Trail Estate Winery

 

Trail Estate Winery was founded in 2011 by Anton and Hildegard Sproll, who discovered a 14-acre property in Prince Edward County where Benway Road meets the Millennium Trail. What began as an unplanned weekend visit quickly became a new chapter in their lives, as they fell in love with the land and its quiet potential. The property included a small, established vineyard, and while there were no initial plans to start a winery, the opportunity to work with the land proved too compelling to ignore.

The Sprolls were no strangers to hard work. After building and running Sproll’s Fine German Bakery for over 30 years, they brought their entrepreneurial spirit and craftsmanship to wine. Supported by their children Alex, a graphic designer, and Sylvia, an accountant the family built Trail Estate as a family endeavor, rooted in collaboration, resilience, and curiosity.

What started as a modest idea quickly evolved into a dedicated winemaking project, encouraged by the surrounding community of winemakers in Prince Edward County. With guidance from winemaker Mackenzie Brisbois, who joined in 2015, Trail Estate began to shape a clear identity focused on thoughtful farming, minimal intervention, and expressive winemaking. Her approach introduced experimentation and a natural winemaking philosophy, including a strong focus on skin-contact and small-lot production.

Today, Trail Estate is known for crafting terroir-driven wines that reflect both Prince Edward County and selected vineyards across Ontario. Working with wild yeasts, sustainable vineyard practices, and minimal intervention in the cellar, each wine is guided by a simple philosophy: to let the fruit, soil, and season speak for themselves.

At its core, Trail Estate is about “happy people, plants, and soils”a belief that great wine begins with healthy vineyards and a respectful relationship with nature. Every bottle is a reflection of thoughtful farming, diverse ecosystems, and the collaborative spirit of a family that turned an unexpected discovery into a living, evolving expression of place.