Reviews
“Marilyn, I wanted to reach out and thank you for the amazing experience we all had yesterday. The winery and views are breathtaking and the chateau overlooking the hills with the fantastic charcuterie you put together for us was out of this world! The tour led by John was incredibly fun and insightful. (The wines are without a doubt worth every award they win!) You helped make a very memorable 30th birthday for Robert and our friends. We will absolutely be coming back.”
-Cassie
Omgosh ! The Riesling is fantastic – it’s my new white favourite ….even better then Tawse . It’s not sweet and has a hint of tartness like a grigio. Just Wonderful thanks!
-Anna
“Jonathan is one of the coolest winemakers in Ontario and probably one of the most talented… I’m sure you will love his wines.”
-Pierre Ferland, Host of Read Between The Wines Podcast
Omgosh ! The Riesling is fantastic – it’s my new white favourite ….even better then Tawse . It’s not sweet and has a hint of tartness like a grigio. Just Wonderful thanks!
-Anna
“You’re now our go to for special occasions.”
-Cameron and Julie Filipchuk
“I wanted to let you know that we thoroughly enjoyed the wines we bought. Our favourite bottle was the Cabernet Franc, absolutely delicious! Please pass this message on the winemaker. Thank you for encouraging us to leave with a bottle.”
-Serena
“On our way now to pick up our favorite brand of wine.”
-Sherry Tower
“The Chardonnay is quite lovely with a terrific opening aroma, great balance, and very elegant. The wine simply shines in the glass!”
“I was blown away by the Pinot Noir. Jon has done a great job of finishing the wine with his added touches. Lovely aromatics, very well-defined Pinot Noir character, nice aftertaste, no bitterness, tannins have found a home.”
“The Cab Franc shows very nice character – very smooth for a young red just bottled…”
“We enjoyed Windrush’s Dry Riesling with our chicken tonight and I have to say the wine was very impressive – the bouquet jumped out of the glass, lovely citrus, fresh, and the taste was ethereal – truly! This is a beautifully balanced Riesling, in fact I would say a perfect balance, and clean tasting from start to finish. The only unfortunate thing is you want to drink too much of it! Congratulations to Jon on a superb job.”
-Jim Warren, Legendary Vintner
“We love all the wine we had on the long weekend. My particular favourite was the Windrush Dry Riesling and a close second was the Windrush Pinot Noir (and I don’t usually drink reds). Certainly, fine wines to celebrate the spring over this long weekend! We cooked spring pizza with asparagus and ramp – I admit I had the red wine with this and loved it! But the white was amazing with sautéed fiddleheads!”
-K & G
“Marilyn, thank you so much for having us, it was such a fun experience and we had an absolutely amazing time.”
-Nitu Mistry, Sobeys Ontario & E-Commerce
“Just want to thank you for having us as guests at your fabulous estate. It was the highlight of our visit to Hockley Valley. We all agree that it was probably the most enjoyable tour and tasting we’ve ever experienced. You were both so welcoming and generous with your time and knowledge. We really appreciate you opening your home and sharing your life’s journey to Windrush with us. And of course, being able to enjoy a lovely bottle of your wine at the chateau was the perfect way to end the tour.”
-Ken and Laura Welch, Doug and Joy Thompson
“John, I have to admit the temptation got the better of me. I cracked open your 2019 Jim Warren Classic Chardonnay. Now, I’m not a Chardonnay kinda guy. “Oaky” was always too woody for me. But I have to tell you, as I’m on the back deck of my home on a late end-of-week afternoon, this glass was as perfect pause to punctuate the week. Your oak aging seems to have hit my spot. I enjoyed it with a potential client who really enjoyed it too! Thank you for your insight and recommendation. Now onto the Cab Franc!”
-Howard L
“Your beautiful property (and delicious wines and incredible hospitality) were the first harvest host we stayed at and while we have stayed at a few more, it was by far our most favourite experience!!!!! We still talk about it……”
-Michelle and Marc
“…This was one of the best wineries I’ve visited. The tour was very informative, wines & charcuterie were delicious and the views from the terrace were stunning. We will definitely be back!”
