· 1 min read
Prince Edward County: Ontario's other wine country
Two and a half hours east of Toronto, smaller and more scattered than Niagara. Which makes the car more useful, not less.
Prince Edward County sits about two and a half hours east of Toronto off the 401, a peninsula in Lake Ontario that has become one of the more interesting wine regions in the country. It is a very different proposition from Niagara.
Smaller estates, longer distances between them
Where Niagara has substantial wineries clustered fairly tightly, the County has smaller producers spread across a wide area on rural roads. That means more driving between stops and fewer places to walk between — which is exactly why having a car and chauffeur matters more here than it does in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Check what is open
Many County producers are seasonal, with reduced hours outside summer and some closed entirely in winter. A list assembled from a website in February may not survive contact with a Tuesday in November. Confirm before the day.
It is not only wine
Sandbanks Provincial Park has genuine beaches and dunes, Picton and Wellington have good restaurants, and there is a real food and craft scene. A County day works well as a mix rather than tastings alone.
Roads are dark and narrow
Rural County roads at night are unlit, winding and busier with wildlife than people expect. It is an excellent argument for not driving yourself back after a day of tastings.
Structure
As-directed hourly hire, same as Niagara. Given the driving distances, budget a full day rather than trying to compress it. See wine tours and Prince Edward County.
