Domaine Pinnacle is a family-owned orchard and cidery located on a beautiful heritage property near the historic village of Frelighsburg in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada.

Our bountiful 430-acre apple orchard, perched on the southern slopes of Pinnacle Mountain, provides the essential ingredient for our unique offering of fine regional products. Located on the 45th parallel - the same latitude as the world's renowned winegrowing regions - the south-facing orchards benefit from a microclimate that is particularly well suited for apple production. Ideal summer growing conditions coupled with our intensely cold Quebec winters make the creation of ice cider possible. All Pinnacle products are made with care and fine attention to detail by our dedicated, multidisciplinary team.

Domaine Pinnacle is owned by Susan and Charles Crawford, urban refugees, who make the estate the full-time home for their family.

History

In 1859, the charming farmhouse that stands on the Domaine Pinnacle property was built. Its distinguishing feature is an octagonal rooftop lookout turret that was apparently used to keep a watch on the nearby Vermont border. Local residents claim that, in its first years, the house served as a stop on the famous "Underground Railroad" providing a safe haven for slaves seeking freedom. Many years later, it became a convenient meeting place for bootleggers during the Prohibition era.

The estate's apple orchards, some of the first in Frelighsburg, were planted nearly a century ago, but it wasn't until 2000 that Domaine Pinnacle created its very first ice cider. In the short time since, Pinnacle has taken its place among the finest producers, winning dozens of gold medals at prestigious international wine competitions.

Pinnacle Mountain

Originally occupied by the Abenaki tribe, Pinnacle Mountain is the only truly undeveloped mountain in Quebec within a 90-minute radius of Montreal. Known by generations of locals simply as "The Pinnacle" (elevation 712 m / 2,336 ft.), it is a refuge for a wide variety of wildlife, including many rare species. The Pinnacle, an isolated peak in the Sutton Mountains, overlooks the picturesque village of Frelighsburg as well as the spectacular ranges of the Green Mountains of Vermont and the Adirondacks of New York State. This incredible setting and its breathtaking views can be enjoyed from the Domaine Pinnacle property, located on the southern slopes of this pristine mountain paradise.

Village of Frelighsburg

Domaine Pinnacle is located just 5 km from the quaint village of Frelighsburg , a classic Loyalist settlement that blends historic charm with a vibrant and active community. Named one of "The Most Beautiful Villages in Quebec," Frelighsburg is nestled in a verdant valley on the Pike River and is home to a rich heritage that preserves many historic buildings and traditions.

The village was settled in the 1790s by American Loyalists, including Abram Freligh, a physician of Dutch origin, who moved from New York State and gave his name to the village upon acquiring the sawmill. The mill built by his son, Richard, in 1839 at the river's edge is a registered historic monument, along with several other buildings. The Anglican (1880) and Catholic (1883) churches whose spires crown this jewel of a village, attest to the cultural diversity that remains an important part of its fabric to this day.

With a population of just over 1,100 residents, Frelighsburg attracts many artists and visitors for its natural beauty and charm. Nestled amongst apple orchards that cover its rolling hills in all directions, and in the shadow of Pinnacle Mountain, Frelighsburg remains as charming and seductive today as it was over 200 years ago.