Guide to a Romantic Summer Weekend in Prince Edward County

Prince Edward County is such a magical place. It’s the perfect destination for a couples getaway. You get the peace and quiet of the country combined with all the culture and activities the County has to offer. No matter what you do it will be a great weekend with your significant other. But there are some particular places that will add that touch of romance to your trip. Find these special spots in my guide to a romantic summer weekend in Prince Edward County.

Friday

Start your romantic weekend sipping wine in the vineyard at Broken Stone Winery for their Cinq à Sept. From 5-7pm every Friday evening, Broken Stone’s Cinq à Sept offers a featured wine (or wine of your choice) by the glass with a local hors d’oeuvres pairing and live music. You can reserve your spot ahead here.

After a very enjoyable happy hour, it’s time for a beautiful sunset dinner. Head up to The Miller House restaurant at Lake on the Mountain Resort. The Miller House has one of the County’s most picturesque views. And it’s especially gorgeous at sunset! They don’t take reservations, but it is worth the wait. Once seated, order some tapas, sip a glass of local wine (or beer from their brewery!) and soak in that gorgeous view. Your getaway is off the a great start!

Saturday

Saturday morning you’re off to Bloomfield for a lovely traditional breakfast at The Saylor House Cafe. The Saylor House Cafe has the cutest patio where you can cozy up at a small table and enjoy your breakfast together under the trees with the pretty morning sounds of the birds. The cafe uses all local ingredients and makes the most delicious scratch-made baked goods! After breakfast take a stroll through the shops on Bloomfield, and maybe pick up something to remember your trip. There are a few antique shops close by.

Your daytime activities are going to start with a honey wine tasting on the mead terrace at Millefleurs. Millefleurs is a lavender farm and meadery just outside of Wellington on the shores of Lake Ontario. You can stroll through their lavender fields and then enjoy a honey wine tasting on the beautiful mead terrace. Celtic tradition has it that mead brings success, happiness and fertility to a marriage!

For lunch, enjoy THE BEST pizza in the County at TerraCello Winery. Tony, owner and head winemaker, makes his wood oven Neapolitan style pizzas using all fine imported Italian ingredients. Enjoy your pizza with a glass of TerraCella’s handcrafted natural wine on the outdoor patio nestled between the vines. The food, the wine and the atmosphere will seriously make you feel like you’ve been transported to Italy!

End your day with a wine tasting and stroll through the sculpture garden at Huff Estates Winery. They’re currently offering a flight of three wines for tasting on their patio overlooking the vineyards. I love the Huff Merlot, and of course their Rosés. After your tasting, visit the Huff Estates Oeno Gallery Sculpture Garden. Meander through the paths of the 4-acre garden and take in all of the impressive installations. The Oeno Sculpture Garden is one of those special County experiences.

Make a reservation ahead for dinner at East & Main Bistro in Wellington. Try to get a spot on the patio – it’s so cozy and intimate. Perfect for a romantic Saturday night dinner! East & Main serves fine dining and luxury comfort food favourites using local ingredients. The menu is seasonal and always changing, but the dishes are consistently delicious. They also have a very extensive wine list with lots of local PEC options.

If you’re up for it, and I highly encourage it, spend your evening at the drive-in theatre. The Mustang Drive-In is so much fun! Cozy up in your car and enjoy a double feature under the County stars. And the snack bar is open for all your favourite classic movie snacks. The Mustang is only open until September 5, so get there while you can!

Sunday

The last day of your romantic weekend is going to be a memorable one! First, pick-up a picnic lunch for two from the Agrarian Market in Picton. You can reserve ahead by emailing or calling. Then head up to Waupoos for brunch at the new Stella’s Eatery location. The menu is seasonal and filled with locally sourced and foraged ingredients. You may want to pick up a bottle of wine for your next adventure. After brunch, you’re off for a romantic sailing cruise with County Sailing Adventures! The private cruise departs from Waupoos Marina and sails the crystal clear waters of South Bay. You can anchor at Love’s Cove for swim and to enjoy your picnic lunch. Book ahead – there is still some availability for this summer. It’s the perfect experience to end your romantic summer weekend in Prince Edward County!

