Prince Edward County (PEC) has many excellent wine experiences available including wine tours and tastings, wineries, vineyards, picnics, local restaurants, and accommodation. it is approximately a 2 hour drive from Toronto and so is a great weekend destination. Other attractions include beaches, antique shops, golf and fine dining. Check out Grapevine Magazine, published quarterly, for wine articles and what’s on.
Picton is a great base for a weekend visit and Bloomfield is a good alternative. Check out Bed & Breakfast Canada or the official PEC Tourism site for accommodation possibilities. As far as restaurants in and around Picton are concerned, my top picks are Blumen (476-6841); Portabella (476-7057); The Inn – Lake on the Mountain (476-1321) – ten minutes outside of Picton towards the ferry; and the pub at the Waring House (476-7492), five minutes out of town on Highway 33 West.
A special mention goes to the County Cider Estate Winery. It is located on a little hill in the Waupoos area and has an extremely inviting patio at the back, which gives way to a picturesque vineyard sloping down to the lake. If it’s a sunny day, I can’t think of a better location to have lunch and enjoy the view.
For golf, I recommend Picton Golf & Country Club (476-1485) five minutes out of town on Highway 49.
For detailed information on PEC wine experiences, start with the Prince Edward County Winegrowers Association which has a profile on each winery in the county as well as a comprehensive restaurant listing and news on current events. As an alternative, Wine Country Ontario has a PEC section. It is managed by The Wine Council of Ontario – a non-profit trade association for the wine industry in Ontario.
Wine Tour Operators
If you want to be to be chauffeured around in luxury by a local tour operator, try PEC Wine Tours or Sandbanks Vacations & Tours. Both offer half day and full day tours
Another chauffeuring option is provided by Prime Vines Limo.
Other Ontario wine regions worth visiting are EPIC and Niagara.