-Selena Singh Russell
“I had the Pinot Grigio reserve with a lovely honey and citrus glaze salmon yesterday. It was the most awesome glass of wine I’ve ever had!
Even though I’m a white wine drinker, I loved the Pinot Noir during the tasting with John. He told me the story about you and the cinnamon donuts. I have a recipe for cinnamon walnut rugelach and look forward to drinking it on New Years!
Thank you so much for being part of a new holiday tradition.”
-Rose Schmidt
“Marilyn, The birthday party for my wife went great, thank you. My wife really enjoyed Windrush tour, the wine and the dinner at The Vista. Thank you for recommending it. Everyone had a great time. And we got 6 bottles of wine for special occasions.”
-Alex
“Don and I sincerely appreciated the time we spent with both you and John last Sunday. We stopped by just to make a quick inquiry regarding the possibility of making a Historical Automobile Society tour stop at Windrush Estate Winery later in the year and ended up spending a couple of hours in the best of company. Learning about the Winery was interesting. It was a pleasure to visit the wine cellar and sample both the Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir. We are looking forward to enjoying the bottles we took home. Your welcoming presence and friendly sharing made us feel very comfortable. Also, it was most interesting to learn about your art related charity work with underprivileged children.”
-Lynda & Don
“…you are one of the best things that have come into my life in 2020!”
-Diane Dann
“Impeccable wines, breathtaking estate with amazing views and landscaping… I would put this on a must see list for everyone.”
-Ute Louise Bartol
“…special thanks for providing such a warm and beautiful environment for concerts. You are both exemplary hostess and host. Thank you also for playing it forward with your support of the charities you foster.”
-Velma Ko
“Marilyn, John and Lesley, your hospitality was absolutely amazing. The group was delightfully overwhelmed as their expectations were exceeded. You treated us extremely well and we all left with a great memory. The team was acknowledging their delight the rest of the afternoon in our chats. You have a wonderful place and we were glad to experience it. Thank you very much.”
-Zdenek, Timea and our Caffeine Porsche Club
“Marilyn, what a treat it was to meet you today. We had a really great time visiting your chateau…. Thank you for your outstanding hospitlity. We all look forward to meeting you again….You will be in our thoughts when we open our Windrush wine. Best wishes for your winery!”
-S.W.
“We wanted to take a moment to thank you for hosting such a lovely event at the Windrush Estate Winery. The Holiday Cheer event at the Chateau was truly a magical experience, and we enjoyed every moment of it. The Koski family and friend performances were outstanding; the wine and food was delightful. We especially appreciated the opportunity to take home two bottles of your new Artful Chardonnay wine!
Thank you again for your hospitality and for creating such a memorable event. We look forward to attending future events at the winery.”
-David and Cecile Preston
“We had a meal designed around your Pinot Grigio: three mushroom risotto and honey garlic shrimp. For this dish, the crisp fruity nature of the wine was a lovely counterpoint to the food. However, the marvellous surprise was how magical it married with appetizers which were smoked salmon, smoked olives and smoked olive tapenade. With this, the wine lengthened the smoky flavour for minutes allowing us to enjoy everything at a slow pace.
Pale straw colour with notion legs
Nose: sweet tropical fruit (pineapple, passion fruit and kiwi
Taste: starts at the middle of the tongue with bitter apple, white grapes, minerals, unripe peaches and spicy. After taste: lingering lime or stone fruit.
All in all was lovely experience!”
-William Beauvais
“I wanted to thank you and John for providing Victoria and Nick with your beautiful venue for their forever memorable engagement. Everything was spectacular.”
– Lisa and John
“I would like to thank you for making my birthday so special. I was very touched that you would open your home for my family to celebrate my birthday. It couldn’t have been a better gift. With thoroughly enjoying the tour of wine making, becoming more educated and tasting the fruits of your hard and dedicated work. We will be back for more!”
-The French family
“I look forward to Sunday salons that Marilyn and John host, as it offers me a respite from country life and a glimpse into the world of culture and music and imagination. People of like mind and lovely wine and vistas of Ontario’s beauty. So many thanks.”
