DAY ONE – PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY

On our first full day in Prince Edward County,  we had lunch in a bistro in Wellington, a town at the south-west corner of the county. A lovely town to
explore. We found two artists' galleries and studios here and had charming visits with them. We also found a beach on Lake Ontario and a strong wind, a sheltered marina tucked away, and a gorgeous garden filled with hostas and a huge variety of irises.

The chimney at left is the pizza 
oven at Norman Hardie

After that we went wine tasting to the top two vineyards here. The first, Norman Hardie, was a huge disappointment. we had only six wines to choose from to taste here, although we know they have much more to offer. Their two Chards tasted of paraffin and I was told it was the terroir. Somehow I doubt it. However, the outside patio was hopping because the wood-fired oven makes the best thin-crust pizza for miles.

Our last stop was Huff Estates Winery in the centre of the county. This was like night and day in comparison. It's a beautiful sprawling site with a restaurant, an inn, and an art gallery, which was too avant garde for our taste. We didn't try the food as it was mid-afternoon, but it is recommended. The modern tasting room was delightful with well-informed staff. I loved the Chards and the rosés, and James enjoyed the pinot noir very much. Huff's has a French wine maker and the wine was all Burgundy-style.

We bought a case for shipping of six Pinots, three each of the South Bay oaked Chard, and three 2012 rosés. The S&H only cost $20 – the general manager was so surprised we bought so much, he gave us a discount. Obviously customers usually buy only a couple of bottles at a time. The new federal and provincial laws now allow us to ship wine across provincial boundaries. Sweet!

IMAGES: © Photos by Pharos 2014. All rights reserved

TRANSITION DAY: CRUISE – PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY

We drove south from Peterborough after our cruise in sunshine to Picton in Prince Edward County on the shores of Lake Ontario. We decided to take the slower, country route and missed one turn. So we were a bit later arriving at the Claramount Inn than we had estimated.



Our room turned out to be a vast suite at the top of the 1906 inn, probably converted from the old servants' quarters. It's white with accents of blue. The view from our bedroom window is above. We have a sitting room with a desk and TV, a huge bedroom and king-sized bed with a walk-in dressing room, two delightful corners with tables and two chairs, and a bathroom the size of regular dining room, which has a towel dryer to dry things I need to wash.  After our tiny cabin on the ship, this was most welcome luxury. I slept well and long.

The resto, named after the wife of the first owner of the property and house, is called Clara. It is considered one of the top five places to eat in the county. We ate dinner here on our first two nights and it did not disappoint. First evening I had a sea food pasta that had more prawns, scallops, and lobster than penne!! Awesome! Grounds are lovely – mature trees and grass down to the bay. We've heard that the present owners are going to improve them. I hope they are allowed to prune some of the larger trees and restore more of the view, which was expansive. The sunsets from our room are stunning.

Tomorrow looks good and our explorations begin with a good dollop of wine-tasting and more good food.

IMAGES: © Photos by Pharos 2014. All rights reserved