Burning Kiln’s Ashley Walmsley illustrates the tasting experience offered at the winery.
By Jeff Tribe
If you are fortunate to tour the Okanagan or Napa wine regions, you will discover unique agricultural value-added areas offering internationally-renowned products.
You may also return home with an expanded appreciation for the opportunity existing right here in Norfolk County. This county’s artisan wineries and breweries may not have the broad recognition of their more established compatriots, but they offer a diverse range of wine, hard cider and beer options for differing palates.
Different experiences perhaps, but there is certainly something to be said for the familiar intimacy of celebrating the agricultural attributes and beauty of one’s own backyard.
Following is a quick two-part tour highlighting some of Norfolk’s growing ‘tour’ divided into wineries and hard cideries, and breweries. You won’t have to hop on a plane to experience it, and you may well have a chance to meet the people who grow, process and are sharing their own vision and passion.
Burning Kiln Winery
Norfolk County’s rich agricultural history is celebrated through branding which will be familiar to those who toiled in the region’s tobacco harvest.
Strip Room is the winery’s top-selling red says the winery’s Heather Smith, Horse and Boat a popular Riesling, Kiln Hanger a high-end ‘cab-franc’ and perhaps particularly appropriately, Harvest Party a house option in both red and white.
Soil testing revealed the former tobacco farm upon which the property sits would support a vineyard, leading to its foundation in 2011. Today, 28 acres of four varietals each of white and red grapes are grown. In total, there are close to 20 Burning Kiln wines says Smith, ranging from red and white through rose, blush and dessert options. They are available bottled and also a handy and portable canned option.
The retail outlet and associated food services are open seven days a week at 1709 Front Road, St. Williams. Burning Kiln features a year-round schedule of special events, entertainment throughout summer weekends on the patio and has also hosted signature acts including The Barenaked Ladies, Sarah McLachlan and Jan Aarden through its Concerts in the Vineyard series.
“Good food, good people, good times and great wine,” Smith summed up. “It’s a great combination.”
Hounds of Erie Winery
The dog-friendly winery came into existence in 2015 through the passion of Mat and Melissa Vaughan, expanding to a five-acre plantation featuring eight varieties of cold climate grapes producing a dozen white, red, rose, sparkling and dessert wines.
‘Hounds’ vintages won their share of honours at the 2024 cold climate wine awards, including best sparkling wine Crimson Pearl, wine-maker select L’Acadie Blanc and silver medal Fox & The Hound Reserve, aged in both oak and bourbon barrels.
“The more time I do this, the better I’m getting at it,” said Mat. “They’re all pretty tasty, but I’m drawn to our sparkling wines.”
The winery also features five brands of hard cider, along with a light lager Vaughan added to the 2024 lineup as an option for visitors who prefer beer,
The winery’s name and branding was inspired by the Great Dane ‘Rohan’, and dogs remain welcome guests at Ontario’s only licensed run, space which is quadrupling in size for 2025.
“It’s a unique place for dog, wine and hard cider lovers to stop and enjoy in the summer,” said Vaughan.
The winery will re-open to the public at 377 7th Concession Rd Enr, Clear Creek, Thursday through Sunday in April, although online sales and delivery is available throughout the year.
Bonnieheath Estate Lavender & Winery
Bonnieheath offers a wide range of wines: red, white, rose, specialty and dessert, a lineup including Lavender & Lace, Besties and Bubbles, Summer Sweetheart, and Farmhouse Dessert Rouge.
The winery also features a five-variety selection of ‘Folkin’ Hard Cider’, ranging from the straight-up Fresh Apple through True Blue (hints of blueberries and lavender) and the ever-popular Cherry Bomb.
However, Bonnieheath also offers a variety of on-farm experiences at 410 Concession 12 Townsend Road, Waterford, including overnight ‘Air BnB’ accommodation for either two or up to eight, picnics, photography passes, ‘Sip and Shop’, tastings and tours, private yoga classes and an immersive group wine-making option.
