Did you know you can experience the charm of wine country right here in Peterborough County?
Founder and winemaker Jonathan Drew established Rolling Grape Vineyard at his family farm in 2018 to do exactly that — produce local, high-quality wines while also offering visitors winery tours and tasting experiences. On his 150-acre farm in Bailieboro in the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan, one of eight townships in Peterborough County, Drew operates a 12-acre vineyard and winery, along with an event venue and restaurant.
Whether you’re buying a bottle of Rolling Grape merlot for your next dinner party, sipping a glass of sauvignon blanc on the patio while listening to live music, or tasting a chardonnay during a wine tour, you can be certain you are consuming wine that has been made on-site using grapes that are 100 per cent Ontario-grown.
With new wines expected to launch at Rolling Grape over the coming months (including a much-anticipated rosé), the winery’s products can also be found on the menu at Peterborough’s Boardwalk Board Game Lounge. Le Boat Peterborough also offers the locally made wines to its houseboat guests, providing visitors to Peterborough County with a taste of The Kawarthas.
Visitors to Rolling Grape can enjoy a true grape-to-table experience by partaking in the wines while dining at the on-site restaurant, where all charcuteries, tacos, and wood-fired pizzas are made with ingredients sourced locally where possible — a perfect example of how agritourism is flourishing in Peterborough County.
That includes meats from Traynor Farms in the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan and Creel & Gambrel located just outside Kingston, as well as microgreens from Littleleaf Farms in the Township of Cavan Monaghan. The restaurant’s desserts come from Bowmanville’s Rustwood Bakery and honey is sourced from Northumberland County small business Little Bear Honey Co., some of which is harvested from Little Bear Honey bees hosted on Rolling Grape’s property.
From holiday high teas to Sunday brunch, Rolling Grape regularly hosts events intended to bring friends and family together with the picturesque vineyard backdrop, including live music from local musicians on Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons and workshops led by local artisans and instructors.
To further show love for local small businesses, Rolling Grape Vineyard seasonally hosts Sip & Shop markets for more than 150 small businesses who are invited free of charge to sell their goods. Through these markets, Rolling Grape has maintained strong relationships with several local small businesses, including Old Jar Candle Co., Arrowmatic Food, By the Dock, and Sable + Sage Co.
Given its stunning backdrop and Rolling Grape’s unwavering support for the local community, the venue is frequently booked for non-profit events and fundraisers, including upcoming events for Hospice Peterborough and Habitat for Humanity Peterborough and the Kawarthas.
With the LCBO having pulled American wines from its shelves due to the ongoing trade dispute with the U.S., Drew sees an opportunity for wine connoisseurs to branch out of their comfort zone to explore products that are locally made at Rolling Grape.
“It really allows people to stop focusing on only California wines if that’s all they’ve ever known,” says Drew. “There’s a huge opportunity to try something Canadian.”
Located at 260 County Road 2 in Bailieboro, just 20 minutes south of Peterborough, Rolling Grape Vineyard is open from 4 to 9 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. For more information visit rollinggrape.com or follow Rolling Grape Vineyard on Facebook and Instagram.
The Local Advantage in Peterborough County is a branded editorial feature series about locally owned independent businesses in Peterborough County, created in partnership with Peterborough County’s Economic Development & Tourism Division.
As part of its response to the impact of U.S. tariffs, Peterborough County is showcasing the many unique businesses located in the county, both by sharing their stories of success and how they support both residents and other businesses in their communities.
Whether by shopping at local businesses, dining at local restaurants, staying at local accommodation, or enjoying local experiences, residents and visitors can enhance the economic resilience of Peterborough County during these challenging times and help establish a sustainable foundation for the future.
For more information about economic development and tourism in Peterborough County, visit www.ptbocounty.ca/ecdev and The Kawarthas Tourism at thekawarthas.ca.