-Judy Chapman
“Marilyn, thank you so much for making this day truly special for me and my wife. The entire family had an amazing time at the winery. Your hospitality was amazing and so much more than expected.”
Donovan
“Marilyn and JC, thank you for hosting such incredibly talented people, for your beautiful, exquisite concert hall and most of all your hospitality.
The intimacy of your presentation, I think, many of us appreciated. I hope you continue happy endeavors and maybe we will be present at another concert!”
Julie D.
“Thank you for a lovely visit on Saturday. You are both such gracious hosts. John, we so enjoyed your “talk”….so informative and interesting. Marilyn, we loved your home. Thank you for opening it to us and allowing us to enjoy the delicious Pinot Grigio in such a beautiful setting. The third floor is so spacious and comfy…..the views spectacular. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with you…”
-Beth and Paul Gilbert
“What a wonderful surprise discovery — “Windrush”! Genuine thank you for the experience on an exceptional November day on behalf of Gail and our friends. Enjoyed the tasting, the insights on the property and of course the hospitality with the outstanding views of “the valley”. But of course, the star attractions were the wines, in particular the new Cab Franc and dry Riesling.”
-JC and Gail
“Thank you so much for the lovely and informative tour of your beautiful winery. Everyone had a great time.”
-Karen Gress Senior Centre Coordinator, Municipality of Thames Centre
The concert yesterday was delightful! Almost hypnotic in its power to relax. Your table arrangement with water vessels was so thoughtful! The wine and nibbles after and chats with friends also greatly appreciated. Thank you for all! I will read the poems I bought with delight.
-Zofia and Alex
“What a breathtakingly beautiful event- Aug.11. These words do not do justice to what we were all so fortunate to witness. Marilyn, you are right, we had our own Olympics yesterday. Your property and your home are stunning. Every single centimeter is PERFECT and Marion told me that J.C. planned it all – wow. I felt like I was in a movie … truly an Oscar-worthy location. Pianist Sean Sutherland’s passion resonated as he shared his truly epic talent with us. I am not a classical music person—or so I thought until I felt his playing and he regaled us with interesting Chopin facts and stories.”
-Gloria Maxx
“I’ve been to many winery tours and tastings. John, you are a master: a master story-teller and a wealth of information.”
-Patron of South Simcoe Arts Council
“Thank you for hosting the Melodies and Words of Love concert at your beautiful home on Sunday – a lovely afternoon of music and fellowship for all who attended. I am heartened by your community spirit and desire to positively contribute to young lives that may not otherwise have the existence of strong positive role models. I wish you well as you continue to provide your home and Windrush Estate Winery as a venue for peace, health and contentment.”
-Michael Harris, Executive Director (A), Ontario Human Rights Commission
“John did an incredible welcome and talk about the winery with the larger group (90 Simcoe County EMS staff visited for a private tour & tasting) from what I hear. And Marilyn is very much an incredible hostess. You can certainly see the experience you both have.”
-Catherine Ivanyshyn, Health and Emergency Services Division, County of Simcoe
“Your wine that I sipped was fantastic…Your wine in Japan would be a hit…. Thank you for making today a very special day for all of us. I would love to arrange a concert at your beautiful concert venue. The musicians would be thrilled to be in such a beautiful setting.”
-Marion Y.
“Marilyn and John, just a brief note to express our sincere gratitude for the musical journey we shared on February 25th. Pavel Steidl’s performance was truly captivating, and the combination of your award-winning wines and sweets afterward made it even more memorable.
Your warm hospitality and thoughtful arrangements created an atmosphere of joy and camaraderie (especially meeting “Pappous” and his family). It was a delightful experience, and we feel fortunate to have been part of it.
Thank you once again for your kindness and generosity. We look forward to more delightful moments at Chateau Windrush in the future.”
-David & Cecile Preston
“This was our first HH stay and it was fantastic. The hospitality and the views were incredible. Our site was georgous and private. We had a tour of the wine making facility and tasting, and well, we ending up buying a case. Great wines — Great people!”
-Brian C
“Thank you for an excellent event. I really enjoyed it and love the wine.”
-Jill J.
