A stroll through Nova Scotia wine country

Yes, for those who aren't aware Nova Scotia does in fact have a thriving wine industry.  No, we're not quite up to Napa Valley standards, but we're holding our own and have produced some lovely, award winning wines.

Up until just a few years ago I was not a wine lover.  I wasn't even a liker.  Wine seemed snooty to me.  But oh how wrong I was.  And then I discovered Nova Scotia was producing wine.  I fully admit my first thought was "oh, this stuff can't be that good".  Again, I stand corrected.

I had only tried 3 Nova Scotia wines: 2 from Grand Pre (Muscat & Reserve L'Acadie)  and one from Jost (Eagle Tree Muscat). The Muscat from Grand Pre is, thus far, my favorite wine.  I was not at all a fan of their l'Acadie.  And the Eagle Tree was purchased on a whim when my local NSLC didn't carry my beloved Muscat.  Turns out it wasn't a bad purchase!

A wine tour was arranged with some folks from work.  We all piled into a shuttle bus and off we went.  I was sad to learn Grand Pre wasn't on our list of wineries to visit.  On our list was L'Acadie Vineyard,
Luckett Vineyards and Blomidon Estate Winery.

First stop: L'Acadie Vineyard. These folks are award winning producers of sparkling wines.  They are also the only vineyard in Nova Scotia to be certified organic.  For anyone who follows/knows about sparkling wine making they make their wines following traditional methods: the fermentation takes place in the same bottle the wine is sold in.
L'Acadie Vineyard's 2007 Prestige Brut was a silver medal winner at Effervescents du Monde, Best Sparkling Wines in the world in Dijon, France.  For a small Nova Scotian vineyard this is quite an accomplishment.  And let me tell you for someone who is not a sparkling wine fan this was delicious!  Light, fine bubbles, not overly sweet but just sweet enough.  While I did not buy a bottle I will stop in on my next visit to the valley to pick one up.

Next stop: Luckett Vineyard.  These guys are the new kid in town.  They were only established in 2010.  One thing is certain:  their grapes have a fantastic view. 
Now, anyone who knows Pete Luckett (of Pete's Frootique) knows he tends to do things well  and with a touch of quirkiness thrown in for good, fun, measure.  And the same holds true for his vineyard: how many vineyards have you seen with a bright red phone booth planted in the middle? 
We were able to sample several of their wines: whites- Tidal Bay and Ortega to name a few; reds-I'm not a red fan so I skipped out on these ones; dessert- Juliet cherry, Vidal icewine, sparkling apple and blackcurrant among others. 
As soon as I heard they had a cherry wine I HAD to try it.  I love cherries. LOVE.  I am always disappointed when something is said to taste like cherry (or strawberry or whatever) but doesn't.  But this? This tasted like cherries.  It is pretty sweet, but it is a dessert wine after all.  After one sip I knew I was not going to walk out of there without bringing a bottle home with me.  It was worth the $25 for the bottle.

We all hopped back on the bus headed for our next, and final stop.  Then I heard a rumor.  Is it true?  Are we really making a quick stop at Grand Pre?

We are!

Oh how happy this makes my heart.

We unloaded and all 14 of us descended upon the wine shop.  I'm pretty sure the staff didn't know what hit them.  But we all started buying stuff.  I, of course, a bottle of their Muscat.  I was happy to see I could buy it for $5 less than i usually get it in store.  Happy times!
While this wasn't on our wine tour itinerary the lovely folks at Grand Pre were nice enough to supply us with some samples anyway.

Our final stop was at Blomidon Estate Winery.  These folks also have a great view over the Minas Basin.  Their grapes are lucky grapes.
Again we got a variety of samples.  I also skipped out on the reds, not being a big fan myself.  I did try their Tidal Bay white and a rose.  Their Tidal Bay is delightful and of the ones we tried throughout the day this was my favorite.  While I did not buy a bottle I certainly will.

There you have it, ladies and gents. While there is more to Nova Scotia wine country than what I have noted here this gives you a quick snapshot of what our lovely province has to offer.  So, the next time someone mentions a Nova Scotia wine, give it a try.  I guarantee you'll find something out there you'll fall in love with.  Like Grand Pre's Muscat.  Jus'sayin.