Cheers!~GDW

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Wine of the Week: Redtail 2018 Sparkling Riesling

I don’t know what took me so long to try this popular sparkling wine, but I’m so glad I finally did! The Redtail 1028 Sparkling Riesling is a beautiful example of Ontario bubbly. Made in the Charmat method, the Redtail Sparkling Riesling has lots of depth, complexity and a lovely lingering mousse. You’ll find bright flavours of yellow apple and lemon meringue pie with a clean finish. I paired this wine with baked mac and cheese, but it can certainly be enjoyed on it’s own as an aperitif or with a weekend brunch. The Redtail Sparkling Riesling is on sale right now for $17.00 through the winery’s online shop. And trust me, after one sip of the Redtail Sparkling Riesling, you are going to want to stock up!

Cheers!~GDW

Guide to a Festive Fall Weekend in Prince Edward County

There is no better place to be in the fall than Prince Edward County! This is my second fall season in the County and I would not want to be any where else in the world. The bright foliage, harvest foods, quaint towns and seasonal drinks all combine for a truly magical time of year. If you’re making a trip to the County to enjoy this beautiful season, here’s my guide to a festive fall weekend in PEC.

Friday

Your first stop on the way into the County is going to be Campbell’s Orchards. This local farm market has the most delicious baked goods that you can pick-up to enjoy throughout the weekend (get the apple bread, you will not regret it!). To get all the Stars Hallow feels, check-in to one of the many beautiful bed-and-breakfasts in Wellington or Bloomfield. For dinner, catch a gorgeous sunset over the Bay of Quinte on the patio at the Miller House. If you can’t make it up to Lake on the Mountain, Midtown Brewing in Wellington is a great alternative. Try their popular wood fired pizza and new fall Seasonal Ale!

Saturday

On Saturday morning, head into Picton for a stroll through town. Pick up a PSL from Miss Lily’s Café and meander along Main Street to check out all the wonderful local shops. You’re going to definitely want to browse through The Ye11ow Studio for handmade pottery; Luna Boutique for a new fall sweater; and Coriander Girl for some bespoke blooms. Nothing like shopping endorphins to kick-start your day! For a spooky add-on to your morning adventure, head over to the old St. Mary Magdalene Parish Cemetery at Macaulay Heritage Park.

Then it’s off the spend the afternoon enjoying all the local wine, beer and cider the County has to offer. Visit Gillingham Brewing Company first – they have a large outdoor seating area set-up around a cozy campfire overlooking an idyllic country scene. You can order lunch here which comes from one of my favourite restaurants in the County, The Marans. And you must order their new fall beer, the Oktoberfest style ES Märzen Lager. Next up is Loch Mór Cider Company, because you can’t have a festive fall weekend without cider! Enjoy a flight under the trees with a locally made Cornish pasty. End your day at Karlo Estates Winery with a walk through their beautiful property (great photo op at the old bridge!), a glass of Three Witches white wine and sunset over the vineyards. Karlo often has live music on the weekends, so check ahead to see if you can catch some local musical talent.

A festive fall day like this must conclude with a delicious autumnal dinner! This dinner can be found on the beautiful heated patio at East and Main Bistro in Wellington. Their menu has all the delicious fall favourites like beef Bourguinon, Pinot Noir braised lamb shank and roasted vegetable curry. Yum!

Sunday

Sunday is all about the autumn antiquing! But first, coffee. Grab some caffeine at Bloomfield Public Market and stroll down the very Stars Hallow’esk main street of Bloomfield. There are lots of cute shops to pop into while you make your way to the first antique store, Dead People’s Stuff. Believe it or not, you will be ready for lunch at this point (there are so many distractions in Bloomfield), so stop into Saylor House Café. They have a cute patio for outdoor dining and the best comfort food in town – I’m talking grilled cheese and tomato soup kind of comfort. Then hop in the car and you’re off to some of my favourite shops! Browse through County Traders, MacCool’s Re-use, The Local Store, and Koopmans (not open Sundays but if you’re doing this on another day, definitely check them out).

