An island county two hours east with limestone soil, cool-climate wine, and a sand dune beach on a Great Lake.
The County, as Ontario calls it, is an island in Lake Ontario about two hours east of Toronto, joined by bridges and a small ferry. It was settled by United Empire Loyalists after the American Revolution and stayed agricultural and quiet for two centuries.
Since about 2000 it has become Ontario’s most fashionable rural destination — wine, restaurants, guesthouses and a very large number of Torontonians at weekends.
The wine
The soil is thin limestone over Ordovician bedrock — genuinely comparable to Burgundy and Chablis — and the lake moderates the climate enough for cool-climate varieties.
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling and Cabernet Franc. The Pinot in particular has attracted serious attention.
The catch is winter. Vines have to be buried — literally ploughed over with soil each autumn and uncovered in spring — to survive temperatures that would otherwise kill them. It is labour-intensive and it is why County wine is not cheap.
There are around forty wineries, mostly small. Norman Hardie, Closson Chase, Hinterland for sparkling, Rosehall Run, Karlo Estates.
Sandbanks
Sandbanks Provincial Park holds the largest freshwater baymouth barrier dune system in the world — enormous sand dunes and three beaches on Lake Ontario, with shallow warm water.
It is genuinely beautiful and it is extremely popular. Day-use reservations are required in summer and the park reaches capacity early. Book online.
Outlet Beach is the main swimming beach; Dunes Beach and Sandbanks Beach are quieter.
The towns
Picton is the main centre, with a restored theatre, a Saturday market and most of the restaurants.
Wellington and Bloomfield are smaller and hold a good number of the cellar doors and guesthouses.
Waupoos on the eastern shore has a cidery and views back across the lake.
Eating
The County’s restaurant scene is out of proportion to its size — Drake Devonshire in Wellington, a lakeside outpost of the Toronto hotel; several farm-to-table places; cheese, cider and craft beer producers throughout.
Book. Everything books, particularly at weekends and in autumn.
Getting there
Driving is the practical answer — about two hours on the 401 from Toronto.
VIA Rail to Belleville and a taxi or a hire car works but is awkward. There is no local transit worth using.
When
September and October are the best — harvest, colour, and the summer crowds gone.
July and August are busy and hot. Winter is very quiet, with many wineries and restaurants closed or on reduced hours; check before making the journey.