“A lovely afternoon… It is always interesting to see the eclectic crowds you host at these wonderful events. Merci beaucoup.”
-Denis and Eleanor M.
“Lovely event yesterday, Al’s talk was fascinating and your wine was very tasty; the views were spectacular – we will visit you again.”
-Debbie J.
We enjoyed a wonder stay at Windrush Estate on June 17, 2021. What an amazing and peaceful location. Marilyn and John could not have been more gracious hosts and welcomed us personally and got us situated in the perfect spot amongst the vine groves.There are many winding paths to explore the property. We met other guests and simply enjoyed our stay immensely. Highly recommended. To top it all off, the wines they produce and sell are top notch! I highly recommend the Pinot Noir. We will definitely be back!
-Asad R
“Thank you so much for hosting such a wonderful afternoon in your beautiful chateau – upon arriving we were welcomed and everyone made us feel so comfortable. The music was phenomenal such great talent.”
-Janis, Mark, Deb and Morley
“…I broke open your Windrush Pinot last night and might I say it was marvellous….velveteen on the palette, fruit forward with a mouth rush of raspberry and blossom, a truly gentle beverage, like an old friend guiding me through flowers ….loved every moment of it…”
-David Stones
“Your concert series in general is a unique, very high quality undertaking. Last Sunday’s concert was absolute proof of that. Pavel Steidl’s … virtuosity was amazing.”
-Ivana and Jan Benda
“Thank you again SO much for not only the best wine I’ve ever tasted but the most amazing hospitality. Both you and John made our 5th anniversary a day we will never forget. We’re already talking about our next date back at the winery haha. My parents were so impressed with how amazing both the Pinto Grigio and the Pinto Noir tasted! My mom and I were just talking yesterday about planning a girls’ date at the winery…!”
-Sara Franco
“Marilyn, thanks again for an absolutely lovely afternoon! On top of the great wine you’re making, just connecting and chatting with you was so great, and quite honestly, has been the highlight of my solo weekend away!”
-Alex Yule
“We so enjoyed our stay at Windrush Estate Winery! Owners Marilyn and John met us in person at the winery and were very kind and welcoming! They gave us a tour and helped us choose some wine for a gift, which was packaged beautifully….We walked the tree-lined paths and enjoyed the stunning views and fresh air. It was so scenic and peaceful. A fine location with wonderful hosts.”
-Rob & Laura
“Windrush, thanks for another amazing afternoon. Marc Devigne was truly fabulous, and the next Michael Bublé I bet! We bought some of the new release, it’s so good!”
-Diana
“Your Pinot Grigio is elevated and lifted and delicious with character. Windrush Pinot Noir cries out ripe cherry fruit and an undertone of earth. Beautifully made; superb!”-Stephen Ranger of Ranger Wine
“One quickly runs out of superlatives to describe Pavel’s playing. His expressiveness, his technical skill, his playfulness and, of course, his easy and humble rapport with his audience; all these are legendary… my eyes were closed for much of the concert, just letting the notes wash over me and the feelings rise in response – complex emotions that only great musical subtlety on Pavel’s part could have provoked, the intimacy of the setting in your beautiful chateau only magnifying the effect.”
-Garth Stiebel
“I was at Harbour 60 last night and they told us that everyone is loving the Windrush Pinot Grigio still and they can’t believe it’s Ontario product.”– R. P.
“Windrush Estate Jim Warren Classic Chardonnay 2018: These are the latest Jim Warren chardonnays available for sale. His chardonnays embrace both an opening aromatic nose and a terrific mid-palate taste of what he is known for: rich stone fruit, some tropicality and orchard fruit, a judicious use of oak, ending with a citric minerality for a strong food wine. Bearing in mind what you get from California and Europe that costs much more, this is a great price for value. 3g/L residual sugar. 14% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 94 points.”– Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures
– D. B.
“John and Marilyn, …. I can certainly say without reservation that you are the most kind and humanitarian people that I have ever met. Our business relationship has been second to none and yet still had a comfortable personal quality that I will appreciate forever.”
