The three prime wineries in the County are all located in Waupoos: Waupoos Estate Winery, specializing in riesling and chardonnay, and flirting with Geisenheim; County Cider Company, with pinot noir, gamay, zweigelt and Geisenheim; and Cressy Shores Winery, with pinot noir, chardonnay, cab franc, sauvignon blanc and semillon. Just south of Waupoos in Cherry Valley and South Bay are Robert Thomas Estate Vineyard, with pinot noir, pinot gris and zweigelt; Long Dog Vineyard, with gamay, pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot blanc; and Black River Vineyard, just being planted. As more and more entrepreneurs with a taste for richly lived lives and a quest for personal best realize the incredible returns possible on investment, the number of players is exponentially growing.

The Prince Edward County Winegrowers Association has 37 full members and 22 associate members, mostly hobbyists and industry-related businesses. The growers and vintners now active have shown an admirable abundance mentality, cooperating on purchasing rootstocks and sharing knowledge. The local HRDC has promoted the required seasonal help to plant, till, harvest and hill up the vines, at an advantageous wage to the owner. Geoff Heinricks, a grower and wine expert, has produced a guide to help even the neophyte to choose his land and plant and harvest his grapes. Dan Taylor, the local Economic Development Officer and a grower himself, has hosted numerous seminars and other outreach assistance to anyone interested in purchasing vineyard-suitable land.

Ontario licensing regulations require the LCBO to stock the local product. Also, a new vineyard can buy juice from outside the County to supplement their initial harvests so that they are not barred from either the County appellation or from an early cash return while their plantings mature. OMAFRA has been active through a local initiative known as Taste The County in promoting the many unusual and intriguing products of local growers, including winemakers. Finally the incredible potential of the terroir has enticed experts from France and other areas to assist in the growing and winemaking process.

Also, fortuitously, the County is already well established as a tourist Mecca, almost equidistant from Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and New York State. Artisanal food products, fine summer theatre, artists’ galleries, a nature-lovers’ paradisal setting, and the hospitality of the residents abundantly support the gourmet market. Local farm and equipment supply shops are more than willing to cater to the specialized needs of the winegrowers. Most agricultural workers in the labour force are more than familiar with the quirks of the land and weather, and can shed valuable light on the planting and cultivation in this specialized area.

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