As your festive fall weekend in the PEC sadly comes to and end, make one more stop on your way out. If you’re heading west, stop at Tabersnack for a delicious poutine and local beer. If your direction is west, check out the beautiful views at Three Dog Winery while you enjoy a glass of wine and wood fired pizza. In this final moment of your trip, soak in the autumn magic of the County and reminisce on all the fun memories you’ve made during your festive fall weekend in PEC!

Cheers!~GDW

Huff Estates Winery

I recently visited Huff Estates Winery in Prince Edward County and I can’t believe I had never been before! It was seriously one of the best winery visits I’ve ever had. Huff Estates Winery has a beautiful tasting room with informative staff; a delicious restaurant with a patio overlooking the vineyards; and a well curated art gallery and sculpture garden. You can truly spend the most enjoyable day at Huff Estates…and that’s exactly what my mom and I did a couple weeks ago!

My mom and I started our day at Huff Estates Winery with a glass of pink bubbly – the best way to start any winery visit! We received an informative tour of the barrel room and production facilities, and learned a lot about the winery that I didn’t know. Having opened in 2004 and being one of the oldest and biggest wineries in Prince Edward County, I had always just assumed that it was corporately owned. I was way off! Huff Estates Winery was started, and still owned, by Lanny and Catharine Huff who were born and raised in the Prince Edward County. They are frequent visitors at the winery – we actually saw them enjoying lunch during our visit. I love how in Prince Edward County you often see the winery owners, and Huff Estates Winery was no exception!

After our tour of the winery, my mom and I enjoyed the most delicious tasting and lunch on the beautiful patio overlooking the vineyards. We easily spent 2.5 hours here enjoying our wine and food! I tasted the Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – all so good. And then my mom and I split a bottle of the newly released 2018 Rosé with our lunch. It was the perfect patio sipper! We started off our lunch with a charcuterie board and  pretzel that came with a wine dipping sauce. I was impressed already! For our mains, my mom had a mushroom soup with salad and I had the winemakers pizza. All the food is made with local ingredients and was SO GOOD! I seriously cannot wait to go back to the Huff Estates restaurant.

We ended our day at Huff Estates Winery with a visit to the Oeno gallery and sculpture garden. The gallery opened in 2004 and features internationally recognized Canadian artists. The staff were so friendly and pointed us to a very interesting jewelry exhibit they were featuring. The 4 acre sculpture garden is located behind the gallery and is a MUST SEE! It was so much fun to walk along the paths through the garden to view the impressive installations. The Oeno gallery and sculpture garden was the perfect way to end our visit at Huff Estates.

As you can probably tell, a visit to the Huff Estates Winery is definitely more of an experience! It’s a unique destination in Prince Edward County that goes beyond the exceptional wines. I cannot recommend visiting Huff Estates Winery enough! The winery is open daily from 10am to 6pm. You can get information about the restaurant and special events here. Tours and tastings are offered daily, with group and private experiences available. For an enhanced tasting, you can use code COURTNEY50 to get 50% off. There is lots to taste and do at Huff Estates Winery so make sure to plan a few hours to enjoy your experience!

Cheers!~GDW

Sponsored by Huff Estates. All opinions stated are my own.

 

The New Wine Country Ontario Travel Guide

I look forward to getting the Wine Country Ontario Travel Guide every year! The new 2019/2020 guide just came out in May and I’ve already started using it to plan my wine trips. The guide is divided into the five Ontario wine regions with information about each area and helpful descriptions about the wineries. Plus, the maps are AMAZING! The Wine Country Ontario Travel Guide really helps to plan your trip and make the most out of your visit. Every summer I try to check off as many wineries in the guide that I can! And this year, I’ve already started…

Last month, I did a day trip in Prince Edward County with my mom. As you may know, I recently bought a house in Prince Edward County and have been anxious to start exploring the wine region in my own backyard! As I do with all of my wine trips, I used the Wine Country Ontario Travel Guide to plan my day. We had such a fun day exploring the PEC wine region at Keint-He and By Chadsey’s Cairns wineries. I thought I’d share with you our visit to PEC and the steps I use to plan the BEST wine trips using the guide. A few easy steps using the new Wine Country Ontario Travel Guide and you’ll be ready to explore our beautiful wine regions! If you don’t already have a copy of the Wine Country Ontario Travel Guide, make sure to download it here.