-Kirk Stanfield, Red Oak Digital
“Probably the best wine tour/tasting we have done! Great experience and great info! Been on a lot of wine tours, tastings and educational events. Years ago, I used to make wine ????super impressed with your facility! Love the use of technology with your wine making and nice to have that explanation!”
-Deb and Doug
“Wonderful afternoon that our family had on Sunday at the Chateau! The performance was brilliant and truly set the note for the season. Thank you both for the effort you put into showcasing the winery and local artistes.”
-Gloria Remedios
– C. G.
“There is a tranquility and wildness that lifts our spirit and we breathe a little lighter every time we drive over the single-lane bridge, over the gurgling stream, into sight of Windrush Chateau overlooking the hills and welcoming us to Windrush Estate Winery.”
-Chris and Chihiro
“We thoroughly enjoyed our time at the winery and having a glass of wine at your beautiful chateau. Thank you again for hosting me, Steve, Frank and Elena and for the beautiful and thoughtful birthday card. You and John have a gem in the Hockley Hills and we wish you much success and happiness as it flourishes! We will definitely come again. We have lots of people we would love to take there.”
-Bonnie Koenig
“Thank you we so enjoyed our time learning about your wine and having the house tour your place is beautiful. We have and will continue to pass on our experience there and have already shared some wine with friends.”
-Louise and Scott Kenzig
“It was not only a pleasure but also a surprise to taste your wines yesterday at the Dymon Wine Cellar: a surprise since the varietal name on the label cannot tell what you are really going to enjoy in your nose and mouth. [Winemaker] Jon Boyle and [Vintner] Jim Warren showed us what can be done with VQA wines – to redefine what Pinot Grigio can taste like when done like a Pinot Gris (as recognized by your recent Decanter World Wines Award for your 2017 vintage). You changed Jennifer’s opinion not only about Pinot Grigio but Chardonnay as well.
The same applies to your delicate, bone dry and flavourful 2019 VQA Riesling. It will really stick out of the pack in an Ontario Riesling tasting!
A special mention to your 2019 VQA Cabernet Franc (to be bottled in November). Great job, Jon!
Thanks to the whole Windrush Estate Winery for this memorable experience. I am looking forward tasting the next vintage.”
-Christian Frayssignes, GM, Wine Operations, Dymon Group of Companies
“Windrush Winery is truly a jewel in Southern Ontario and well worth visiting. The impressive chateau and vistas are just as stunning as their award winning wines. Upon entering the entrance gate, the driveway weaves through the valley up the hill to their chateau and further on to the recreation area….
John gave us a tour of the winery and told us a bit of their incredible history. We purchased a couple of bottles of wine, one we planned to enjoy with dinner that night. Shortly after returning to our rig, Marilyn asked if we would like to exchange one of the bottles we had just bought for one that was perfectly chilled from her fridge, for us to enjoy with our dinner. How thoughtful!!! And the Pinot Noir we enjoyed… extraordinarily smooth and delicious!
Marilyn and John are both warm, generous and gracious individuals and are wonderful hosts! We will definitely be back and can highly recommend this gem of a destination. Their wines are exceptional!!!”
-Steve R
“I just wanted to say again warm thanks for the hospitality, beautiful location and of course delicious wine, as always. We enjoyed ourselves immensely – and comfort of our senior fur-child is always the top priority (whether it is AC, shade, companionship or what may be). He loved it!!! 🙂 Sorry we missed you but will catch you next time! Thanks again and best wishes,”
– Cheryl & Tim
“A beautiful afternoon: a wonderful escape into the gorgeous world of song, harmony, and peace.”
-Larissa
“My friends and I had a wonderful time. Thanks so much. The tour guides were amazing, personable, funny and made the experience great. We also enjoyed the wine and the beautiful location. Riesling was one of the favourites. We will be back.”
-Jennifer Hall
“We are sighing deeply with Windrush Pinot Noir with lasagna for dinner.”
-Chris & Chihiro & Bentley
“Thank you so much for the tour. We love your winery!! As you can see from the picture, we just couldn’t wait to open the Chardonnay!! We had it with a pound of mussels and an arugula pizza. An absolutely sublime wine.”
