Pelee Island Winery is a winery in Kingsville,

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. They have over of vineyards on Pelee Island, which is in the South Islands Sub-Appellation of the Lake Erie North Shore Appellation of Ontario along the shores of Lake Erie. https://www.vqaontario.ca/Appellations/LakeErieNorthShore At just under 42 degrees North,

Pelee Island Pelee may refer to: * Île Pelée, an island off Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, France *Pelee, Ontario, an island in Lake Erie, Canada *Point Pelee National Park, a park in Ontario, Canada *Mount Pelée, a volcano in Martinique *Peleus In Greek mytholo ...

is at a latitude similar to that of Rioja,

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

Porto Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

Provence Provence (, , , , ; oc, Provença or ''Prouvènço'' , ) is a geographical region and historical province of southeastern France, which extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the Italian border to the east; it is bor ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, and

Tuscany Tuscany ( ; it, Toscana ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of about 3.8 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence (''Firenze''). Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, art ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

. It is Canada’s most southerly inhabited point, and has a longer

growing season A season is a division of the year marked by changes in weather, ecology, and the amount of daylight. The growing season is that portion of the year in which local conditions (i.e. rainfall, temperature, daylight) permit normal plant growth. Whil ...

than any other wine region in Canada. The island, in

Lake Erie Lake Erie ( "eerie") is the fourth largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has t ...

, is 25 kilometres from the mainland.

Harvest Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper. On smaller farms with minimal mechanization, harvesting is the most labor-i ...

is early, with picking usually beginning at the end of August.

Late-harvest Late harvest wine is wine made from grapes left on the vine longer than usual. ''Late harvest'' is usually an indication of a sweet dessert wine, such as late harvest Riesling. Late harvest grapes are often more similar to raisins, but have been ...

grapes are often in by mid-October.

Sustainable Winemaking Ontario

Pelee Island Winery has is a founding member and is designated a Sustainable Winemaking Ontario winery and vineyard and grow and care for each vine to specifications strictly outline by the World Wildlife Fund's strict Sustainable Vineyard practice. https://winecountryontario.ca/sustainability-wco/ This means limited and controlled pesticide spraying and use of a 100% island grown natural fertilizer; sorghum grass.

Terroir

With heat units and frost free days unmatched anywhere else in Canada, the island is a natural destination for Vinifera grape growing. Soil type is Toledo clay with a limestone base found two to ten feet from the surface. The soils are well developed and highly calcareous indicative of very good fertility and intense biological activity. The ideal vineyards are located at the centre of the island where deeper soils encourage and ensure properly set root systems, as much of the island is concave and below the surface of Lake Erie drainage pipes expel excessive rainfall. This excess water is carried into the island’s century old dyke system. Winds off the lake ensure consistent and proper air flow through the vineyards, limiting humidity and possible fungus diseases. https://winecountryontario.ca/region/lake-erie-north-shore/

Grapes

White varietals include: CHARDONNAY , GEWURZTRAMINER , RIESLING , SAUVIGNON BLANC , VIDAL , PINOT GRIS , TOKAY FRIULANO Red varietals include: MERLOT , PINOT NOIR , CABERNET SAUVIGNON , CABERNET FRANC , BACO NOIR , SHIRAZ , TEMPRANILLO , CHAMBOURCIN , GAMAY , ZWEIGELT , LEMBERGER

Wines

Pelee Island Winery produces a wide variety of grape wines. A selection of over 50 wines with most of them bearing the VQA Ontario mark. Product lines include: VQA Core Line, Reserve VQA, Vinedressers, LOLA, Bella, Hopping Apple Sparkling, Lighthouse, J.S. Hamilton, Monarch and others. White, red, blush, and sparkling.

Pelee Island Winery Kingsville

Winery facility along with a retail boutique, tours and tastings, outdoor terrace and banquet facility.

Pelee Island Winery Pelee Island

Winery pavilion with retail, tours and tastings, large outdoor patio grounds and deli hut.

References

Wine Country Ontario https://winecountryontario.ca/ VQA Ontario https://www.vqaontario.ca/Home

External links

Pelee Island Winery
* {{coord, 42.0368, N, 82.7215, W, display=title Wineries of Ontario Essex County, Ontario