1. Pick where you want to go

There are five different regions featured in the Wine Country Ontario Travel Guide. Picking which region to explore is difficult (they’re all so good!) and picking which wineries to visit in that region can be even harder! Luckily, the Wine Country Ontario Travel Guide is a huge help in making these decisions. For this step, I love to refer to all the handy maps – there’s a large pull-out map of Ontario’s wine country and smaller maps for each region. Once I’ve narrowed down the region,  I like to pick a group of wineries that are fairly close to each other so that I can easily bike or have a short drive. On this trip to PEC we only had 1 day to explore, so I picked two wineries from the PEC map that were close to my house and a quick drive from each other. In the Wine Country Ontario Travel Guide you can also check off the wineries that you’ve visited, which helps to keep track of the wineries you’ve been to. So with all this in mind, I picked Keint-He Winery and By Chadsey’s Cairns to visit on my trip to PEC wine country.

2. Create an itinerary

Anyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE to create an itinerary! I think that having an itinerary allows you to get the most out of any trip. The Wine Country Ontario Travel Guide provides you with all the information you need to create the best wine trip itineraries. Every winery in the guide has a great description that highlights what the winery is known for. The winery listings also include the hours and icons advising of picnic areas, tours, food, hiking, etc. With all this information it’s easy to create a good itinerary – you’ll know where to start based on opening times; where to spend longer because of a tour; and where to will stop for lunch. For my recent visit to PEC my itinerary included starting at Keint-He Winery bright and early 11am; followed by lunch at Casa-Dea Estates Winery; and ending the day at by Chadsey’s Cairn with plenty of extra time to explore the winery’s property. As usual, having a good itinerary made for a great trip!

3. Plan your visits

Get the most out of your winery visits by knowing a bit about them before you go. As I mentioned in step 2, the Wine Country Ontario Travel Guide includes a description of each winery that highlights key features. I learned from the guide that Keint-He Winery is known for Burgundian style wines, so I planned to taste all their Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays on my visit…and I did! The guide described By Chadsey’s Cairn Winery as being located on a 209-year-old farm, so I planned some extra time to explore the property and learn about it’s history. It’s such a benefit to have some background on the wineries you’re going to visit before you go, and the Wine Country Ontario Travel Guide is your best resource!

4. Enjoy the wineries

With all the planning done, using the helpful Wine Country Ontario Travel Guide, it’s now time to enjoy your wine trip! I had so much fun visiting Keint-He Winery and By Chadsey’s Cairns during my day in PEC wine country. We started the day early at Keint-He Winery where I tasted all of their delicious Burgundian style Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs in the cozy tasting room. I learned about their Pinot Noirs and approach to winemaking from the very friendly staff. Inside, the tastings are done at a large family style table, which allowed us to meet some of the other wine visitors – Cosette (my Frenchie) got a lot of attention here! It was pouring rain during our visit to Keint-He, but on a nice day there is a lovely patio overlooking the vineyards and Lake Ontario. We ended the day with a tasting and exploration at By Chadsey’s Cairn. The winemaker’s daughter (who just happened to be in town for the day and put to work) led us through a tasting in the beautiful old barn. A few of their wines are already sold out, so we were happy to try some rare wines like Muscat and sparkling red. After our tasting we explored the historic 1850’s apple house and their pioneer cemetery. It was a very enjoyable day thanks to the Wine Country Ontario Travel Guide!

5. Buy the wine

Take home some wine (the best kind of souvenir) from your trip to Wine Country Ontario.  A lot, if not most, of the wines that you’ll taste will not available at the LCBO. This isn’t a bad thing, but a great opportunity to purchase small-batch unique wines directly from the producers. I can’t think of a better way to reminisce about a wine trip than by opening a bottle purchased there. On this trip I took home a delicious bottle of the Keint-He Greer Road Pinot Noir and a beautiful Muscat from By Chadsey’s Cairns. The Wine Country Ontario Travel Guide has some helpful tips for buying wine, like travelling with a cooler in warmer months. This is a great tip because, I hate to admit it, but I’ve had far too many bottles of wine turn bad because of improper storage in the car. Bring a cooler and buy the wine!