-Mauro and Annick Masatti
“I absolutely loved the Pinot Grigio, I loved the gris colour, mouthwatering acidity, beautiful citrus notes and my favourite the salinity on the finish! Great complexity, and very food friendly. My favourite of the three and I plan to post on Instagram tomorrow about how much I enjoyed it.”
-Lori Sullivan, sommelier
Enjoying some Windrush Rose the Winery kindly delivered to our home. It’s helping keep up our spirits during the stay-at-home direction. Also puts a new perspective on Gardening! This could catch on!
Thanks again to Marilyn and John for their efforts to lift spirits up!
-Peter and Dragica Cocker
“Thank you for providing so much heart and light to the community and those of us who are privileged to know you.”
-Lori
“Thank you for all your warmth, generosity and love – so grateful to be a part of your world.”
-Michelle
“I did not comment on the wines in my first review as I did not taste them all at the time of my initial post. I can confidently say – all are exceptional.”
-Belinda R.
“We booked Windrush Estate Winery for a specialised and challenging corporate event with our most important clients, tight timelines and no margin for error. In planning and execution, they delivered far above our expectations and then went the additional extra mile to make sure our clients had the best experience possible. The team at Windrush should be your first choice for exceptional events in Ontario; they will remain ours.”
-Dr Vincenzo Repaci, Director of Projects Mitchell Industries
“What an amazing piece of paradise you have. Such an honour that you shared it for our celebration. Everyone was amazed at your view and so impressed with your winery operation. Once again thank you for giving my family wonderful memories to treasure.”
-Nancy
“Thank you for the wonderful tour and superb wine! We had a wonderful day celebrating my birthday at your winery! It was so thoughtful for you to take our photo and make it into a card for all of us. Had a great time and will be back to enjoy the chateau and grounds soon!”
-Tracy
“Windrush Estate Hockley Valley Jim Warren Classic Chardonnay 2018 Foxcroft Vineyard VQA Beamsville Bench – $65 at winery, only 80 cases made [2019 is $49.95]: these are indeed the latest Jim Warren Classic Chardonnays available for sale. His chardonnays embrace both an opening aromatic nose and a terrific mid-palate taste of what he is known for: rich stone fruit, some tropicality and orchard fruit, a judicious use of oak, ending with a citric minerality for a strong food wine. Bearing in mind what you get from California and Europe that costs much more, this is a great price for value. 3g/L residual sugar. 14% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 94 points.”
-Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures
“Best Ontario Pinot Noir!”
-Zofia and Keri Humber
“A splendid day at Windrush! John did a superb presentation. I had never been to a winery before but others in the group have… John explained far better to them than any other winery they have experienced, so they expressed.”
-Brenda Keyes
“Marilyn and John, our hosts and the founders of Windrush Estates, have set the bar incredibly high for us! A stunning setting where we enjoyed their world class wines and a beautiful ,peaceful night. Fantastic, we highly recommend to anyone thinking of visiting. Top class!!”
-Richard B
“After travelling through beautiful countryside hills and valleys, we passed the two stone pillar gates at the Estate entrance, only to be mesmerized by the breathtaking grounds and a beautiful Chateau Estate, facing the whole valley. There…we were greeted by Marilyn and John, the co-owners. Such charm and personality…They immediately made us feel right at home … After settling down, we walked the trails surrounding the vineyard with our friends. We then headed to the winery for a private tour. John greeted us in the store, where several types of award winning wines were showcased and John explained how the winery came about and elaborated on their take on the process of wine making. Everything in the winery was very clean and nicely displayed and the tour and tasting was done with such class! John walked us though the scents, the textures and tasting of several of their wines. We left with 6 bottles, 3 of each of the Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir that we had tried. By far one of the most amazing wineries in this Ontario region.”
-Gilles C
“Best Ontario Pinot Noir!”
-Zofia and Keri Humber
“Hello we really enjoyed our visit the other day and your wines are amazing. Thank you. We will be back!”
