However, at Pelee Island Winery in southern Ontario, the ferry is a major part of the harvest work day. In fact, it’s the only way the team can get grapes from the winery’s island vineyards to their crush facilities at Kingsville on the mainland for processing.

“Harvest turns everybody’s schedules upside down for sure,” said Annemarie Heikenwalder, the winery’s managing director. “Our team gets up at midnight to start work and get the bins filled for the first ferry at 7 a.m. to go to the mainland. We rely on that ferry. Harvest wouldn’t happen without it.”

Located 380 kilometres southeast of Toronto, on the western edge of Lake Erie, Pelee Island Winery is located on, in case the winery’s name wasn’t obvious, Pelee Island. The name dates back to the 1700s and likely comes from the French word pelée meaning “bare.” With a year-round population of just 300 people, it is the largest island in Lake Erie and the southernmost populated part of Canada, on the same latitude as northern California and Tuscany, Italy.

The winery itself has roots dating to before Canada was a country, with the first wine grapes being planted on the land in 1854. Canada’s first commercial winery, Vin Villa, was established on the land in 1866, a year before Confederation.

However, it wasn’t until 1979 that the winery’s modern era truly began, when Walter Strehn established Pelee Island Vineyards. The first vintage was released in 1980, and three years later, the tasting room was built on the mainland, in Kingsville, Ont., on the north shore of Lake Erie.

Now, with more than 700 acres of vineyards, the winery is the largest private estate winery in Canada and is owned by a private investor who chooses to stay out of the public eye. With a background in farming and aviation leadership, Heikenwalder came on board in 2023. She now oversees a team of around 65 people, which swells to more than 100 during the summer months.

Walter Schmoranz, Pelee Island Winery’s former winemaker, retired after working with the winery for more than 35 years. Winemaker Danie De Bruyn joined a few months ago. From South Africa, De Bruyn studied oenology in Stellenbosch and has worked at estates around the world, including stints in France and New Zealand, as well as Dunstone Estate in South Africa’s Cape Winelands. At Pelee Island, he and his team are making between 1.8 and two million litres of wine each year; more than 70 wines from more than 40 different grape varieties. Harvest starts early, in mid-August, and typically continues through to the end of October.

The winery is in the process of updating equipment, including the Gregoire harvesters – the grapes are currently all machine-harvested – and adding a cross-flow filter.

Main white varieties include Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewurztraminer; main red varieties include Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Blaufrankisch, a high-tannin, late-ripening varietal originally from Austria. They have also recently planted Gruner Veltliner, a white grape from Eastern Europe. “It’s growing quite well, and we are expecting a small harvest in the coming year,” Heikenwalder said.

I always say that the winery couldn’t live without the island, and the island couldn’t live without the winery.

Annemarie Heikenwalder, Pelee Island Winery

The semi-sweet Merlot and the Gewurztraminer are big sellers, but the most popular label is the Lola sparkling rosé, which is made from a blend of Vidal blanc and Chambourcin. “It’s my favourite, especially in the summer,” said Heikenwalder.

They also have several low-alcohol wines, in response to a market that has potential and is expanding, she says. Keeping residual sugar levels low is also important for them. “It’s something that is very near and dear to our hearts,” she said, adding that the entire lineup is also vegan-certified. Various wines from the portfolio are for sale across Canada, including Nunavut, Heikenwalder says. They also sell internationally, including in China, the U.S. and Taiwan.

In addition to the typical 750-mL bottle, some wines are offered in 375-mL and magnum bottles. Several are offered in three-litre bags-in-boxes, and the Lola line also comes in 250-mL single-serve aluminum bottles.

Custom labels are a big part of their business; clients appreciate the ability to create labels with their own art for special occasions. These labels are also part of their charitable initiatives. Working with the local humane society, the winery offers customers a chance to get a wine bottle with their pet on the label. “A portion from each sale goes to help rescue animals and to provide support to shelters,” Heikenwalder said.

Giving back is important for everyone at Pelee Island Winery, she says. A portion of all tasting fees goes toward charity and initiatives that benefit the local community. This past August, tasting room donations were donated to Nature Conservancy of Canada’s regional work. The winery is also helping the community with money for improvements for the island’s airport.

“The Ontario government doesn’t consider Pelee Island to be a remote community, but in the winter, there is only aircraft service to get you here,” Heikenwalder said. “And that’s how nurses come to the island to support its residents.”

