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The Wineries

The history of wine manufacturing in our region began with experimentation on the Ohio River. Within a few decades grapes were relocated to the islands of Lake Erie. Within Ontario, wine had been made since the time of the French explorer Robert de La Salle (1643-1687) who made wine from local grapes while camping on the shores of the Detroit River. It was also known that the Jesuits made wine as well as the French who settled along the Detroit River as early as the mid 1700's. Elsewhere in Ontario, Johann Schiller of Cooksville (now part of Mississauga) began fermenting grapes as early as 1811. Other early growers and wine makers in the province include those from Niagara (1857), Grimsby (1858) and Beamsville (late 1850s).
On Pelee Island the grape planting began in the 1850s with a vineyard established by Mr. Henry Price. By the 1860s wine making was established with the efforts of Thaddeus Smith, the Williams brothers and the Wardropers. These three families represented a very early commercial wine making enterprise in the province of Ontario. Soon others followed their lead, with the construction of at least six wineries on the island. These entrepreneurs spearheaded an industry which by 1890 saw the development of forty one wineries across Canada. Thirty five of those wineries were situated in Ontario and of those twenty three in the corridor between Pelee Island and Windsor.

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Map of Pelee Island
1881
Pelee Island, Ontario


Credits:
Pelee Island Heritage Museum

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Charles H. Heaton

Although no physical evidence remains of the winery that Mr. Charles Heaton once owned, it is believed to have been located north of Mill Point on the east shore. In 1870 Heaton moved to Pelee Island from South Bass Island with his wife and four children. In the early years he practiced as a carpenter while clearing his land of woods and planting grapes. In 1898 Heaton won first prize for his dry red wine at the sixth annual Pelee Agricultural Society fair. Prior to 1905 Heaton had made wine which was marketed to Canada and the United States. Like other grape growers, Mr. Heaton pursued many types of enterprises. Fishing, cutting wood, trapping and cultivating potatoes, corn, beans and turnips as well as grapes offered Charles Heaton a means to make a living. But by 1886 Heaton sold ten acres of land to James Findlay and little else is known about Mr. Heaton's contribution to the economy of the island including the wine industry.

Henry Rehberg

Located on a ridge overlooking Lake Erie, Henry Rehberg's house-cellar finished in 1884 was described as a model of convenience, comfort and beauty, can still be seen today. Rehberg came to Pelee in the early 1880s from Middle Bass Island. His farm was described as "...in two years, has changed from an eyesore to a beauty spot, which has been further enhanced by his neatly painted buildings. He has three acres of grapes and [intends to plant] ten acres in the spring." But by the year 1888 Henry has second thoughts about remaining on Pelee. That year his farm was put up for sale comprising of sixty acres, twelve of vineyards and twenty seven of other cultivated land. The asking price was eleven thousand.

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William Rehberg Wine Cellar and Vineyard
Circa 1870
Middle Bass Island, OH, United States of America


Credits:
Charles E. Frohman Collection
R.B. Hayes Presidential Center

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The Rehberg Family (Middle Bass Island)
1892
Middle Bass Island, OH, United States of America


Credits:
Charles E. Frohman Collection
R.B. Hayes Presidential Center

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John Finlay

It is thought that John and his wife Alice came to Pelee in the 1870s when John purchased sixty acres of bush on East West Road. John had been living on Pelee Island for ten years before he moved from grape grower to wine maker. There is evidence of a cellar constructed for the Finlay family by 1888. The stone work of this cellar can still be seen today on East West road. The capacity of this cellar was at least ten thousand gallons. In 1893 a fire damaged the Finlay cellar; it was rebuilt in 1894 with final improvements by 1895.

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Finlay winery
Circa 1895
Pelee Island, Ontario


Credits:
Pelee Island Heritage Museum

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James Srigley

Mr. James Srigley arrived on Pelee Island with his wife Mary and their seven children in November 1877. As one of the larger grape growers on Pelee Island, it is possible that Mr. Srigley made wine at his farm but this is not certain. In the early years of grape growing James Srigley sold his grapes to the table market and to the Wardoper's cellar after its construction. In March 1887 Srigley's house and cellar were nearing completion. The site, offering a clear vantage in all directions, was known to locals as Rattlesnake Ridge this likely due to the suitable habitat for the now rare Massasauga Rattlesnake. In 1893 James Srigley moved to a new smaller house probably because of the growth of his son Jeremiah's family. By 1898 the farm grew to seventy acres, of which eighteen were in grapes.