-Cindy
“Thank you for your warm hospitality and a big thank you to John for his stories, a lovely tour, and of course your top-notch wine! I am so incredibly happy I discovered your gem of a winery. My husband Sean and I have been going to the Niagara-on-the-Lake region for wine tasting for years; we also indulged in wine tasting across Europe (we travelled for 6 months a few years back), and yet some of the best wine we’ve ever tasted was yours – so delightfully close to home! We’d love to repeat the experience next weekend…”
-Olesya & Sean Martin
We visited this lovely quiet location in June. You take a long and winding driveway which climbs up to a plateau where the house and vines are situated. It offers absolutely superb views, especially from the terrace at the house which guests are invited to use. Marilyn and John have enjoyed fascinating careers and are such talented people. We learned a great deal about the production of their wine which was truly excellent. We will be going back for more in the near future. The site offers a number of walks, including a forest valley walk down to the winery past a model railway, and also a good hike around the vineyards. The sunset was gorgeous. Marilyn was the perfect Host and ensured that we felt welcome at their home, which by the way is unique and was designed by John.
-Kevin L
“Hi Marilyn, Yesterday was very lovely. You and John’s hospitality is beyond compare – always a pleasure to see you and support your cause for at-risk youth while enjoying such great entertainment, food and wine!”
-Lori
“… during your private event at Art Toronto, I sampled the red wine, and I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality – roundness and depth of flavour were greater than I was expecting from a local wine. As a result of that tasting, my husband and I purchased a red and a white wine directly from Windrush Estate Winery, and we have enjoyed them immensely. Thank you again for introducing us to this new winery!”
-Jane Theodore
“Jon, thank you for being such a great and patient host and guide. I learned so much and the group has been talking about it nonstop. The wine was wonderful and we can’t wait to open up some bottles tonight. We will definitely look to book other events in the future. It was so nice at the vineyard today and we know we only got to enjoy a small part of it. Until the next time!”
-Mark B
“It was great to see your operation. It was apparent your goal is quality.”
-Wine importer
“A big thank you to Marilyn & John at Windrush Estate Winery. Marilyn provided an in-depth description for each type of wine, invited us to the terrace that has expansive views of the countryside, and gave us fresh vegetables from one of their investors. Marilyn explained how the Chateau and winery came about; they have an incredible story which is included in the welcome package. The property is beautiful, the Pinot Grigio & Pinot Noir wines were excellent and we highly recommend this.”
-Eric J
“What a hidden gem this place is! Beautiful location, exceptionally welcoming hosts and delicious wine. We will certainly be back.”
-Paul W
“Windrush Estate Winery was created from the imagination and determination of Marilyn Field and her husband J. C. Pennie. This beautiful new winery is located an hour’s drive north of Toronto on the north bench of Hockley Valley.
The name Windrush hails from the Windrush River Valley in the Cotswolds, England. I think it is also very appropriate as the area surrounding the winery can be very windy indeed!
Jonathan Boyle, the very personable chief winemaker, makes wines at Windrush. The highly regarded Jim Warren is the consulting winemaker. As the vines planted on the property are still too young to produce grapes for wine production just yet, grapes for current vintages are sourced from the Niagara region. . .
I was particularly impressed with their Pinot Grigio. People who know me will be surprised by this selection, as I find it difficult to rave about Pinot Grigio!… This is one of the most interesting and delicious Pinot Grigios from Ontario I have had the pleasure to taste. It is dry with a charming forward aroma, medium body and rounded tropical flavours and a lingering finish. This is not a light Pinot Grigio. It has character and charm. This is a wine to be enjoyed with appetizers, and light to medium main courses. . .
Try and visit if you can. It is worth the drive!”
-Shari Mogk-Edwards on March 8, 2020
Thank you for the unforgettable memories. Mai-liis and I really enjoyed the educational experience with your extravagant wines. Marilyn, thank you so much for the enlightening conversations about education, especially music, and hosting on your beautiful terrace. We really enjoyed and appreciate the full experience.
-Brooke and Mai-liis
Beautiful property. Lots of open space to explore. Host were very welcoming and extremely organized. Marilyn was very helpful and generous during our stay and John gave us a informative tour of their operation. Would visit again.
-Brian P.
The Concert Hall at Windrush Estate