The winery is the island’s largest employer, she says, and with that comes a responsibility. “I always say that the winery couldn’t live without the island, and the island couldn’t live without the winery,” she said. “Supporting the island is essential. It is a necessary part of our business.”

So is supporting the land. The winery isn’t organic, but does practice sustainability. For example, post-production grape skins are composted on the island. “When you’re farming, you want to give back to the earth as much as you can,” she said. “That balance with nature is something that we feel is very important.”

Being part of Wine Growers Canada has also been a positive experience for the winery, says Heikenwalder. “We do a lot of work with the government and this helps us achieve our goals,” she said. “In farming, our perspective is very much focused on being local, but Wine Growers Canada gives us a considerably broader perspective.”

Although she can’t yet discuss everything happening behind the scenes, there are changes in the works, Heikenwalder says. This season, for instance, they won’t be making icewine, and they may not make it in the coming years. To make icewine, the temperature must drop to -8ºC so the grapes can freeze naturally on the vine. However, if the grapes hang on the vine for too long before freezing, they dry out, along with much of the sweet juice, she says.

“We are seeing later and later colder weather and it just isn’t optimal for the icewine grapes,” she said. Much of what Pelee Island Winery’s visitors, Canadian and international, have come to expect and love at the winery won’t change. They’ll find beauty, calm and nature, whether they visit the year-round tasting room in Kingsville or head over to the island in summer to taste under the grand pavilion.

“Kingsville has such a European flair to it. It’s a beautiful little town with some of the best restaurants I’ve ever eaten at,” Heikenwalder said. “And when you go to the island, there’s this feeling when you get off the ferry and you barely have cellphone reception. All your worries stay behind, and you can really just relax and enjoy the wines and the beauty of nature.”

Expect some fresh new wines to try down the road. “We’re experimenting with some new winemaking styles, but I can’t talk about that yet,” she said. “Ultimately, we plan to continue to produce high quality wines that people seek out and enjoy drinking.”

And, indeed, keep that ferry moving.

That summer, she moved to her family’s cottage in Malagash, N.S., to study for the admissions exam. Hoping to land some work, she dropped off her resume at Jost Vineyards, a winery located a kilometre or so away from the cottage. “I couldn’t just study all summer. I needed to make some money,” she said. “But I knew nothing about wine, really.” That was about to change. Hans Christian Jost, then owner of Jost Vineyards, had the team taste through the winery’s entire lineup of wine. “I was fascinated. I couldn’t get enough of it,” Haverstock said. “It was a whole new world for me.”

The Jost family started Jost Vineyards in northern Nova Scotia in 1983, one of the first wineries in the province. They planted the first vineyard in the Gaspereau Valley in 1997. In 2004, Gaspereau Vineyards opened its doors to the public.

Gaspereau is situated on an almost 50-acre estate vineyard outside the town of Wolfville. The team farms 50-acres of vineyards, including 12 that were planted in spring 2014. In 2012, Jost and Gaspereau Vineyards were sold to Carl and Donna Sparkes and a short time later, an existing vineyard (now Mercator Vineyards) was purchased. The three wineries now operate under the Devonian Coast Wineries umbrella, and in 2018, Haverstock was named head winemaker for all. Each winery has its own unique style that focuses on different grape varieties and different winemaking techniques.

Gaspereau Vineyards is a boutique winery focusing on premium wines, including aromatic and terroir-driven whites and rosés and food-friendly reds. With the exception of Riesling, the only vinifera grape planted at Gaspereau, all their plantings are hybrids. Hybrid varietals include L’Acadie, New York Muscat, Marquette, Seyval Blanc, Vidal and Petite Milo.

The team is especially proud of their Tidal Bay wines, Nova Scotia’s signature white wine style and the province’s first and only wine appellation. Tidal Bay wines are crisp, aromatic white blends that must be made from grapes grown entirely within the province, and every vintage of each wine must be approved by an independent tasting panel. At least 51 per cent of the final blend must be made up of L’Acadie Blanc, Seyval Blanc, Vidal or Geisenheim 318, in combination or individually. Other grape varieties, including Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Frontenac Blanc, are optional and can be included up to a combined total of 49 per cent of the final blend, with the most aromatic varieties limited to a maximum of 15 per cent of the blend.