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James Srigley Homestead
Circa 1877
Pelee Island, Ontario


Credits:
Pelee Island Heritage Museum

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Edward and John Wardroper

By 1866 John and Edward were planting grapes, the same year as Thaddeus Smith. From the beginning the grapes were sold where the market allowed. Eventually the Wardropers found it necessary to build their own cellar. It was not until 1882 that a cellar was excavated and built beneath the house. In 1885 Edward Wardroper sold eight acre, six in grapes for eighteen hundred dollars to John Lowe. It was also in July 1885 that the two original wine families united. Edward Wardroper jr. (nephew of E. Wardroper) and Minnie Bird Smith (daughter of Thaddeus and Adelia Smith) were married. Edward Wardroper jr. was one of the last farmers to significantly expand his vineyards even in the face of declining vineyard prices

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Wardroper winery
Circa 1867
Pelee Island, Ontario


Credits:
Pelee Island Heritage Museum

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Thaddeus Smith and the Williams Brothers

Thaddeus Smith and the Williams brothers came to Pelee Island the same time as the Wardropers. In 1866 they planted twenty five acres of grapes and expanded to thirty three acres within a few years. By 1868 the house-winery was finished. The cellar was excavated in the rock with the infill limestone being used to create the walls of the structure. The style of architecture and vaults are rare for Ontario. At ground level was the winery and below, the cellar. Wine was fed by gravity from the press through holes in the vaults to the vats below. Above the winery were two stories where the Smith family lived.
In 1871 John Schulthies was brought from Kentucky to manage the Vin Villa vineyards. Born in Germany in 1812, he, his wife Katherine and their four children moved to Pelee Island before Thaddeus became sole proprietor of the business. A two story frame house was built for the family to the west of Vin Villa.

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O'Brien, Lucius Richard, Print of water-colour etching entitled, "Catawba Vineyard-Pelee Island"
19th Century, Circa 1882
Pelee Island, Ontario


Credits:
Renate M. Sieber-Peyton
Pelee Island Heritage Museum

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By 1873 Vin Villa was producing enough wine to warrant an independent effort to market the product. This same year Thaddeus bought out the William's brothers shares in Vin Villa while attempting to market Canadian wine which was not a well known commodity. Most of the wines of that time were inexpensive ones from Spain and France. With a carload of wine Thaddeus set out for Windsor, Chatham, London, Ingersoll and Woodstock. A last ditch effort to market his wine was made in Brantford, calling on a J.S Hamilton of the firm Hamilton, Dunlop & Co. After tasting the wines of Vin Villa, Hamilton was so impressed that he purchased all of what Thaddeus brought with him. Furthermore, he offered to act as sole agent for future Vin Villa wines. This meeting spurred the start of a long business relationship between J.S Hamilton and Vin Villa vineyards. Hamilton successfully marketed Pelee Island wines in several Canadian provinces, the eastern United States, the West Indies and in Europe. He also became the agent for the wines made by the Wardropers from their West View Vineyards.

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J.S. Hamilton letterhead
1 February 1896
Pelee Island, Ontario


Credits:
Pelee Island Heritage Museum

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J.S.Hamilton

As the grape plantings continued it became apparent that the available cellars on Pelee Island, that belonging to Smith, Wardroper, Rehberg, Finlay and Heaton could not handle the volume of grapes coming from the vineyards on Pelee Island. In response J.S Hamilton built another cellar on the island.
"The Pelee Island Wine and Vineyard Company have made application for letters patent of incorporation for the leasing and purchasing of the vineyards on Pelee Island, also real estate in the City of Brantford and Pelee Island. They intend to do a general business in wine and grape products. Their capital stock will be twenty-five thousand dollars; and their chief place of business Brantford." Amherstburg Echo, March 16, 1888

In preparation for this project a five acre property was purchased near the West Dock, probably from A.M. McCormick. By September of 1890 the stone was quarried and by August of 1891 the wine house was near completion. In the beginning there were between fifteen and eighteen one thousand gallon vats in the cellar of the wine house. In anticipation of the completion of the project J.S Hamilton hired the Toronto Globe to design and print a large poster that featured Pelee Island Wine and Vineyards Co. This poster can still be purchased today from Pelee Island Winery at the Kingsville location.