So there you have it! My five easy steps for using the Wine Country Ontario Travel Guide to plan a wonderful wine trip. I cannot wait for more trips this summer and to continue my exploration of Ontario Wine Country. We have such amazing wine regions in Ontario, all at our door-step just waiting to be discovered. Ontario’s world-class wines and beautiful vineyards make for the most delicious adventure! Make sure to make the most of your Ontario wine adventures by picking up the new 2019/2020 Wine Country Ontario Travel Guide at your local LCBO or download it here. Happy wine travels!

Cheers!~GDW

Niagara Icewine Festival

I know a lot of you might think you don’t like Icewine, but trust me, the Niagara Icewine Festival will change your mind fast! Ontario is one of the world’s leading producers of Icewine and it’s what really put Ontario wine country on the map. Of all the wine regions in the world, only Ontario has the consistent climate required to produce Icewine every year. And our Icewine is ranked as some of the best dessert wine in the world. So I definitely think that us Ontarians should be celebrating our homegrown Icewine! The Niagara Icewine Festival the perfect way to celebrate, experience and try our amazing Ontario Icewine. Trust me, one day in the magical Niagara-on-the-Lake Icewine Village and this Ontario dessert wine will have you heart.

Myself and two fellow wine bloggers (Victoria Gamble and Vinfatuation) made the trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake last weekend to experience the Niagara Icewine Festival. Niagara-on-the-Lake is already a picturesque town, but with the recent snowfall, we arrived to the most magical winter wonderland. We started off our day spending some time in the Niagara-on-the-Lake Icewine Village which offered icewine, food, ice sculptures and live music. It’s free admission into the village and tokens can be purchased for wine and food. The Niagara-on-the-Lake Icewine Village was such a magical winter experience and we would have stayed all day, but we started to get a bit cold in the -30 degree weather!

I would suggest after spending time at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Icewine Village to warm up by making some indoor visits to neighbouring wineries. A Discovery Pass can be purchased which gets you eight unique icewine pairings at your choice of over 40 wineries across the Niagara region. We didn’t get the Discovery Passes but instead chose three nearby wineries that we wanted to visit – Two Sisters Vineyards, Lailey Winery and Reif Estate Winery. The most memorable experience, and I cannot recommend it enough, was the Icewine flight and food pairing that we did at Reif Estate Winery. It came with a flight of four Reif Icewines (one of them named the world’s best dessert wine!) and four food pairings to match each wine. If you are going to the Niagara Icewine Festival this weekend, the Reif Estate Winery Icewine flight and food pairing is a must! It was amazing and the best way to end our day at the Niagara Icewine Festival!

This weekend is your last chance to experience the Niagara Icewine Festival. On Saturday and Sunday you can visit the magical Niagara-on-the-Lake Icewine Village and use the Discovery Pass to experience eight different wineries and their Icewine pairings. I had such a wonderful  time at the Niagara Icewine Festival and I think you will to! Have a winter adventure this weekend and experience some of the best wine and food that Ontario has to offer!

 

Cheers!~GDW

 

November Wine Happenings

November can be an awkward month…Halloween is over and it’s a little too early for Christmas. Luckily, there’s lots going on in Ontario Wine Country to keep you busy! From paint nights to harvest celebrations and bog tours, you will have a fun time sipping your way through the month.

Wineries NOTL Taste the Season

Celebrate the season’s bounty with exceptional VQA wines and locally inspired food pairings at each of our member wineries. Visit the Girl Drinks Wine Instagram page for a chance to wine a pair of tickets!

Wrapped Up in the Valley

Experience premium wine from Twenty Valley wineries, perfectly paired with a culinary treats crafted by local chefs. And if you choose, you can get aboard the double-decker Twenty Valley Magic Winery Bus!

Epic Holiday Weekend Open House

Discover unique gifts, delicious local wines, and cheerful festivities at Lake Erie North Shore wineries. Admission is one canned good at each stop. Have fun and do good!