“Tidal Bay wines represent Nova Scotia’s terroir as a crisp, fruit-forward white blend that pairs naturally with seafood and shellfish. It’s about expressing Nova Scotia as a region,” Haverstock said. “But you can’t just say you’re going to make a Tidal Bay wine and throw it on a store shelf. You have to abide by the Tidal Bay standards when making the wine, and every year, samples of your Tidal Bay must be tested and approved by an independent tasting panel, which ensures both typicity of style and quality.”

Tidal Bay wines are crisp, aromatic white blends that must be made from grapes grown entirely within the province, and every vintage of each wine must be approved by an independent tasting panel.

All of the Gaspereau wines, including the Tidal Bay wines, are for sale at the winery boutique. They are also at most of the more than 100 Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation stores and private wine stores in the province. They also sell direct to consumers and have their wines at various licensees and restaurants throughout the province.

It should be noted that Gaspereau was initially planted as a satellite vineyard for Jost. When Gaspereau opened its doors as a winery in 2004, Jost continued to use a portion of the grapes from Gaspereau Vineyard, a practice that continues today. Their grapes are both machine-harvested and hand-harvested, depending on the variety and the block.

Since 2018, much of the equipment, resources and teams have been integrated between the wineries, which is why the Gaspereau team can access more staff and specialized equipment than most wineries of its size. For example, the wineries share a 2022 Gregoire Grape harvester among their estate vineyard sites as well as their contract grape growers. They also have two membrane presses: a Diemme Enologia Velvet 50 hectolitres (hL) initially purchased for Gaspereau, as well as a Bucher Vaslin 100 hL for Jost. “Both presses function well. One is a bit easier to clean and is a bit more intuitive to use, while the other has features for easier loading when whole cluster pressing,” Haverstock said.

The winery has always focused on cool-fermented whites in stainless steel and has concentrated its barrel program on reds. They use both French and Hungarian oak barrels. Oak is used sparingly to enhance the structure and supply subtle aromatics in balance with the fruit, rather than to overpower the cool-climate red style.

In 2024, Haverstock was awarded the Wine Growers Canada Karl Kaiser Winemaker of the Year Award. She is the first female winemaker and the first winemaker outside of British Columbia and Ontario to receive the prestigious annual award, which is named in memory of Karl Kaiser, one of the founders of the modern Canadian wine industry.

“To be associated with such accomplished individuals and to receive an award in memory of Karl Kaiser himself is truly humbling,” Haverstock said. “This award is not just a personal milestone, but a testament to the collaborative spirit and hard work of our entire team.”

The overall company is led by a management team with managers from sales and marketing, winemaking and grape growing, and finance and production that report directly to the Sparkes. The vineyards in the valley (both Mercator and Gaspereau) are managed by vineyard manager Becca Griffin and assistant vineyard manager Andrea Burbidge, with assistance from long-time Jost Vineyard manager Sven VonKintzel and oversight by Yvonne Schoening. They also have several contract grape growers whose grapes supplement the varieties needed for production.

Cellar master and winemaker Dave Beardsall has been with the team for more than 30 years, since 1991. “He is very much in control of the day-to-day operations, including ensuring the wine’s stability every step of the way, through filtration and right up until bottling time,” Haverstock said. Roles are intertwined, and many, including Haverstock, work at the sister wineries, too.

Harvest typically starts around mid-September, something that has shifted due to the warming effects of climate change. “I remember when we didn’t start harvest until after Thanksgiving,” said Haverstock. The 2025 vintage so far has been warm and dry, suggesting harvest may be earlier than usual, except for those areas experiencing drought conditions, which may experience a bit of a delay. “In either case, if the weather holds, we are poised for a stellar 2025 vintage with excellent quality and wines with concentrated flavours,” Haverstock said.

One thing they will be intensely monitoring is the flavour development and the acid reduction in the Tidal Bay blocks. “We want to achieve optimal flavour ripeness balanced by the essential backbone of acidity that is critical for Tidal Bay’s refreshing profile. Tidal Bay wines have a required minimum acid level,” she said. “It’s a balancing act, for sure.”

The company, Carl says, is planning an expansion and reconfiguration of their operations to improve productivity and reduce waste, something that is part of their commitment to sustainability. In the vineyard, they compost all harvest waste, and in the cellar and tasting room, they seek out sustainable supply chains, too. “Sustainability to us means creating balance and resilience to endure the storms, whether they are natural, economic or political,” Carl said.

