The fastest growing wine region in Ontario is Prince Edward County. Having visited here many times over the years I’ve found new wineries popping up each year which is one of the reasons I keep coming back. I’ve pulled a list together of my favourite wineries in Prince Edward County, and they all happen to be dog friendly.
About Prince Edward County
Prince Edward County, or PEC, as it is often referred to, or the locals simply call it “The County,” is one of Ontario’s hottest getaway destinations. There are so many reasons why – one definitely is because of the wine. The County, long known for its fruit-producing, is considered small in terms of overall wine production. Not, unlike the Niagara Peninsula, which is Ontario’s largest and most famous wine region. Despite its smaller size, it has earned a reputation for producing exceptional wines. The climate and limestone soil makes it perfect for Burgundian varietals like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Related reading | Check out my featured article for dog friendly wineries in Niagara on the Lake and the Niagara Region
Best Wineries in Prince Edward County (that are Dog Friendly)
HILLIER CREEK ESTATES WINERY
Hillier Creek is located in a scenic setting in the village of Hillier. What makes this winery a little extra special – is its history. Sip on a delicious oaked Chardonnay and listen as the hostess tells you all about the land that was granted after the War of 1812 to an army doctor who was the first to administer the smallpox vaccine to soldiers. The land was farmed and its century-old barn was completely restored and now serves as the tasting room and event space.
Go to Hillier Creek for…
- the tasting room in their historic barn
- award-winning Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
- wood fire pizza oven
- dog friendly, and you might even meet the owners’ golden doodles
Address: 46 Stapleton Road, Hillier
HINTERLAND WINE COMPANY
Hinterland is located in a former dairy barn. This unassuming barn space is best visited during the warmer weather when you can sip on their patio. Regardless of the season, don’t pass this one by as their sparkling wines are delicious. One sip and you’ll be transported to the Champagne region in France. So good in fact that a couple of bottles always come home with me every time I’m in The County.
Go to Hinterland for…
- Sparkling wines – especially try Borealis Charmat, Rosé Traditional, and Ancestral method
- dog friendly
Address: 1258 Closson Road, RR#1 Hillier
GRANGE OF PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY ESTATE WINERY
Grange Winery is located in a beautiful setting. Take the long driveway under the canopy of trees until you see the dark-stained barn at the end. The overgrown grasses are wild and natural, which is all part of this winery’s charm. Enjoy a tasting by the glass in front of a cozy fire or stroll the grounds in the summer.
Go to Grange for…
- rustic country setting
- Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
- dog friendly, with lots of space for them to roam
Address: 990 Closson Road, Hillier
CLOSSON CHASE VINEYARDS
Closson Chase is instantly recognizable by its bright purple barn. I couldn’t think of a more perfect setting to enjoy a wine tasting flight in a beautiful garden setting surrounded by their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. We are greeted by the host who graciously spoke about each wine in detail. That led us to buy their 2015 Closson Chase Churchside Pinot Noir which was the perfect choice for a charcuterie board, just as she recommended.
Go to Closson Chase for…
- instagrammable purple barn and garden setting
- Chardonnay and Pinot Gris and noir wines
- knowledgeable sommelier and host
- dog friendly
Address: 629 Closson Road, Hillier
ROSEHALL RUN VINEYARDS
Rosehall Run is one of the longest operating wineries in The County. You’ll notice their wines being offered at many of the top local eateries, including the sought-after The Drake Devonshire, and Vintner’s Daughter was made exclusively for their restaurant. Rosehall Run features many award-winning wines so I highly recommend a flight tasting so you can sample as many as you can.
Go to Rosehall for…
- wide selection of quality wines
- Pinot Noir and Cabernet
- dog friendly
Address: 1243 Greer Road, Wellington
NORMAN HARDIE WINERY & VINEYARD
Norman Hardie is well-known in The County for two things – its wine and its outdoor pizza oven and patio. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to stay awhile. Their menu has expanded to include fresh PEI oysters, so come here with an appetite because you don’t want to pass up their wine pairings with their delicious food options.
