THE ADVOCATE 707
VOL. 80 PART 5 SEPTEMBER 2022
Sparkling wines are where Nova Scotia is particularly making its name
now. At the latest Canadian Wine Awards, four won gold, and another four
won silver and bronze. Taking a leaf from Champagne, where grapes grown
in more marginal conditions form an excellent base wine for its sparkling
product, Nova Scotia is excelling in this area. The most famous producer is
Benjamin Bridge. Some of their wines, including their Brut Reserve and
Nova 7, can be found in British Columbia at Legacy, Everything Wine and
some specialty BC Liquor stores. Look for them or order. It was the next
winery we visited, and the complexity of the wines was impressive, as was
its lovely outdoor tasting bar and cafe. It was here we first encountered
another area where Nova Scotia wineries innovate. Most produce cans of
wine, including Tidal Bay wines, and of Piquette, a wine drink made from
refermenting pressed grape skins, often with different infused herb and
other flavourings. Piquette is low alcohol and very refreshing.
Other wineries of note that we visited in the Wolfeville area are Domaine
de Grand Pré, which resembles a small French Château and boasts a terrific
upscale restaurant called Le Caveau, and modern airy wineries like Lightfoot
& Wolfeville and Luckett Vineyards, both with bistro cafes. For as we
all know, wine does better with food. There is clearly money being spent
here on wine experiences, just as there is in British Columbia, Ontario and
so many other established wine areas.
Jost Vineyards, one of the better-known wineries, is, like Bear River,
largely on its own, being further to the north and east as you head into New
Brunswick. But as it is one of the most established and accomplished wine
producers with great concerts and other events, it is worth the trip. The visit
to Luckett made me feel like I had been set down in a Doctor Who episode,
for right in the middle of the vineyard is a traditional English telephone box
(I know it is not a blue police box, but still … ).
Luckett Vineyards Not Dr. Who – Not a TARDIS