prince edward county

Several weekends back we tagged along with friends on a trip out to Prince Edward County. We've visited the county several times and will always jump at any opportunity to return. The small towns have such an inviting vibe, there are lovely boutique shops and restaurants and we really love some of the vineyards and the wine. D and I have taken interest in wine - something we now have the space to slowly collect, so it was fun picking up some delicious Ontario wines to both enjoy and keep in the cellar for a couple of years. 

We visited a handful of wineries, some old favorites (Norman Hardie, Karlo Estates and Casa Dea) and some new ones that we hadn't been to before (Closson Chase, Old Third). The County is known for light but flavorful Pinot Noir and rich Chardonnays and we tried some tasty different varietals as well - including an orange wine and a Calcaire, a crisp white, the 'perfect with oysters' was the selling point.

We were a group of eight and spent the day biking around the county (hands down, the best way to explore), we stopped off at an alpaca farm (D bought me the wooliest socks!) and ended the day with a beer flight at County Road Beer Co. 

We had lunch at Norman Hardie on the patio. We enjoyed a glass of wine and ordered pizza from the on-site wood oven pizza. My pizza had creme fraiche, white onion, aged cheddar cheese and spec and it might have been the best pizza I've ever had! (I'm now in search of a Toronto pizza spot that will recreate it for me!) We got to have a chat with Norman, the winemaker, and had the nicest and most knowledgeable girl help us with our tastings. D and I ended up sneaking back in for a magnum of the Calcaire and plan on hosting an intimate oyster party with friends!

The group enjoyed breakfast together on Sunday morning then we all went our separate ways. D and I took the opportunity to drive out to Exultet Winery, who are known for their Chardonnay, but are off the beaten track. We typically don't have the luxury of exploring on our own before heading home, so we took full advantage. We got to chat with the husband and wife wine-making team and my favorite find from this spot was the white Pinot Noir, which will be enjoyed post Whole 30 :)

Happy to provide recommendations if you're planning an upcoming trip!