Go to Norman Hardie for…
- outdoor patio overlooking the vineyard
- Chardonnay
- pizza, mussels, and more
- dog friendly at the tasting bar, not on the dining patio
Address: 1152 Greer Road, Wellington
KARLO ESTATES
Karlo Estates is the friendliest winery I’ve visited in The County. Come here for the experience. Sip, and linger in the centuries-old barn, or perhaps an outdoor country picnic is your preference, either way, you will be taken care of. Afterward, take a stroll through the vineyards to the picturesque stone bridge. Enjoy an evening in their speakeasy lounge offering live entertainment, food, and drinks.
Go to Karlo for…
- warm welcome and a fun experience
- relaxing wine tasting atmosphere and very dog friendly
- award-winning wine, splurge on Sextus which gets all 6 of the best varieties in one bottle (Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Carménère)
Address: 51 Danforth Road, Wellington
WAUPOOS ESTATES WINERY
Waupoos offers a stunning location as the vineyards gently slope towards Lake Ontario. There is no better view than at this winery. Waupoos offers it all – a restaurant, accommodations in a century-old farmhouse, wedding and event space, and a gazebo building at the water’s edge with panoramic views of Lake Ontario. Although this winery is about 30kms away from the others, it is worth the drive. I enjoyed the Red Rabbit, a full-bodied fruity red, and my husband was pleasantly surprised by the ciders.
Go to Waupoos for…
- amazing amenities
- stunning panoramic views of Lake Ontario
- ciders
- dog friendly except for the restaurant
Address: 3016 County Road 8, Picton
Wine Routes in Prince Edward County
Here are three suggested wine routes based on winery proximity. The only featured winery that is a bit outside of the others is Waupoos. But don’t let distance stop you from going there, it’s worth it!
Route #1:
- Hillier to Hinterland is 4.4km
- Hinterland to Grange is 1.4km
- Grange to Closson Chase is 1.6km
Route #2:
- Rosehall Run to Norman Hardie is 600m
- Norman Hardie to Karlo is 6.4km
Route #3:
- Hillier to Norman Hardie is 5.3kms
- Norman Hardie to Rosehall is 600m
- Option to add Karlo or add route #1 starting with Hinterland
Be sure to check out each winery’s hours of operation as they change frequently due to the seasons throughout the year.
Plan your Trip to Prince Edward County
Tour Prince Edward County wineries for the day or as a weekend getaway. Other top PEC wineries, that are not dog friendly but still worth visiting are Huff Estates Winery, Old Third, Black Prince Winery, Casa-Dea Winery & Banquet, and Sandbanks Winery. Plan your trip to Prince Edward County with the help of these guides.
Accommodations:
- 14 Best Airbnb Properties in PEC
- Easterbrook – a French Country Stay (Airbnb)
- The Coach House (Airbnb)
Top Things to Do:
As a holidaymaker…
There you have it, the top wineries in Prince Edward County that just happen to be dog friendly too! I love how each year there are more and more new winemakers in The County, each one offering something a bit unique. It makes this area of Ontario a popular day trip or a weekend getaway. I love returning to this laid-back, dog-friendly destination that offers so many top things to see and do.
I had no idea Canada had wine! It definitely needs to be on my travel list now!
Oh yes, Canada is well known for it’s wine in Ontario and BC.
You had me at winery! Looks like so many good places to visit and taste!
Definitely saving this for later – I love visiting wineries! Rosehall looks right up my alley!
Such a thouroughly-written post. I love how you’ve added ‘Go to xx for…’ so we can see things like Wood Fire Pizza and to head there ;). I personally like route #1 and I’m moving to Canada later in the year so will be looking out for your Ontario advice 🙂
How fantastic! Enjoy your move to Canada and happy to share all of the best places in Ontario to go.
I’m not much of a wine person but I think it’d be a great experience to visit a winery and sample some of the wines of the area. So, if I’m ever in Prince Edward county, I’ll be sure to stop by at least one of these lovely wineries!
