Windsor·Pinto on Food

Local wineries celebrating 150-plus years of winemaking in Windsor-Essex

A group of local wineries are marking the 150-plus years of winemaking in Windsor, Essex County and Pelee Island with commemorative labels, a lecture series and an exhibit at the Chimczuk Museum.

Commemorative labels, lecture series and exhibit at the Chimczuk Museum planned

Melissa Muscedere explains how local wineries are celebrating the history of winemaking in Windsor-Essex

55 years ago
Melissa Muscedere explains how local wineries are celebrating the history of winemaking in Windsor-Essex

A group of local wineries are marking the 150-plus years of winemaking in Windsor, Essex County and Pelee Island with commemorative labels, a lecture series and an exhibit at the Chimczuk Museum.

Ten local wineries have teamed up to tell the history of local winemaking through limited edition labels designed by Talysha Bujold-Abu. (EPIC Wineries)

To learn more, I met up with Melissa Muscedere from Muscedere Vineyards in Harrow, a member of EPIC (Essex Pelee Island Coast) Wineries.

I also contacted Jason Lavin. He's a graduate student at the University of Windsor who researched the history of winemaking in this region all the way back to its roots in 1866.

Jason Lavin works for Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island and is also a graduate student in history at the University of Windsor. (Jonathan Pinto/CBC)

Tap on the audio player to hear what I found.

What do the labels look like?

Scroll through the photo gallery to see all ten labels.

Can I buy these special-edition bottles at the LCBO?

No. These bottles can only be purchased directly from each participating winery. The ten wineries taking part are:

  • Aleksander Estate Winery
  • Colio Estate Wines
  • Cooper's Hawk Vineyards
  • CREW (Colchester Ridge Estate Winery)
  • Mastronardi Estate Winery
  • Muscedere Vineyards
  • North 42 Degrees Estate Winery
  • Oxley Estate Winery
  • Pelee Island Winery
  • Sprucewood Shores Estate Winery

Bottles will be available for sale starting Saturday, May 27.

Each winery has produced a limited run of bottles with the commemorative labels. (Jonathan Pinto/CBC)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jonathan Pinto is the host of Up North, CBC Radio One's regional afternoon show for Northern Ontario and is based in Sudbury. He was formerly a reporter/editor and an associate producer at CBC Windsor. Email jonathan.pinto@cbc.ca.