A rendering of the tasting room
Volta EstatesVolta Estate Winery is set to inject the region, which is on the up-and-up, with big kid energy.
Volta EstatesPrince Edward County is not without its charms. The region (or, “The County” as locals call it) is situated on a manmade island between Montreal and Toronto, and beloved by citizens of both cities for its long beaches and local wine scene.
While the region has a long history of agriculture, it’s all hit a fever-pitch over the last ten years when serious winemakers wised up to the region’s potential. Chardonnay shines here, Pinot Noir is well suited to the limestone bedrock and clay soils. Hotels, restaurants and bars followed and now, the County is one of the country’s buzziest destinations.
Conde Nast Traveler dubbed Prince Edward County one of their best places to go in 2026 (alongside Brussels and Morocco). The New York Times called it an island where “hip meets historic.”
Despite all that attention, the wine scene is still in its sophomore era.
“I remember 10 years ago, the general discourse around Prince Edward County was that they’re cute,” says winemaker Chris Thompson. “They make wine over there?”
That’s changing. The ambitious new Volta Winery Estates—run by the Del Degan family—is gearing up to open a grand, architecturally-driven winery in Rosehall. Estate vines were planted in 2022, others are tended to at vineyard manager and County legend Edgar Ramirez’s home vineyards.
It’s the first project in the region of such scale. While not set to open until 2028, the designs are none like the County has seen before, clad in Canadian corten steel—modern, but with details that nod to the region’s farmhouse-and-Victorian architecture. The design won a 2025 Canadian Architect Award of Excellence before ground had even been broken.
All that glitz and glamor aside, Volta’s approach remains focused on longevity through sustainability. Design-wise that means net-zero designs: geothermal systems for heating and cooling and the utilization of structural materials made from things like, recycled materials and responsibly-sourced timber.
From a wine perspective, that means hand harvesting grapes, leaning on organic treatments, and cover cropping with clover, daikon, and alfalfa—practices that safeguard against an increasingly tumultuous climate.
The county has remained small and craft for a reason. “Vintages are volatile,” says Thompson. “It’s been defined by extremes the last few years.”
Wildly hot vintages have caused alcohol levels to spike, which in turn has caused a bit of an identity crisis. “I had never made anything over 13.7% ABV and now, it’s creeping up.”
Still, the County is an incredible place to grow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Both varieities fit well with the sandy and clay soils, the base of limestone bedrock and the breezes coming in off Lake Ontario.
“Those varieties have long been the consensus in the County,” says Thompson. Volta’s Chardonnays—oaked (French puncheons), unoaked, and amphora-aged—are precise, clean. The Pinot Noir (fermented in stainless steel and aged in French oak for 12 months) expressive, with a vibrancy and a palate packed with romantic wild strawberries, cedar and a flow of minerality.
As vineyards come online, they dream of focusing on single-vineyard wines that highlight the County’s viticultural potential.
Pinot Noir from Volta Estate Winery
Volta EstateOutside of the County jazz standards, they’re playing with other odd or Italian grapes. “It’s been a mix of nostalgia, romanticism, and personal preference from owner John Del Degan,” says Thompson.
They’re working with Marquette, a hardy, hybrid grape. In Volta’s single-varietal take, it’s crunchy, bright, and with an energetic streak of minerality when served with a chill. It also offers a more affordable price point ($24 CAD) to those who aren’t looking for premium pricing.
Which is, in part, where some of their hurdles lie. It’s hard to sell expensive wine in a young region. So underrated or lesser-known varieties offer viability.
“It’s ’s a hard compromise if you’re just making Pinot and Chard—you can’t sell Pinot for less than $35, $40 or you’re losing money,” says Thompson. “Chardonnay, maybe $30. I think it’s important to have something within a $20 to $25 range for anyone to come in and buy.”
They also have to deal with locals who bristle at the thought of a shiny new project (although Thompson and the Del Degans have a long history in the region). What will that mean for a small community of farmers?
“One of the things people love about coming to the County is that you can go to small places, where the winemaker is in the tasting room pouring wine for you—you get that mom-and-pop-shop feel,” says Thompson. “But equally, if we’re taking a step forward as a region, we need to be able to offer more. If we want to be viewed from international perspectives, there’s an evolution the county will need to continue to undergo.”
Volta isn’t the only member of the County’s new guard. Producers like Last House Vineyards, run by André Gagné, and Stoss Lee are adding fresh energy to the County. Hotels like Wander the Resort and Claramount Club, alongside the much-loved Royal Hotel, are making wine country a compelling place to visit, and drink from.
“Over the last seven years I’ve seen less bachelorette parades coming to wine country and more serious consumers coming in from the US and Europe,” says Thompson. “I think Prince Edward County is coming into a better focus.”
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
