One wouldn’t think the weather on Nova Scotia Island would support table wine grape growing (and vinification into wines). So, we were surprised to find out that we could join a small group and drive 90-minutes northwest from Halifax to the Annapolis Valley region (around the town of Wolfville), which is the center of the grape vineyards and wine producing region for the province. The cultural landscape of the area was praised by UNESCO as “…an exceptional example of the adaptation of the first European settlers to the conditions of the North American Atlantic coast” when it was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2012. The region has been producing wine grapes since the 1600s. Our ship’s Beverage Manager personally recommended visits to Domaine de Grand Pré and Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards in the Annapolis Valley, which became our day’s itinerary.
Our first visit was to the winery Domaine de Grand Pré, in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage site. After a wine tasting in the tasting room (and retail area for the winery), we went up to an outdoor patio and enjoyed a multicourse lunch prepared by the winery’s excellent restaurant, Le Caveau.
A glass of Nova Scotia Brut lead off our tasting, followed by two white varietals, both produced from hybrid varietals suited to the climate (L’Acadie Blanc and Tidal Bay), one local indigenous red varietal field blend, and a desert “ice cider”, Pomme d’Or (made by pressing the juice of naturally frozen apples and then fermenting it, like traditional apple cider) – ice cider is similar in production to ice wine, using the juice of frozen fruit. Domaine de Grand Pré focuses on growing hybrid grapes created to withstand Nova Scotia’s harsh winters – mostly developed in the labs of the Canadian wine institute. Note that Tidal Bay wines are described as the very essence of Nova Scotia in a glass – the wines are described as “cool, crisp, lively and aromatic” and are considered the perfect pairing for Nova Scotia seafood.
“Since 2011, Nova Scotia wineries have been producing the region’s signature white wine style known as Tidal Bay. Tidal Bay is an appellation of origin wine, created by the Winery Association of Nova Scotia (WANS) in the model of fine European wine regions. To create a wine labelled as Tidal Bay, not only must the wineries adhere to a long list of production standards and craft their wines from a curated list of varietals, each wine must pass the judgement of a panel of experts to ensure the wine has the characteristic aromas and flavours of Nova Scotia’s terroir. The wines must be “fresh, crisp, dryish, still, white with a bright, ‘signature Nova Scotia’ aromatic component”, and the results have been phenomenal!” — www.mynslc.com/Discover/Everything-Local/Tidal-Bay
What is an appellation? “In the wine world, the term ‘appellation’ refers to both a geographical boundary and a set of rules governing the production of wines within that region. In most New World regions, the appellation simply ensures the grapes are sourced from the place indicated on the label. Tidal Bay, like its European counterparts, is much more than simply an assurance of the source of grapes. Tidal Bay is governed by a strict set of rules of production including the grapes allowed to make Tidal Bay and the techniques used to produce it.” — www.mynslc.com/Discover/Everything-Local/Tidal-Bay
After our delicious luncheon at Domaine de Grand Pré, with some paired wines, we had a tour of the vineyards and then walked north across the east-west road at the northern edge of the property to enter the view part overlooking the UNESCO-designated agricultural and cultural landscape overlooking the Bay of Fundy. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is called “Le Paysage deGrand Pré” (The Landscape of Grand Pre2).
“Designated as the first rural historic district of national significance in 1995 and placed on Canada‘s tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2004, the landscape of Grand Pré and bodies, the spirit of collaboration that enabled both its creation, and it’s ongoing preservation.
“Nomination Grand Pré, the group, which prepared the UNESCO submission, wanted to create a lasting legacy for the communities of Grand Pré, North Grand Pré, Hortonville and Lower Wolfville. Community residents chose as legacy the development of a viewing area overlooking this unique agricultural and symbolic landscape.
“In 2011, and initiative led by several community members and supported by the government of Canada, the municipality of the County of Kings, businesses and individuals resulted in the acquisition of this property. Thanks to a partnership between Parks Canada and Nomination Grand Pré, and through the direction provided by members of the legacy committee, this view park was developed an open to the public in 2012.” – signage at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Le Paysage de Grand Pré
The second winery we visited, Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards, is known for their small-lot, German-style organic wines that are biodynamically grown. In a typical year, the area is well-suited for growing European varietals that do well in cooler climates, such as Riesling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir. Note that 2023 was a disaster weather-wise, and many wineries in the region lost most, if not all, of their European-varietal grapes. The vines were damaged, and it will be next year before the vineyards can be evaluated as to their ability to produce a new harvest, or if the vines must be replaced.
Legal Notices: All photographs copyright © 2023 by Richard C. Edwards. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Permission to link to this blog post is granted for educational and non-commercial purposes only.
Where in the world is Riccardo? 
Cheers!
Janis
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