"On the [left of the poster] appears the Vin Villa Vineyards, established on Pelee Island a quarter of a century ago, next comes the firm's extensive premises in Brantford; and in the right hand corner appears the new three storey Wine House of the Pelee Island Wine & Vineyard Co. (Limited). In the centre of the card is given the exact view of the interior of the company's great cellars at Pelee Island. Captain J.S Hamilton, the head of the firm, is also President of the Pelee Island Wine Company and J.S Hamilton &Co., besides controlling the wine company's entire product. [The company is the sole agent] for the Vin Villa Vineyards of Pelee Island; the West View Vineyards, Pelee Island; the South View Vineyards, Pelee Island; the Fairfield Plain Vineyards and the St Malo Vineyards, Tilsonburg. The firm's cellarage capacity [at Pelee Island and Brantford] is now a quarter of a million gallons. The extent of J.S. Hamilton & Company's cellarage and business enables them to thoroughly mature their wines before being put on the market. No wine is sold less than two years old. They have large casks containing hundreds of gallons of wine of 1885 and older vintage. The firm produce an excellent Dry Catawba and Sweet Catawba. A fine communion wine, St. Augustine, is used in hundreds of congregations throughout Canada ; an excellent unfermented grape juice to meet the wants of the Methodist and Baptist denominations is also produced. Brands of Port and Sherry are also in stock and taking the fine quality of the wines and their comparative cheapness, it is no wonder what people say: 'The Pelee Island Wine Company's wines are crowding out foreign wines.' J.S. Hamilton & Company made a fine exhibit of their Pelee Island wines at the Jamaica Exhibition, and were awarded a gold medal. Captain Hamilton afterwards visited the Leeward and Windward Islands of the West Indies and appointed agents for his company in all larger Islands. J.S. Hamilton & Company are making regular shipments to Great Britain."
Fortunately for the Pelee Island Wine Company the harvest yields of 1891 were of record proportions. The largest crop of Virginia Seedlings, Concords and Catawbas ever produced came in that year. The wine house probably provided cellarage for one thousand tons of grapes or about one hundred and forty thousand gallons of wine. The year the wine house was completed Hamilton was buying up grapes from island vineyards. Even into October of that year long lines of horse drawn wagons were seen loaded with grapes making their way to the wine house.

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J.S. Hamilton wine house
1891
Pelee Island, Ontario


Credits:
Pelee Island Heritage Museum

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Pelee Island Winery and Vineyards Poster
Circa 1895
Pelee Island, Ontario


Credits:
Pelee Island Heritage Museum

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Henry Miller warehouse
Circa 1895
Pelee Island, Ontario


Credits:
Lake Erie Islands Historical Society

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In March of 1892 a distillery for the manufacturing of Brandy was established on the premises of the wine house. Mr. Gow jr. from Windsor was sent by the government as revenue officer in charge. By June of 1892 the equivalent of thirty carloads was ready for shipment. The brandy distilling carried on into the month of August, but without safety measures the final work was often dangerous:
"There was a terrible accident on Pelee Island on Saturday evening about 8 o'clock. At the Pelee Island Wine House, William Lester, an employee, was unscrewing the cap of a still, under the direction of Mr. Laborde. Dr. Ewing and Mrs. Laborde were also in the cellar. In an instant the cap blew off and the steam escaped in clouds. Lester was standing right over the still and was terribly scalded on the body and arms. Mr. Laborde received the full force of the steam directly in the mouth and inhaled considerable of it. He was rendered unconscious and for some hours it was thought he could not be resuscitated. Mr. Ewing did everything at once to relieve his sufferings, but it was not until 12 o'clock that the unfortunate man showed some signs of recovering. He was burned externally slightly about the mouth, but he suffered extreme agony from his internal injuries. The other poor fellow, Mr. Lester, was also in an awful way. When his clothes were taken from him, his body was in a sickening condition, and in some places the flesh was a scalded quivering mass. His sufferings were heart rendering, and he will be laid up for some time. Dr. Ewing and Mrs. Laborde were uninjured and it was, no doubt, owing to the doctor's presence that Mr. Laborde has a chance of recovery." Amherstburg Echo, August 12, 1892

By the end of August the Brandy distillery closed for the season and over time the injured men recovered. Eventually Lawrence D. Warner of England replaced Mr. Laborde.
In 1894 another ambitious enterprise was undertaken by the Vin Villa Vineyards when an expert champagne maker was brought in from the Epernay region of France. Machinery for making the champagne was also brought from France. The vintage of 1894 came to be known as L'Empereur Champagne. The wine was made on Pelee Island and allowed to ferment in the bottles. When it was ready for market in 1898 it was met with popular approval. It is believed that this enterprise by J.S Hamilton and Vin Villa Vineyards to be the only manufacturing of champagne in Canada at the time. Two different degrees of dryness were made: "Sec" and "Extra Dry". The final product sold for half the price of imported champagnes.
In 1918, after less than thirty years of operation, the Pelee Island Wine & Vineyard Company moved to Brantford Ontario. A few years prior to the move the building was no longer used as a wine house. When the store of A.M. McCormick burnt to the ground in 1915, the wine house was taken over as the store, likely in 1916. It continued to be used as McCormick's store until it too burned in 1935.

Sources:
The Vinedressers, Ron Tiessen, Pelee Island Heritage Center, 1997

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Bottle of L'Empereur Champagne
Circa 1895-1900
Brantford, Ontario, Canada


Credits:
Terry Matz Collection

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Bottle of L'Empereur Chapagne
Circa 1885-1900
Brantford, Ontario, Canada


Credits:
Terry Matz Collection

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J.S. Hamilton Bottle of Cognac
Circa 1895
Brantford, Ontario, Canada


Credits:
Terry Matz Collection

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Wine House on Fire
1935
Pelee Island, Ontario


Credits:
Creighton J. Hamel Collection
Pelee Island Heritage Museum