About Marqs

Marqs started as a bit of an experiment.

We met in Waterloo in 2017, with Martin working in tech and Mark in HR, and a shared goal of building something of our own. Wine became part of the story early on, from getting married in Sonoma to hosting a reception at a winery in Niagara.

A year later, we moved to Prince Edward County.

The first things we did were plant a vineyard and start keeping bees.

The estate

Everything we make starts on the property.

Our grapes are grown in PEC’s limestone-rich soils, shaped by a cool climate that brings natural acidity and structure. Alongside the vineyard, we maintain our own apiaries, producing honey from the same environment.

That overlap matters. It gives us a shared foundation across both wine and honey-based fermentations.

We also manage an additional apiary in southwest Ontario, thanks to the help of our supportive family. This provides us with an additional type of honey, for when the PEC spicy wildflower is more than we are looking for.

How we work

We do not come from a traditional winemaking background.

Martin comes from software development, bringing an engineering mindset and approaching fermentation as a system. He relies on technology to model and inform his decisions based on trials and experiential learnings. Variables are adjusted, results are observed, and each batch builds on the last.

Mark comes from HR and focuses on the day-to-day operations and people. He brings a strong sense of how people experience and connect with what we’re building, shaping both the internal culture and the external experience. From the vineyard to the tasting room, he ensures that everything runs smoothly and feels intentional and cohesive.

We are bootstrapping everything ourselves and running a lean operation. Most of the work, from vineyard to cellar to tasting room, is done hands-on.

Some ideas work. Some do not. Every batch moves things forward.

"Marqs" comes from the idea that everything leaves a mark.

The land, the season, the inputs, and the decisions we make along the way all shape what ends up in the glass.

We see each batch as a reflection of that process. Something to learn from, refine, and build on over time.

The spelling is a small nod to the 'Q'ueen and worker bees that make our honey possible and leave their own marq.

The team

Alongside us, Kalen works full-time across the vineyard, production, and day-to-day operations. Cork, our Nova Scotia Duck Toller greets customers and takes his supervisory role very seriously. Our friends and family tirelessly show up to support us with maintenance and harvest. As we grow, we look forward to building out the team, but for now we keep things close and hands-on.

If you visit, there is a good chance you will meet one of us working in the vineyard or pouring in the tasting room.

Wine, mead and everything in between

We produce wines, meads, and pyments, which combine grapes and honey in a single fermentation.

The goal is not to follow a fixed style. It is to understand what works best here, with these inputs, and build from that over time.

In addition to beverages, our apiary means we always have fresh honey on hand which has become a crowd favorite!

Today

MARQS is a small, independently built estate in Prince Edward County.

Still evolving. Still refining.