Wassail in The County

Wassail [ˈwäsəl, ˈwäˌsāl] noun: drink plentiful amounts of alcohol and enjoy oneself with others in a noisy, lively way. Sounds fun to me! Join Prince Edward County wineries in toasting to the harvest and putting the vines to rest for the winter.

iYellow Red Bar

From fun and young, to big and bold, or rustic and old discover your favourite style of red wine through this causal but educational style at the iYellow Tasting Bar Series.

Trius Black Glass Dinners

Every Friday night, experience an interactive dining experience where each course is served with a secret wine pairing disguised in opaque black stemware. Put your nose and palate to the test!

Gemstone Aromatherapy Bracelet Workshop

A workshop led by Cheryl, from Coconut Quartz, to build your own bracelet from a myriad of different gemstones, essential oil diffusing stones, crystal & wood beads. Plus wine tastings from Lakeview Wine Co. Yes please!

Paint with Pelee

On November 30th, at the Pelee Island Winery Kingsville location, enjoy a little paint, a little wine, a whole lot of fun!

Coffin Ridge 10th Anniversary Party

Celebrate the Coffin Ridge 10th anniversary with a cheese buffet to end all cheese buffets,  a complimentary glass of bubbly, and fabulous door prizes  drawn every hour!

Shop the Shore

Shop Long Point Country for gifts and treasures; antiques and collectibles; arts and crafts; and fashion and accessories. All the while enjoying free tasting flights at
Burning Kiln Winery.

I Love Wine & Cheese 2.0

Join Toronto’s Mary & Chay as they celebrate the rebrand of I love wine & cheese.
Enjoy wine & beer tasting booths, structured tastings, and social drinks paired with delicious cheese, charcuterie and snacks.

Muskoka Winery Bog Tour 

A guided tour of the cranberry bog, followed by a guided win tasting. This has been designated by the Canada Tourism Commission as a Canadian Signature Experience. Ive heard this is really fun!

Cheers!~GDW

 

 

Wine Your Way Through PEC: Black Prince Winery

I’ve been to Prince Edward County (PEC) several times, but I had never visited Black Prince Winery until my last trip this past July. I don’t know how I hadn’t visited before! Black Prince is one of the oldest wineries in PEC and produces award winning wines. On the Black Prince property is the Tasting House, a make-your-own-wine facility, the Canadian Vinegar Cellars, the Barrel House and a wood fired oven serving pizza on the weekends. The property also features a restored century barn that can be used for events. A visit to the Black Prince Winery is quite the experience!

Black Prince Winery has been producing PEC wines for 15 years. They were the first to use local county oak barrels and the only winery in the county producing apera (fortified wine) in Sherry casks over 100 years old. The Black Prince tasting room offers a wide selection of wines including Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and blends. They even offer some hemp wines! I did a tasting of their red wines and loved the Baco Noir.

While the wines at Black Prince are delicious, my favourite part about the winery is the Barrel House out the back. The Barrel House is home to the Canadian Vinegar Cellars who use Black Prince grapes to produce different types of vinegars. There are daily tastings offered on the main floor of the Barrel House, but the best part is one level up. The second floor of the Barrel House is one spooky scene! An eerie atmosphere looms under the antique chandelier, around the old large table set up with empty wine glasses and in the corner nooks. And there is real mystery up there…

The real mystery in the Barrel House lies with the large antique chandelier hanging in the window. Years ago, the owner of Black Prince Winery bought it for $15 at an auction in PEC. No one wanted it and the seller was happy to take the only offer. When the owner of Black Prince brought it back to the winery, he noticed a bunch of insignias on the chandelier. He did a little research and found out that there seemed to be a connection to Napoleon Bonaparte. A couple years ago, a professor from UBC visited the winery and was intrigued by the chandelier. The professor asked if he could do some further research and discovered that the chandelier is worth over $300,000 and dates back to 1678. How did a 17th century chandelier end up in PEC? Why did nobody want it? Could it be the cause of the eerie Barrel House presence?

You will have to see for yourself! Next time you’re in PEC take visit to Black Prince Winery to enjoy their great wines and vinegars, but do not miss out on the second floor of the Barrel House. I hear that you can now enjoy the wood fired pizza up there. I’m sure it’s extra spooky this time of year! Don’t miss out on the unique experience, and the mystery, that Black Prince Winery offers.

Cheers!~GDW