Ontario's first organic winery

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Yup, that’s correct … it’s our 20th anniversary! As Ontario’s first organic winery, we are celebrating twenty years in business producing organic wines. It has been a labour of love, a dream realized, lots of hard work and some bumps along the way (did someone say pandemic?!).

Organic products are a niche market with roughly 19% of consumers choosing to buy organic wine. So why did we decide to farm organically and craft organic wines knowing that it would be harder? Well, we don’t back down from a challenge and we’re stubborn. Along the way, our motto, harmony in nature is a prerequisite for truly authentic wine, became our lifestyle choice.

Back in 1998 when we planted our first 10 acres of vineyard it was with the intention of having only 2 wines, an organic Riesling and an organic Cabernet Merlot, for the restaurant trade and online sales. We had not intended to have a store front … but as customers discovered organic wines and Frogpond Farm Winery, they wanted more variety. So we opened our tasting room and retail store and added another 20 acres of vineyard (2006).

Fun Fact: Our first vintage was 2001 and we used 500 ml bottles!

Today, we offer 13 different organic wines or wine blends and both red and white organic grape juice (non-alcoholic). We can also claim to make old vines Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Gamay Noir as they were planted between 1994 and 1997 (in the 20 acre vineyard located on Line 4).

Right from the start our winemaking philosophy was low intervention. Jens Gemmrich (winemaker & owner) says his experience taught him that in winemaking “less is more”. That is why there are no additives and no fining agents used … just healthy grapes representing good vineyard management and vintage conditions. We also do not used oak barrels for fermentation or maturation, as Jens says, “I want to highlight the fruit I grow and not the tree someone cut down.”

Celebrate with us by coming to visit this Summer and Fall! Friendly staff and delicious wines await.

But if you cannot make it, our wines are available online for delivery and at some GTA farmers’ markets.