Open seven days a week during the summer, Bonnieheath’s retail schedule reflects quieter and busier times during off-peak and winter months, however online order pickup is available daily.
Inasphere Wines
Sitting with a glass of Inasphere Wines’ bounty and enjoying the view of Long Point’s Inner Bay from its elevated perspective is absolutely breathtaking - an opportunity typically appreciated by guests, rather than the property’s owners.
“I can honestly say we don’t do that very often,” admitted Shantel Bosgoed, who combines a passion for wine-making, family and Norfolk County with husband Ryan.
Inasphere’s origin story is linked to carrying a three-generation farm into a fourth and beyond through diversification rather than expansion. Ryan laid the groundwork for this dream through Niagara College’s wine and viticulture program and subsequent industry experience, the couple purchasing his family farm and opening Inasphere in 2016 at 1454 Front Rd, St. Williams, guided by two main principles.
“Quality, make sure your quality is top-notch,” Ryan summed up.
“And don’t ever get comfortable,” Shantel added. “Never stop learning.”
Inasphere currently has just under nine acres of grape vines planted with plans for more to be added. They offer 13 white, red and sparkling wines and two sangrias. The line features a popular Riesling harkening back to their first year of production, Grey Area, a pinot noir they suggest served chilled like a white wine, and a crystal clear ‘Cab Franc.’
“It’s drank like a white,” said Shantel.
Winter sales are via appointment, with the on-farm retail outlet re-opening seven days a week in May.
Wine-making is not without challenge, an equation including planning and execution within Mother Nature’s vagaries.
“But when it all comes together and you come up with a really great finished product, it’s really good,” said Shantel. It’s one thing to appreciate one’s own efforts, she added, totally another when a customer reinforces that position. “That’s really great too.”
The winery fits within a unique 105-acre operation featuring cabbage destined for chain stores, and onions, cucumbers, tomatoes and other vegetables sold in their on-farm market. It is a busy world, and while neither Ryan or Shantel has much time to sit and sip, they do appreciate the day-to-day opportunities with their two sons on what truly is a family farm.
“Some people really get it,” Shantel concluded. “It’s always nice to share the story with them.”
Frisky Beaver Winery
Founded in 2018, the Frisky Beaver/Smoke & Gamble winery features five acres of baco noir, Vidal and Riesling grapes, with the potential to double that acreage.
A wine-making team headed by Adria Howe produces three unique labels under one roof at its location southwest of Port Dover (455 Radical Road), says Jocelyn Kohli.
The original namesake Frisky Beaver line pays homage to a 100 per cent Canadian product, made from 100 per cent Canadian grapes, and the pledge to provide wines a host can be proud to share and enjoy with friends.
Smoke & Gamble Reserve is aged in barrels, a process designed to contribute to structure, body and tannin, ‘softening’ the wine while adding complexity to its flavour. Aged separately and then blended, the final product is considered worthy of the ‘reserve’ designation.
Finally, in the spirit of fun running through the company’s name and wines, ‘Crappy Wine’ is on offer. Although of indeterminate origins, it bears the promise of pairing well with or without food, and particularly well with additional Crappy Wine.
Charlotteville Brewing Company
Serving up delicious and sustainable artisanal beer and food has allowed two born-and-raised ‘Norfolkians’ who grew up working in tobacco, picking strawberries and blueberries, to realize their dream of returning to a family farm. Tim Wilson and Melanie Doerksen founded the Charlotteville Brewing Company (CBC) in 2015 as an expansion of a hop-growing operation. It reflects their rural roots, creating both consumer options and economic opportunity through sourcing local, organic products while incorporating European influences from extended travel.
