Nova Scotia wine facts for kids
Nova Scotia wine is special wine made in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Many of the wineries here are part of the Wine Association of Nova Scotia. The story of winemaking in Nova Scotia began in the late 1970s. The first winery was Grand Pré Winery, located in the beautiful Annapolis Valley.
Contents
Where Nova Scotia Wine is Made
The places where Nova Scotia wine is made can be divided into four main areas. These are the Annapolis Valley, the Gaspereau Valley, the South Shore, and the Malagash Peninsula. Besides these main areas, grapes are also grown by independent farmers all over the province. This includes places like Cape Breton Island.
The History of Nova Scotia Wine
People have been growing grapes in Nova Scotia for a very long time! Records show that vines were planted as early as the 1600s in Annapolis Royal. In 1634, Isaac de Razilly, who was the governor of Acadia, wrote that "Bordeaux vines have been planted that are doing very well." This is the first time anyone mentioned growing wine grapes anywhere in Canada.
Later, in 1913, the Kentville Research Station in Kentville started experimenting with different types of grapes. One of their most successful discoveries was a grape called Vineland 53261. Today, this grape is widely known as L'Acadie Blanc.
Commercial grape growing in Nova Scotia officially began in 1979. This was when Grand Pre Winery opened, started by Roger Dial. Around the same time, in the early 1980s, Jost Vineyards also began. It was started by Hans Jost on the Malagash Point peninsula, near the warm waters of the Northumberland Strait. Jost Vineyards is still known as the oldest running winery in Nova Scotia.
Since then, the wine industry has grown slowly but steadily. New wineries like St. Famille, Gaspereau Vineyards, and Blomidon Estate Winery opened in the 1990s. Fruit wineries, like Lunenburg County Winery, also started up.
In 2003, the Wine Association of Nova Scotia (WANS) was created. Most wineries in the province are members of this group. WANS helps to promote and organize the efforts of all the wineries. By 2015, there were 70 grape growers and almost two dozen wineries in Nova Scotia. The provincial government even announced funding to help the industry grow even more, hoping to double wine production by 2020.
Nova Scotia's Climate for Grapes
Nova Scotia's climate is different from one area to another. Grapes grow best in places with a good "microclimate." A microclimate is like a small area with its own special weather. Each region has different temperatures and soils. This allows different types of grapes to grow well in different places. In good climates within the province, temperatures usually do not drop below -23 degrees Celsius. This means more kinds of grapevines can be grown compared to colder areas like Cape Breton Island.
Types of Grapes Grown
Nova Scotia's wineries used to focus mainly on growing "hybrid" grapevines. These grapes are strong and can handle cold weather and diseases well. But in recent years, wineries have also started trying to grow "vinifera" grapes. These are the classic wine grapes, and they have had some success.
Hybrid Grapes
- L'Acadie blanc
- Seyval Blanc
- Vidal Blanc
- New York Muscat
- Mischurnitz
- Seyverni
- Geisenheim 318
- Baco Noir
- Marechal Foch
- Luci Kuhlmann
- Leon Millot
- Castel
- Cabernet Foch
- De Chaunac
- Marquette
Vinifera Grapes
- Chardonnay
- Pinot Noir
- Pinot Gris
- Riesling
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Cabernet Franc
- Chasselas
- Gamay Noir
Styles of Nova Scotia Wine
Sparkling Wine
Nova Scotia is best known for its bubbly sparkling wine. Most of this wine is enjoyed right here in the province. Wineries like Benjamin Bridge, L'Acadie Vineyards, and Blomidon Estate Winery make a lot of sparkling wine. They often use the "traditional method" to make it, which is a special way to create bubbles. Some of these sparkling wines are even sold outside of Nova Scotia.
White Wine
Nova Scotia's white wines are known for being crisp and fruity. For a while, only hybrid white grapes were grown in large amounts. But now, white vinifera grapes like Chardonnay and Riesling are also being grown successfully.
Tidal Bay Wine
"Tidal Bay" is a special type of white wine blend unique to Nova Scotia. The wineries and WANS created this blend, and it was first released in 2012. Tidal Bay wines are made from 100% Nova Scotia-grown grapes. They must follow strict rules to make sure they all have a similar fresh and crisp style. This wine was created to show off the best white wines of the region.
Red Wine
Red wines from Nova Scotia are not as well known outside the province. Most red vinifera grapes do not ripen enough for table wines in Nova Scotia. However, Pinot Noir and Gamay grapes have been grown successfully in the Bear River valley. There is also a strong local demand for hybrid red wines. These include Baco Noir, Maréchal Foch, Luci Kuhlmann, and Leon Millot.
Icewine
Icewine is a sweet dessert wine made from grapes that have frozen on the vine. Most wineries in Nova Scotia make icewine, mainly using the Vidal Blanc grape. Other grapes, like Riesling, have also been used. Not a lot of icewine is made in the province. Most of it is produced by an independent grower called Warner Vineyards in Lakeville.