How fantastic! Even if you’re not a wine lover, this area is known for its art, beaches, small towns and great eateries.
I love going wine tasting when I’m traveling! Wineries are such a relaxing place to hang out. It seems like Prince Edward County has its fair share of wineries! I’d love to visit Karlo Estates especially because it looks beautiful and I love that it’s dog friendly! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I agree, I like to fit them into my itinerary, whether close to home or abroad.
This looks like it would be an awesome experience. Looking forward to next trip to Ontario to check it out. 🙂
Amazing, I’m glad you are going to add it to your itinerary.
Your grapes picture makes me want to eat grapes! It’s so pretty and mouthwatering. I’m not a wine drinker and know nothing about wine besides there are red and white wines, but I don’t mind visiting these wineries and try some of them. The Closson Chase Vineyard with its purple barn is definitely an eye-cather!
You’re so right- Closson Chase is a definite stand-out winery to visit. Whether you are a wine lover or not.
Loved this and it looks so beautiful. We are hoping to be in that region next fall, will hold on to this for reference.
Wonderful, I hope you enjoy this area as much as I do!
We have visited the Niagara region, but after reading your post, it looks like we need to return to the Prince Edward County region. I love how you listed the reasons to go to each winery and the routes to take to visit. Very helpful.
Yes, if you’ve done Niagara then you’ll want to check out the fastest growing wine region. Plus there’s so much to do in this area too.
I absolutely loved your post! I have always wanted to take a trip to Canada and go check out their wines but have not had the pleasure of visiting! I’m def taking notes 🙂
Wonderful, there are some great regions for wines and always in such scenic places that offer great restaurants and things to do!
The CLOSSON CHASE VINEYARDS purple barn is SO COOL. Purple is my favorite color so I imagine myself taking lots of photos by it haha
Agree, Closson is definitely an instagrammable winery to visit!
The wine was a great hook for me, so thank you for sharing this!
Thanks for stopping by.
Ooh, what lovely wineries, and such a nice area of Ontario to visit too. Not really a wine fan so I think I’d be more enamored with the views, but would happily be the designated driver to explore this region more
There’s a lot this region has to offer- eateries, art, beaches and countryside views.
Wine tours are my thing and of course, I loved this article!
I also think that the Closson Chase Vineyard is the perfect place where to take a great photo! Thanks for sharing another useful article!
Oh yes, Closson is definitely an instrammable location to visit, and the wines are great too!
Thank you for writing about Prince Edward County wine region. I have been in the area for 20yrs and have built a brand of knowing the ins and outs of the local wine and tourism region. For tips, tricks, and a local guide for hire, please find Unofficial Wine Tours on social media!
It looks so beautiful and rustic there! I am a huge wine person so this was very interesting to me and definitely a place I would love to visit. Now that we travel with kids we do little less wineries than we used to but we always squeese in at least one. Someday I would love to do different kids of wine routes as suggested here again.
I think wineries are trying to create a more accessible experience for families, and that includes dogs too, you should try it again!
I am a wine lover, and the only alcohol I drink is wine. I love visiting vineyards and tasting wine, especially in smaller family wineries run with love and passion. I hope to see some of the wineries in Prince Edward County from your list one day. As I love Pinot Noir, I would love to visit Hillier Creek and Grange Winery. Also, Waupoos seems excellent as it offers stunning views of Lake Ontario.
Happy to hear that you would enjoy this area of the province and these wineries have some delicious Pinot Noir offerings.
These are fabulous wineries in Prince Edward county offering premier wine tasting experience. Wine tours are certainly a great pleasure as you get to visit vineyards and tour and learn about authentic wine making.Visiting historic barns in a colorful rustic ambience is a real treat!
So happy to hear you would enjoy this experience. Agree a wine tour is the best way to learn about the history as well as the wine making process.
Each of these wineries look fantastic, and they’re all pretty close to one another, too. How convenient! I especially love the rutstic look of Waupoos Estates Winery. The idea of sipping wine here, enjoying panoramic views of Lake Ontario sounds positively enchanting.