The CBC roster features around 25 beers ranging from light ales to stout. Their names, from their flagship ‘519’ through Party Line (an homage to the shared telephone service they grew up with) and Tailgate Party combine a sense of humour with their own lived experience. They are happy to innovate with local fruits and products, incorporating pawpaws from a farmer ‘around the corner’ into a unique sour beer. European influence from further afield is evident in the addition of an English mild beer, Scottish ales and Germanic pilsners.
“We’re trying to lean into it and keep it authentic with regard to the malt and hops,” says Doerksen.
CBC is open Friday through Sunday, 1-8, 12-8, 12-6 respectively during the winter (Thursday is added during warmer months) at 1207 Charlotteville West Quarter Line, Simcoe, with 12 beers on tap and food options including the 2025 addition of an outdoor pizza oven. Its founders are both proud and pleased to be part of a mutually beneficial, respectful and diverse Norfolk County craft beer landscape where each brewery has its unique and creative niche.
“I think that’s really kind of cool,” Doerksen concluded. “They aren’t the beers you’re going to find at the beer store or in your regular pub.”
Wishbone Brewing Co.
Founder Tyler Ferguson’s ‘craft trivia’ night if you will, provides a metaphor for the Wishbone approach.
Originally a concept to liven up quieter Sunday evenings, the care Ferguson puts into crafting original, never-repeated trivia questions from a wide range of genres, along with the energy and enthusiasm he puts in as host, has popularized the event to the point reservations are recommended.
“It’s become a part-time job on top of the other 12 hats I wear,” laughed Ferguson, who has gone on to host trivia contests at the Norfolk County Fair and Port Dover’s Art With A Heart, along with a series of private events this past holiday season.
The same attention and commitment for quality, unique product goes into Wishbone beer, which provides the basis for a micro-brewery experience. Brewing quality beer is an absolute requirement, however Ferguson’s goal is adding to that Thursdays through Sundays with a lineup including live entertainment Fridays and rotating Saturday events.
“We really try and push the envelope to make our place a destination for sure.”
Wishbone has core brands and always 12 on tap from a cumulative repertoire approaching 50 featuring everything from easy-drinking ales to Black Bridge stout, a popular Mimosa seltzer or the recently-released citrusy non-alcoholic hop water. Jam Band Raspberry Lavender Vanilla won gold at the 2024 Ontario Brewery Awards.
“Our main goal is brewing beer that’s approachable in every style,” said Ferguson.
Wishbone, located at 80-2 Alice Street, Waterford, has received accolades for a range thereof, including IPAs, sours and lagers.
Operating a micro-brewery is a full-on commitment, whether that be working a microphone in front of a crowd or long unseen hours inside the brewery on the days they’re not open. But Ferguson’s foundational combination of passion for craft beer, connecting with people and trying to create a meeting place in Waterford continues to be rewarded.
“It really feels like we’re doing the right thing.”
Ramblin’ Road Brewery Farm
‘Pairing’ is a term usually applied to wine, as in ‘this wine pairs well with this food.’
However, it’s also applicable to Ramblin’ Road, which has successfully paired a 40-plus-year tradition of growing and processing snack foods with a 2012 expansion into craft beer.
“Kind of a little twist on it,” agreed Haleigh Picard, daughter of company founder John Picard, noting the beer and snacks divisions of the company go hand-in-hand. “And they have from the beginning.”
John Picard’s vision came out of a sincere appreciation for Norfolk County’s unique combination of soil, aquifer and entrepreneurial agricultural expertise that has led to its well-earned reputation as Ontario’s Garden.
“Being grateful for where we are and taking advantage of the growing opportunities we have here,” Haleigh explained.
A brewery was established in 2012 and three years later, The Roost Restaurant which offers pizza, wings and appetizers but at heart is a ‘burger joint’ earning ‘Norfolk’s Best Burger’ honours for the past three years running.
