot.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Lake on the Mountain is exactly like that name says, a lake that is located high atop a ridge on Lake Ontario. This always draws a crowd and a few geologists since there is no clear source of freshwater feeding it, meaning that scientists don’t understand how it formed and how it remains.
The county has some arts & entertainment venues like the Regent Theater on Main Street for you to complete your wine-tasting experience at night. After you got your artsy dose, head to a spa for the ultimate relaxation or go play golf. Besides hiking in the Sandbanks dunes, Lake on the Mountain is the most popular one.
Also, the county is full of antique shops, the perfect place to hunt for that rare piece. The shop Dead People’s Stuff is the most well-known. In the summer months, you can head to the Prince Edward County Lavender Farm. You can walk around the field or purchase some of their handmade products. The cooking classes at Waring House are also a popular activity.
The county is also known for bird-watching as it is a migration point for several species. If you are into birdwatching, then this could be a great place for you! There are more than 300 bird species and they can be seen at the Prince Edward Bird Point Observatory or at the Macaulay Mountain Conservation Area. Little Bluff Conservation Area is a small hike of 1.5 km that gives you a panoramic view of Prince Edward Bay. This area also includes a cobblestone beach.
If you are into history, you can also visit the National Air Force Museum of Canada which is a few minutes from the county in the town of Belleville. You can also visit the Mariners Park Museum which explains the county’s interaction with the waters through history. Finally, Ameliasburgh Heritage Village shows the daily life of a bygone era.
Throughout the year, the country has a few festivals so keep an eye on the tourism board website.
Where to eat and drink in Prince Edward County
This destination is a foodie heaven with its panoply of choices for food and wine. Here is the list of the best restaurants, wineries, cider and craft beer. Did you know that Prince Edward Country has been named one of the gastronomic capital of Ontario?
The Public House Restaurant
The Public House is the restaurant of Jackson’s Falls Inn and it is one of the few restaurants in Canada that specializes in recipes with a Native flair. All the ingredients are locally sourced and wild-foraged fare. The menu changes accordingly to the seasons. The wine and cocktail list highlights local wineries nearby which gives the complete local experience.
The restaurant refurbished a one-room schoolhouse of the late 19 century. The decoration is full of details paying homage to the old functions of the building, such as the original blackboard and some maps intertwined with native motifs. This is a must-stop in your itinerary!
County Cider Company
Our second stop in our tasting weekend was County Cider Company . This cidery was the first in the county and it opened more than 20 years ago. It is in fact the oldest cider-producing company in Ontario. County Cider Company has a wide selection of award-winning ciders. All apples are grown locally and the property grows over 16 varieties of apples. In the tasting room, you can enjoy their seven ciders in which some have fruit infusions like peach, pear and oranges.
Grab a drink and other something to eat from their menu and head to their patio. Among apple orchards and the vineyard, you will have a stunning view from Lake Ontario. This location is known for having one of the best views in The County! This is a real treat!
Kinsip House of Fine Spirits
The County’s only distillery describes itself as “farm-based, grain-to-glass distillery”. In the distillery , you can do a tour where they explain how they distill and age their liquors. After doing the tour or tasting the products, you can enjoy a cocktail, or two, at their bar near the barn with their funky chickens running around, they are very cute! They offer a selection of Vodka, aged Gin, Whisky and Brandy. We really enjoyed their gin!
To taste their products you can either go to the Sipping Room and choose one or two samples to taste or do the Kinsip Tasting Experience. Served on their patio, the experience includes 3 spirit samples and 1 sample size cocktail with one of their mixologists. their house is a beautiful colonial house, take time to admire the architecture.
Prince Eddy’s brewery
This laid-back brewery is the newly arrived in the county. The surfer vibe brewery has a patio with a beach volleyball court, outdoor kitchen and a stage for live music. They have 8 types of beers, from IPA, to a traditional German sour. The only sad thing is that the brewery closes at 7 pm during weekends so you have to continue to party somewhere else. So order a beer flight either on a mini skate or a mini surfboard and go play some board games while you enjoy your time at the brewery.
555 Brewing Co.
The brewery took its name from the mystery involving The Lazier Murder where 2 men were hanged but we still do not know if they were the ones that committed the murder. The brewery offers beer and wood oven pizzas (with vegan options) which makes the perfect combination.
There is also another brewery Parsons Brewing Company in Picton,
The Vic’s
The artfully designed cafe is the perfect place for brunch. Grab a coffee and enjoy their avocado toast or their chocolate croissants.
Accommodations in Prince Edward County
Prince Edward County offers numerous B&B and vacation rentals. The county does not have many hotel chains but rather boutique hotels and high-end B&B. For our weekend getaway, we chose to stay at Jackson's Falls Inn . As you read before, the inn has the Public house as a restaurant. While the 10 rooms are not located inside the old school, the rustic buildings are just as beautiful with their teal and red colours. The coach house is decorated with graffiti and muralist artists that give a contemporary look to this historic property. The inside, like the restaurant, has a mix of native decorations with school accessories like the old student desks. The rooms are spacious and each has its own personality.
While you are enjoying your breakfast, which is as delicious as the dinner, do take the time to talk to the owner, Lee. She is an amazing host and will let you know what are the insiders' choices for the best places to enjoy your perfect weekend getaway. Trust me, you will want to extend your travels in the regin make this a 3 or 4 day trip.
The Drake Devonshire Inn and the cute June Motel are some of the most well-known places to stay in the county. In West lake, you can also find some great cottages.
Useful Tips for visiting Prince Edward County
YOU NEED A CAR!
PEC (Prince Edward County) is very sparse and it is not easily walkable. Also, there is also no public transportation; so a car is a must-have!
PLAN YOUR ITINERARY WELL
Again, the distances in the county are a bit treacherous so make sure that you plan your daily itinerary beforehand so you don't end up driving back and forth.
BUDGET
At every winery, you will have to pay between $5 and $10 for one tasting so keep that in mind for your budget. Also, since you will be driving, I will suggest sharing the tastings if you are two or more.
What is the best time to go?
I would suggest going to the country in the summer months as it is when it is the most lively and you can swim in the beautiful turquoise waters! Fall is also a good option since you can take part in the harvesting season and enjoy the fall foliage. Since the summer months are the peak season you might have trouble finding accommodations as it gets very busy. We went in mid-September and thought it was good timing, the leaves started to turn and it was still hot outside.
The most difficult choice that you will have to make during your stay in Prince Edward County will be trying to decide which bottles of wines you will bring home, or which restaurant you will dine at during your stay!
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Disclaimer: we dined and stayed in Jackson's falls, had a tasting in the Grange, Rosehall Run, Prince Eddy’s brewery, Kinsip and County Cider as their guests. A big thank you! All opinions are my own.
PIN IT FOR LATER!
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