✦ Wine Experience
There's something wonderfully relaxing about spending a day exploring Ontario wine country--driving along country roads, wandering through vineyards, discovering welcomong tasting rooms, and finding a favourite wine to bring home.
When you stay at The Bondy House Bed & Breakfast in historic Amherstburg, you’re perfectly positioned to explore the wineries of Essex County and the Lake Erie North Shore. Just a short drive from Amherstburg, the region offers a wonderful selection of wineries, scenic vineyards, lakeside views, and locally inspired food.
The Essex Pelee Island Coast, known as EPIC Wine Country, stretches along the Lake Erie North Shore. The region’s combination of fertile soils, sunshine, and Lake Erie breezes creates conditions well suited to growing grapes.
The wine history of the area goes back to the 1860s, and today the region is home to a diverse collection of wineries ranging from intimate family vineyards to larger estates with restaurants, patios, and beautiful views.
One of the pleasures of exploring this wine region is that every winery has its own personality. You can spend an afternoon moving from one tasting room to another, or choose one or two destinations and slow down to enjoy the setting.
For wine lovers who enjoy a beautiful view with their tasting, Viewpointe Estate Winery is a memorable stop. Located along County Road 50 near Harrow, Viewpointe offers wine tastings, a lakeside patio, food, and seasonal events. Their setting overlooking Lake Erie makes it particularly appealing on a sunny afternoon.
Pull up a chair, enjoy a glass of wine, and let the afternoon unfold at its own pace.
At North 42 Degrees Estate Winery, wine, food, and the surrounding landscape come together. Located in Colchester, the 17-acre vineyard and winery sits within the Lake Erie North Shore appellation and offers tastings as well as dining at Bistro 42.
The winery is surrounded by Carolinian forest and influenced by Lake Erie breezes—a lovely combination for an afternoon of wine tasting and relaxed dining.
The beauty of wine country is that there’s no need to rush. Choose a few wineries that appeal to you, leave plenty of time between stops, and enjoy the scenery along the way.
Tourism Windsor Essex highlights a number of wineries throughout the EPIC region, including Viewpointe, Cooper’s Hawk, North 42 Degrees, Muscedere Vineyards, Paglione Estate Winery, Sprucewood Shores, Dancing Swallows, Vivace, and others.
Some wineries offer food, live music, patios, gardens, or other experiences alongside their tastings, making the outing about much more than what is in your glass.
After a day among the vineyards, there’s something especially appealing about returning to the historic streets of Amherstburg. Enjoy dinner locally, take an evening stroll along the waterfront, and then return to the comfort of The Bondy House.
Rather than worrying about getting home after a day of tasting, settle into your beautiful guest room and make your wine-country adventure part of a relaxing getaway.