Ramblin’ Road began brewing a pilsner and a lager, adding the Premiere’s Award-winning Dakota Pearl Ale, a potato beer sourcing Dakota Pearl potatoes and brewed through a unique process. Today, the micro-brewery features nine beer options including a red lager, apple whit (wheat) and 3D, a triple-chocolate stout containing Picard chocolate.
Ramblin’ Road also offers six hard seltzers, whose flavours vary on a rotational basis.
“We have fun with that, depending on the season,” said Haleigh.
The restaurant and retail outlet (2970 Swimming Pool Road, Delhi) are open seven days a week, a patio in the summer. The site also hosts four classic car shows annually, including the memorial John Picard event which routinely draws 150-plus participants on Canada Day. Ramblin’ Road does its best to make everyone welcome and at home Haleigh concluded, a clientele varying between local farmers with mud-caked boots to urbanites parking their ‘Beemers’ in the lot.
“We all come and meet here under the same roof.”
Meuse Brewing Company
Founded in 2019 by Mischa Geven and Estelle van Kleef with an emphasis on local ingredients, the brewery’s name and focus pays homage to Belgian-style beers, particularly in the abbey and farmhouse traditions.
“Just to kind of fill that niche in the market,” said van Kleef, who like her husband, is of Dutch extraction.
The Meuse line features 24 unique brews, including ‘Tripel’ which won gold at the Canadian brewing awards, Saison de la Meuse – gold at the 2024 Ontario Brewery Awards, and also a range of oak barrel-aged sours. During the winter, Meuse’s retail outlet is open Friday and Saturday on Windham Road 3, Scotland, from noon until 6 p.m., and Sundays from noon until 5. During the summer beer garden (May through October) food is available, either onsite or from a rotation selection of food trucks.
Her husband’s 10 years in a fast-changing micro-brewery industry has been ‘interesting’ says van Kleef, who continues to enjoy the creative outlet testing and perfecting recipes provides, along with open-minded customers willing to both learn about and sample the results.
“That’s the most exciting for me.”
Blue Elephant Craft Brew House
The Blue Elephant’s foundational mantra of ‘bringing in local’ and creating in-house extends into its onsite brewery.
“It ties in together,” said brewer Corey Donn.
He cited the example of ‘The Elephant’s’ popular egg rolls, created by hand, in-house, a general approach followed since the restaurant’s founding at 96 Norfolk Street South, Simcoe, and subsequent 2012 expansion into craft brewing.
“And why not jump on the beer,” Donn continued. “It made sense for us to do that as well.”
The Elephant’s 11 beer taps feature four ‘flagships,’ Outlawger Pale Lager, a Friday the 13th tribute beer whose ongoing popularity has made it a staple, Gentlemen’s Pilsner, Red Devil Amber Ale (2024 gold at the Ontario Brewery Awards) and Dark & Stormy Black Lager, a dark beer with smoky, chocolate undertones that presents like a light lager on the palate.
Owner Heather Pond essentially gives Donn free rein on the remaining seven taps.
“She kind of just lets me go at it and be creative. And I try and keep them full as long as I can before they sell out.”
A popular Simcoe IPA is a frequent visitor amongst a broad array including ales, lagers, porters, stouts, wheat, smoked, European and rice beers, as well as fruit beers and seltzers.
The ability to experiment with complexities and proximity of local Norfolk ingredients is emphasized by seasonal favourite Summer Harvest Strawberry Lager, or the raspberry-rhubarb sour that won a silver award at last year’s Ontario brewing competition.
“That was rhubarb right from Heather’s garden,” Donn laughed.
There is a ‘nice array’ across the 11 taps at ‘The Elephant’, however the one consistency is that all are brewed in-house, rather than demand dictating domestic options.
“It just speaks to the people and the community being receptive to what we offer,” Donn concluded.
Hometown Brew Co.
This brewery’s foundation story is tied up in its name.
“I wanted to come back home,” said Tommy De Vos, President of Hometown Brew Co. “And this is what I knew most.”
