The Winery
In the fall of 1999, Amber and Kemp Stewart purchased the property that is now Hillier Creek Estates. The property has an interesting history, tracing its roots from the Loyalist days of the County.
The land had been originally granted to Dr. Latham, a British army surgeon serving in the United States during the War of 1812. He is noted as being the first inoculator of the smallpox vaccine, having immunized British soldiers fighting in America. As a result, saving the lives of thousands while the Americans suffered tremendous losses because of smallpox. Dr. Latham never resided on the property, but instead lived and died in Kingston.
For generations, the land was recognized as the Stapleton farm, and the adjoining road still carries that name. The proceeding owners were the Badgley’s, who ran a thriving mixed farm with crops, dairy, and animals. After the passing of George, Lois Badgley fostered 24 teenagers, and the Badgley children planted the blue spruce tree adjacent to the barn in his honor.
After the property was purchased by its current owners, the approximately 160-year-old Landmark Barn began a complete renovation and restoration. A cribbing system was used to hold and suspend the barn, alternating timbers 4.6″ at a time. Upon raising the barn, it was discovered that there were two underground streams, which required the building of a 9000-gallon cistern below the deck to control the flow of water (which was originally man-made as a water supply for the livestock).
The finished foundation stabilized the structure in 2008, and the barn was completed in 2009.
Today, Hillier Creek Estates is a farm winery comprised of 50 acres; 10 of which are planted with Vidal, Gamay, and our newly planted Baco Noir. Hillier Creek has earned medals at an International Wine Competition in Finger Lakes, as well as four bronze Artevino awards in 2009, and six Artevino awards in 2010, our 2012 Chardonnay and our 2009 Estate Pinot Noir have both won Silver Medals at the Royal Winter Fair 2013. Our 2014 Barrel Aged Chardonnay won Champion at The Royal in 2017!