It is indeed a wonderful spot to go to, despite that it’s a bit far out of the range of the other wineries.
I love spending time in wine regions and leisurely exploring the area while doing some wine tasting. Great also that you included some itineraries as well. It seems possible to walk between some of the wineries, what is great. I do not like drinking and driving.
Great point Natascha about drinking responsibly or having a designated driver so you can feel free to enjoy the full winery experience.
We did a little wine tasting on our visit visit to Prince Edward County. But I can see we need to go back for a longer stay and try more of the local wineries. I like that many of the wineries have food too so that you can settle in for a bit. We would certainly want to visit the Waupoos Estates Winery for those stunning views of Lake Ontario.
Oh yes, definitely check out Waupoos Estates- the view, the property and the restaurant is an added bonus.
OMG I need to add these in my Ontario trip when I am making it there. The place is full of wineries. I loved the red and purple barns. PEC cannot be missed. Thank you for chalking out all the routes. I am hooked at Closson Chase Vineyard.
Yes, this part of Ontario would make for a great side trip. There is so much to see and do in PEC.
We are considering a trip to PEC in the fall and wine tasting looks like a must-do! Thanks for the great guide!
How fantastic! You’ll love this area for it’s food as well. Thanks for stopping by.
We have been trying to plan a trip to PEC forever! Trying to find a decent place to stay is hard as everything books up so quickly! Thanks for all the suggestions, will be keeping this foe when we make it out there!
Fantastic, I have lots of recommendations for places to stay. But you’re right it is a booking in advance kind of destination due to it being a sought-after location.
Route 3 sounds perfect! I wouldn’t want to miss any of these lovely wineries. And, the scenery…all I can say is wow!
So happy you enjoy it. It’s definitely its own vibe.
So I’ve been living in France for a while, and it is so interesting to compare how here all the wineries are located in old castles, while Canadian look like friendly neighbourhood farms! Definitely putting the purple Closson Chase on a wishlist.
This part of Ontario are in barns, but there are other wine regions and they are in newly built modern buildings or chateau-inspired buildings. But nothing like the ones in Europe.
It would be so much fun to take a tour of PEC wineries – we have lots here in Oregon too, and there’s such a huge variety in tastes and styles that you really could make a week or two of just visiting different wineries. Love that purple barn too!
Agree, it’s one of my favourites things to do, and lots of research went into this list! It’s one of the perks right, you have to experience it yourself.
You had me at winery! Honestly, all of these sound great and it’s cool they’re dog friendly too. We live in wine country in Italy and we don’t visit enough (we drink plenty though!). I’d like to try the one with outdoor pizza place, who can say no to pizza and wine?!
You definitely can’t say no to pizza and wine.
The settings of red and purple barns look gorgeous and to be able to sit back and sip wine in the gardens sounds divine.
I enjoy walking around wineries as the process fascinates me – how to go from a fruit growing on a vine to an alcoholic drink.
I have on my list to see the Champagne region of France and the wine growing region of South Africa, but after reading this post, maybe I should add Prince Edward County. The proximity of the vineyards here to each other is impressive and would add to the ease of the tour.
I’ve only been to one winery in Canada and that was also in Ontario but in the Niagara region. I learned there that the latitude in the area is the same as Burgundy in France, so no wonder the weather was ideal for vines there.
That gift pack of Sextus would be the perfect gift for myself!
Oh yes, definitely you’ll need to add this area of Ontario for your wine seeking adventures.
Gosh, there are loads! Not sure how big the county is but judging from your tour suggestions, they are all very close together. This may work out as the chocolate shop ratio in Belgium where every two metres is one and you can taste your way around before buying anything. It makes sense to use the natural resources and perfect weather conditions for a crop/product that will thrive under these conditions. What are roughly the costs for the tastings?
You’re quite right about the comparison of chocolate shops in Belgium or gelato in Italy. This area is chockfull of wineries. The costs vary but approximately a 4 to 6 oz glass will be $10 or a flight of 3 tastings might be closer to $15. To purchase a bottle, the costs range from $20 to $50.