The other unspoken half of the equation is ‘family’, the fact Hometown involved his brother Matt and cousin Dusty Zamecnik, a trio of cousins who says Tommy, grew up like brothers.
“We wanted to do something together.”
The crew tapped into Tommy’s eight years of varied experience with a major Canadian brewery to get Hometown up and running. Its first three beers remain at the heart of production: Southern Ale, Southern Light and Hazy Susan IPA. The line expanded to include a summer Pedal Power Pilsner (with a lime option), Organic Wild Wheat, Coconut Country and a Blueberry Saison.
“The plan is to keep these and add in a lot more variety,” said De Vos.
Delays, including COVID, stretched expansion plans in conjunction with Long Point Eco Adventures (LPEA) out to five long years, with De Vos pleased to say they will come to fruition this summer. The Marshview Patio & Bar at LPEA is Hometown’s showcase location (1730 Front Road, St. Williams). It features a view of the brewery and its products for sale for consumption both on-site and to take away.
“Relieved that it’s done,” said De Vos, “and excited for what’s to come. Being able to have bigger ideas and have more fun with it is the biggest thing.”
As the company moves forward, home and family will remain at its heart.
“The fact we all agree and push it forward together is what kept us going,” Tommy concluded. “And it’s also what makes it so rewarding.”
New Limburg Brewery
There is a long version of New Limburg’s foundation story.
However, it lies in Jo Given and his son Micha’s appreciation for Belgian brew.
“We just wanted our own beer,” Jo summed up succinctly.
Originally from Holland, Jo picked up an affinity for Belgian lager while living in that nation.
“It’s a completely different approach.”
The New Limburg lineup currently features seven tried and true varieties, including Belgian Blond, which Geven considers ‘the flagship.’
What originally was a business based primarily on beer has morphed into a restaurant featuring New Limburg beverages. Winter hours at 2353 Nixon Road are normally 12 until 8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. A popular destination for those cycling Norfolk’s trail system, the New Limburg beer garden will open up again in the spring.
“Come in, sit down and have a beer or something to eat,” Geven concluded.
Front Road Cellars at Blueberry Hill
Blueberry Hill came into the Vranckx family in 2005, the winery Front Road Cellars was founded in 2012, and subsequently both purchased by Nick and Amanda Vranckx from his parents in 2022.
Co-owner and manager Amanda Vranckx speaks to an approach of ‘crafting the unexpected’, whether a hybrid grape wine that wins a national award, small-batch hard cider with a local twist, or a signature blueberry fruit wine that drinks more like a dry, light-bodied red.
“We want to amaze our guests,” she said. “At the same time, we have a focus on making wine approachable. There is no pretentious here - we are family and pet-friendly and absolutely everyone is welcome at our table.”
Front Road Cellars offers up to 20 different products at any one time says Vranckx, able to showcase unique vineyard selections through a small-lot style. Co-owner and winemaker Nick Vranckx has been focussed on crafting red wines lately, including two national award winners. In addition, Front Road Cellars is pleased to offer Azul Noir, Norfolk County’s first port-style wine.
As well as a wine club and seasonal patio at 1195 Front Road, St. Williams, Front Road offers a variety of tastings including mix and match flights, winter s’mores and pours, and Couch Crushers, four wines paired with junk food snacks. The blueberry portion of the operation is also featured through seasonal pick-your-own and a selection of preserves for sale.
In closing, Amanda Vranckx feels the saying ‘A rising tide lifts all boats’ is applicable to Norfolk’s Toast the Coast members, a truly connected group with a sense of camaraderie not found everywhere. She and Nick feel lucky to be able to do what they do and look forward to a bright future.
“I’d just like to encourage locals to explore their own backyard,” she concluded. “Sometimes we get enchanted by the big, shiny wineries in Niagara or Prince Edward County, but there’s something magical happening here.
“Our wines continue to get better every single year and I believe all of us have something unique and wonderful to offer.”
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