Being a winery owner or winemaker is never easy, but this past year, the team has seen a resurgence in visitors, as people look to buy regional and locally-made Canadian products. That’s something that the winery team sees as important, too. They source local goods and services where possible, and they support arts, music, health and wellness charities and non-profits in their community. They also contribute to the Nova Scotia Nature Trust, a charitable organization that focuses on land conservation.

“We are part of a great community and support is a two-way street,” Carl said. “While we hope people in the community support local, we do it because it’s the right thing to do.” Supporting Wine Growers Canada is also important to the Gaspereau team. “Wine Growers Canada is the true voice of the industry in Canada. Membership means we get involved in issues that affect the entire industry in Canada and beyond. You gain a broader perspective and reach more than just within the industry in Nova Scotia,” said Carl.

For Haverstock, though, there may be nothing better than seeing her own region thriving. “I’m excited to see more people, tourists and locals alike, enjoy our high-quality wines paired with our province’s top-notch cuisine and delivered with our warm and welcoming hospitality,” she said. “And I’m excited to see the Nova Scotia wine industry continue to grow and prosper.”

The sisters fell in love with Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., during their many visits as children with their family. “Given our European background – we’re Italian – we really connected with [Niagara-on-the-Lake],” said Angela. “We really love wine and food. Some of our most memorable moments with our family are being at a great restaurant, ordering a special bottle and enjoying a really good meal. I think we always knew that at some point in our lives, we’d be doing something related to wine, food and hospitality.”

In 2006, the sisters – who are only 19 months apart in age – heard about a peach orchard for sale next to the renowned Peller Estates winery. At the time, Angela was working in real estate and Melissa was an interior designer, but they knew the opportunity had arrived to create something new.

A year later, the first vines were planted. In 2010, just three years later, the first vintage was produced, focusing on Bordeaux varietals including Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. A few years after that, in 2014, Two Sisters Vineyards opened its doors.

Over the years, they gained land; they now farm more than 130 acres of vines in and around the Niagara-on-the-Lake region. They have also planted more varieties. In addition to the Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, they now grow Petit Verdot, Chardonnay, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. They make roughly 20 wines, including a Riesling icewine, a Cabernet Sauvignon icewine and four sparkling wines.

One especially popular offering is the Blanc de Franc, a traditional method sparkling wine made with 100 per cent Cabernet Franc, a red wine grape. Gentle pressing, however, leaves the wine with only the faintest trace of colour, and it then undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle, aging for more than two years on lees.

Another customer favourite is the Eleventh Post, which they first made in 2011, a proprietary blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. And they harvest select lots specifically for making their popular Margo Rosé.

Wines are currently only for sale at the winery and online at twosistersvineyards.com, through their wine club, and from select LCBO locations and restaurants throughout Ontario, including Toronto. However, as Two Sisters Vineyards celebrate more than a decade in business, the sisters are looking to expand sales beyond Ontario and into other provinces. “There are a lot of regulatory restrictions in Canada,” said Angela. “But change is coming and I’m looking forward to it.”

Angela and Melissa work together as the winery’s co-proprietors, overseeing planning, product development and customer service. Angela ensures their standards are always met in the vineyard and in the production facility, while Melissa focuses on staff training and direct marketing initiatives for consumers, as well as product design, messaging, packaging, events and winery and culinary experiences. The winery’s on-site restaurant, Kitchen76, offers an Italian-influenced menu focused on the best regional ingredients.

“Guided by our belief that food and wine are inseparable, we envisioned a dining experience that would perfectly complement the Two Sisters Vineyards wine experience,” said Melissa. “Kitchen76 is built on a foundation of excellence in customer service, knowledgeable staff and a commitment to using the freshest local produce and highly respected purveyors.”

This year, Angela and Melissa are also opening Stone Eagle Winery, an estate set on a beautiful 30-acre plot of land. The new property’s vineyards – including some hand-harvested blocks – span across Niagara-on-the-Lake, and the new space features two underground cellar floors as well as dining experiences and a space for special events.

It’s hard to be high-volume and then scale to something premium. Just start with premium.

Angela Marotta

The Stone Eagle wines were originally sold as an ultra-premium wine line under the Two Sisters Vineyards umbrella, but the line will now become its own entity. All production for both wineries, however, will be done at the Stone Eagle property. Like many fine wineries, the winemaking process begins in the vineyard, where the team focuses on minimal-intervention practices that allow the unique terroir of the Niagara River sub-appellation to shine through.

