Welcome back to our journey through the vines of Ontario! In Part 1, we unbottled the legends of Niagara, and today we’re heading to Prince Edward County. If Niagara is known as the established grand dame of the province, the County is the daring explorer, still charting its own map and discovering what this unique corner of the province is capable of.
There is a common misconception that because Prince Edward County is “newer” or “smaller,” it is simply waiting to catch up to Niagara. At Katy Moore Wines, we see it differently. The County isn’t trying to be Niagara, and that’s exactly why it is so exciting. It is defined by a pioneering spirit, a sense of experimentation, where winemakers are still figuring out what the land wants to show and through which grapes.
This isn’t about age; it’s about the energy of a new region that’s still defining itself. Let’s dive into why Prince Edward County offers some of the best Ontario wines.
Prince Edward County: The Limestone Frontier
Though it doesn’t feel like it now, planting grapes in Prince Edward County was a big gamble. At the time, a handful of trailblazers saw the potential in the Limestone subsoil and the exposures and decided the hard work and challenges of establishing vineyards and a winery would be worth the reward. It was only in 2007 that the County received its official VQA designation. In the grand scheme of the wine world, that’s just a heartbeat ago. But in that short time, it has become synonymous with world-class Ontario cool climate wines.
The Battle for Terroir
When you think of PEC, think limestone. The region sits atop a massive limestone shelf, blanketed by only a thin layer of clay soil. What makes this limestone unusual is how friable it is — it breaks apart easily, letting vine roots push down into the subsoil faster and deeper than they typically can in Niagara’s denser dolomitic limestone. That deep root reach, paired with the thin clay layer above, is what gives the region’s wines their signature: a distinct minerality and a bright, vibrant acidity that lets Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from PEC really sing.
Why Slopes Matter in the County
In Prince Edward County, where the growing season is short and the cold can be unforgiving, the slope a vine is planted on matters enormously. Slope and elevation help water drain away from the roots — especially important here, where clay-heavy topsoil sits over limestone — and they improve air circulation, letting cold air slide downhill instead of pooling around the vines and raising frost risk. In a cool climate like PEC, these small differences in siting can make an outsized impact on vine health, ripening, and the balance you eventually taste in the glass.
Niagara has its own version of this story — the sheltered Bench versus the warmer bowl of Niagara-on-the-Lake. In the County, the contrast plays out through orientation: south-facing slopes warm up faster, ripen faster, and can be harvested earlier, while north-facing slopes ripen more slowly, holding onto higher acidity and lower sugar. It’s those north-facing slopes that I love for the County’s sparkling wine production — that slower ripening is exactly what preserves the acid backbone sparkling wine needs.
There is one last element that the County has learned to contend with. Winters here are brutal, sometimes reaching -25°C. To survive, many growers must “bury the vines”, literally hilling up soil over the graft unions of the plants every winter to protect them from the deep freeze, then unearthing them by hand in the spring. It is back-breaking, risky, and incredibly dedicated work. The image below is from Traynor Family Vineyards, and it shows the Geotextile tarps that are used to cover the dormant vines to protect them from winter damage.
My Favourite County Wineries
If you’re ready to explore PEC for yourself, here are the wineries I return to again and again in no particular order:
- The Old Third — Run by Bruno François and Jens Korberg, this is a must-visit for anyone serious about County wine. Biodynamic Pinot Noir and Riesling, made with a calm, intentional hand.
- Closson Chase — Winemaker Keith Tyers carries on the legacy founded by Deborah Paskus, crafting rich, Burgundian-style Chardonnay and Pinot Noir out of the iconic purple barn.
- Lighthall Vineyards — Owner-winemaker Glenn Symons is a one-man operation known for sparkling wines, cool-climate classics, and a playful, adventurous streak (he even makes his own cheese to pair with the wine).
- Hinterland — Founded by husband-and-wife team Jonas Newman and Vicki Samaras; dedicated exclusively to traditional-method sparkling wines that rival anything coming out of cooler climates worldwide.
- Morandin — Owner-winemaker Christian Morandin brings Italian heritage from Veneto into the County landscape. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with real finesse, poured in a lovely, intimate tasting room.
- Traynor Family Vineyard — Owner-winemaker Mike Traynor, Canada’s youngest winemaker at 22, now focuses on minimal-intervention wines with a terroir-driven approach that’s earned a devoted following.
- Stanners Vineyard — Winemaker Colin Stanners crafts beautifully precise, expressive wines that capture the County’s tension and charm, with everything feeling intentional and site-specific.
- By Chadsey’s Cairns — Owners Richard Johnston and Vida Zalnieriunas (Vida as winemaker) run small-batch, hands-on winemaking at its finest, with standout Pinot Noir.
- Huff Estates — Owned by Lanny and Catherine Huff, with Frédéric Picard as winemaker, this well-established name has a gorgeous modern tasting room and a wide range of elegant wines, especially Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Sparkling Cuvée Peter F. Huff is the highlight here for me
- Keint-He Winery & Vineyards — Owned by Ron and Bryan Rogers, this is a must-stop for bold, expressive wines pushing boundaries with unique blends and cool-climate varieties, all from a hilltop tasting room with some of the best views in the County.
The Pioneers: Hardie and Sullivan
You can’t talk about the County without mentioning Norman Hardie. An ex-sommelier who trained in Burgundy and Dijon, Hardie planted his first vines in 2003. He is a master of low-intervention, terroir-driven wines. His 2008 County Chardonnay actually sparked a fight with the VQA board, who initially refused to certify it because its high-acid, mineral profile was “too different” from the established norms. Hardie fought through six appeals and won, paving the way for the “County style” to be recognized for its unique brilliance. Today, his wines are poured in over 40 Michelin-starred restaurants globally.
Then there is Rosehall Run, founded by Dan Sullivan in 2000. Dan was one of the first to recognize the potential of the Hillier area’s limestone soils. While he excels at the classics, he’s also a pioneer of the unexpected, having planted Tempranillo in the County, a bold move that speaks to that “pioneering spirit” we love.
One Region, One Goal: Tasting Bliss
Prince Edward County is defined by a refusal to do things the “easy” way. These are not commercial, mass-produced wines. These are artisanal bottles crafted by people who are deeply connected to their land.
At Katy Moore Wines, we specialize in cutting through the marketing noise to find these gems. We select wines that are exceptional examples of their regions, wines that you often won’t find on the shelves of a traditional LCBO store.
Savor the Adventure with Expert Guidance
Choosing wine shouldn’t feel like a chore. Whether you are looking for a bespoke wine program for your home or a private wine tasting to share with friends, we are here to help you “Taste the World, One Sip at a Time.”
Our cellar service is a thoughtfully curated selection of wines chosen specifically for your tastes, your table, and your lifestyle. No guesswork, no hours lost browsing, just beautiful wine, ready when you are.
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