Hi all – I hope everyone is having a wonderful week! I’m really enjoying the beautiful early autumn weather that we’re having right now, and looking forward to some fun fall activities this month. Today I’m sharing a spot we visited this summer that would also make a perfect destination for a fall road trip! It’ll also be of interest to those of you who are Schitt’s Creek fans (and if you’ve never seen it…consider this a sign to start watching it! I promise, you’ll be hooked.)
Applewood Farm Winery is a small, family-run winery and fruit farm located in Seagrave, ten minutes north of Port Perry. Since 2000, they have been producing award-winning fruit wines, cider and mead from the fruit and honey they produce on their farm. Their original location in Stouffville was the filming site of “Herb Ertlinger Winery” in this infamous Schitt’s Creek episode. (Click here for a list of other Schitt’s Creek filming locations you can visit in Ontario!) In May 2021, Applewood relocated to their beautiful new home in Seagrave. They offer PYO strawberries in the summer, a pumpkin patch and corn maze in the fall, and their winery is open from May to December. They’ve also hinted that they may be offering cut-your-own Christmas trees in December 2022, so keep an eye on their Instagram page for updates!
We visited Applewood Farm Winery this summer while on a road trip curated by Guess Where Trips – it was one of the surprise stops along the route, and we were so happy it was included because we had the best experience!
We started with a wine tasting on their beautiful patio, which offers scenic views of the surrounding fields. The patio has a casual, laidback vibe and is furnished with picnic tables, Muskoka chairs and a firepit for keeping warm on chilly days. A tasting flight includes five samples of any of their beverages – whether you’re in the mood for wine, cider, mead, or if you’re feeling adventurous, moonshine! We decided to stick with the classics and try four wines and one cider for good measure.
Elora’s Harvest is a white wine made from apples, raspberries, cranberries and black currants – it was light and refreshing, and probably the driest of all the wines we tried. Mac Meade is a sweet sparkling wine made from Macintosh apples and honey, so it tasted more like a sparkling cider – we really enjoyed this one! Trio is an off-dry wine made from blueberries, cranberries and black currants, and it’s super flavourful. Eden was our absolute favourite of the wines – sweet (but not overly so) and made from strawberries and rhubarb; we loved it so much we got a bottle to take home. The cider we tried was made from pears and crabapples, and it was tart and full-bodied – quite robust for a cider! Overall, Tania and I were both very impressed with everything we sampled. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about fruit wines, since I’ve tasted some questionable fruit wines in the past, but we were pleasantly surprised by all the wines we tried. They were certainly better than the ones Moira Rose tried at Herb Ertlinger!
If you’d like some nibbles to go with your tasting, you can also purchase a “patio pack” for $25, which includes Brie, water crackers, chili-garlic jelly, and a knife and custom wood charcuterie board (featuring the Applewood logo) that you can take home with you.
Inside the bottle shop, we had the nicest time chatting with the owner, who also happens to be named Stephanie. She told us about their decision to relocate from Stouffville, and how they’re hoping to build back the same large customer base at their new location. Judging from the welcoming atmosphere, excellent service and delicious products, I don’t think they’ll have any issue attracting loyal customers – we’ll be back for sure!
In addition to wine, cider, mead and moonshine, the Applewood Farm store sells honey, apple butter, beeswax candles, and handmade gifts and home items. The store features the original tasting bar from the Stouffville location, and is decorated with signage and newspaper clippings commemorating their appearance on Schitt’s Creek.
I highly recommend that you check out Applewood Farm Winery for yourself! The folks behind the business are so lovely, and they’ve done a great job creating a one-of-a-kind experience for visitors. Now would be a perfect time to go, as Applewood is currently offering festive fall activities, including a pumpkin patch and 40-acre corn maze. While the kids enjoy the maze, playground and farm animals, adults can enjoy a glass of pumpkin moonshine (yes, it’s a thing) and live music on the patio. Keep an eye on Applewood’s Instagram for updates on upcoming events.
Have you ever tried fruit wine? If so, what did you think of it??