“When possible, our many vineyard blocks are vinified separately to ensure we capture the difference in each unique block, and so we can continue to fine-tune and learn from each site,” said Adam Pearce, winemaker at Two Sisters Vineyards. “Our winemaking and vineyard teams work very closely together to create optimal growing conditions for our vines and we employ an array of sustainable vineyard management practices.”

The right equipment is important for the Two Sisters team, too. A Gregoire EcoProtect 3 row recycling sprayer allows them to recapture more than 30 per cent of spray drift in the vineyard, Pearce adds. “Our sprays are carefully selected to maintain the health of the vines while being mindful of sustainability,” he said. “Specific treatments vary each year as they are tailored to the changing weather conditions and natural needs of the vineyard.”

Later in the growing season, they use mechanical leaf removal around grape clusters to allow for sunlight exposure promoting ripening and flavour development.

“We recently purchased a Gregoire GL7 mechanical grape harvester, which allows for energy efficiency, minimized soil compaction and optimal harvest timing, allowing for harvest to happen when grapes are at their peak,” said Pearce, who is also a graduate of Niagara College’s Winery and Viticulture program. They use a Pellenc destemmer, while red fermentation takes place in LASI Mythos closed system fermenters. They have an extensive barrel aging program, too.

“We use an array of coopers of French and American oak barrels. These barrels impart distinct flavours and textures to the wines, contributing to the complexity and character of the final product,” said Pearce. “We are always trialling new products and equipment, looking for more sustainable and efficient farming practices and ways to reduce environmental impact.”

Indeed, taking care of the land for future generations is important for the team. The winery is certified sustainable by Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario, a program that focuses on three key pillars – the environment, economy and community – and helps to safeguard the province’s vineyards for future generations.

Giving back to the community is also a big part of the winery’s operations. The Marotta family pledged $10 million to help build the South Niagara Hospital, the largest financial gift in the Niagara Health Foundation’s history. They made a $15 million donation to St. Catharine’s Hospital (now the Niagara Health Marotta Family Hospital) in 2024, and in 2018, they donated $1 million to Niagara College for its innovation centre, now named the Marotta Family Innovation Centre. Gillian’s Place, an organization that seeks to end gender-based violence in Niagara, received a $1.5 million donation from the family in 2023 for the creation of the Marotta Family Centre for Violence Prevention and Outreach Support.

“We have poured our hearts into supporting the community that has supported us,” said Melissa. “We also keep our internal community strong at the winery, by promoting from within to encourage growth and staff retention.”

They are also proud members of Wine Growers Canada. “Their dedicated work with the government plays a crucial role in supporting the wine industry nationwide,” said Melissa. “Their efforts, especially in lobbying for interprovincial trade, help break down barriers, ensuring greater access and growth opportunities for Canadian wineries like ours.”

The sisters’ diverse backgrounds gave them good experience dealing with the public, plus sound financial sense and backing. However, the first few years weren’t without their challenges. “[We experienced] so many [challenges] – just finding our rhythm, testing experiences, figuring out what worked and what didn’t,” Angela said. “We had to learn where one door closes, another really does open. But you have to be aware of all the opportunities around you to make that happen.”

Nor is it easy, of course, to run a family business. The sisters keep things separate as much as possible between work and family. “Melissa has four kids, and I have three,” said Angela. “We have very busy lives, so we try to give each other a lot of space outside of work.” But they also communicate – a lot.

“We really make an effort to listen to each other. We listen, we talk things through and when there is a disagreement between us, we refer to our team and our lead staff to get their feedback,” said Angela. “They see things we don’t always see. It allows for a different perspective and helps make space for good opportunities.”

With more than a decade in the business, they have plenty of advice for those thinking of beginning something similar. “Start small and focus on quality, because quality is always appreciated and that gives you the longevity in this business,” Angela said. “It’s hard to be high-volume and then scale to something premium. Just start with premium.”

Listen to all customer feedback and react quickly when changes need to be made, she adds. If a wine event doesn’t result in sales, for instance, something isn’t working. “Every year, we change things a little bit with our wine education programs and tours, just to be sure we aren’t stale,” Angela said. “We are constantly observing and listening to what people have to say.”

The sisters have no intention of stepping back from the winery any time soon, but they also realize that as a family-owned business, there needs to be a plan for future generations. With that in mind, their children are already involved in many aspects of the business, working at the winery every summer.

“We intend to stay family-owned for the second and third generation and beyond,” Angela said. “This is a long-term game.”