While wine touring in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley this summer, I watched as a visitor burst into a tasting room exclaiming, “I had no idea we could wine tour here! We’re having such a good time!” I glanced across the counter with my eyebrows raised, and the associate nodded. “It happens all the time,” she said. 

Is wine touring in Nova Scotia really such as well-kept secret? It shouldn’t be: the Annapolis Valley is a white wine lover’s paradise. From dry or fruity stills to world-class and effervescent sparklings, there’s a fascinating world of wine here to explore. And you’ll find it amid an idyllic setting of rolling hills lined with expansive vineyards, big red barns and roadside farm stands, and historic views overlooking the Bay of Fundy.

If you’re looking for a place to start, check out the provincial signature. Tidal Bay is Nova Scotia’s appellation wine, its answer to Champagne or Bordeaux. It’s a blend that’s unique to Nova Scotia and designed to showcase its best to the world. 

To qualify as a Tidal Bay, there’s a long list of attributes a wine needs to meet. There are more than 20 varietals that qualify for use in a Tidal Bay wine, but the first 51% must be one or more of l’Acadie Blanc, Seyval Blanc, Vidal, or Geisenheim. These four varietals are hardy hybrids that are characteristic of the region and well-suited to Nova Scotia’s challenging winter conditions. Having an extensive list to select from gives each winery a palette for creativity and individual expression, though a Tidal Bay wine should have a flavour profile of “lively fresh green fruit, dynamic acidity, and characteristic minerality,” according to the appellation guidelines.

A Tidal Bay must be off-dry, and it needs to be relatively light: it can’t exceed 11% in alcohol content. All the grapes used must be grown in Nova Scotia. And, naturally, any wine wearing a Tidal Bay label needs to pair well with seafood.

Each vintage is judged for suitability by a blind tasting panel. For the past two years, 14 wineries have submitted successful entries. Four of those are reviewed below, each purchased directly from the wineries during this summer’s visits. 

If you can’t get to Nova Scotia yourself anytime soon, there’s one bottle you might be able to hunt down at the LCBO, and all these wines can be shipped by the wineries across the country via Canada Post. Note that shipping costs are not included below. Some wineries won’t ship during the winter months due to a risk the bottles will freeze, so get your orders in before the snow flies.

By the way, if you do get to visit the Annapolis Valley, check out Vintage Vino Wine Tours. Brennan can curate a half or full-day tour tailored to your interests, and he’ll do the driving in his classic 1947 Ford Super Deluxe. He mapped out a perfect afternoon for me and my young daughter, complete with non-alcoholic tastings for her at each winery, a chocolate tasting, and dinner on a patio overlooking a tidal river. Learn more about Brennan’s tour packages at vintagevinotours.ca. 

Benjamin Bridge 2022 Tidal Bay
$23.95 for 750 mL at the LCBO; $19.85 direct from benjaminbridge.com

This one of the rare Tidal Bay wines you’ll occasionally find at the LCBO. Produced by one of the top wineries in the Gaspereau Valley adjacent to the Annapolis Valley, this example is made from l’Acadie Blanc, Seyval Blanc, Riesling, and Geisenheim, with an alcohol content of 10%. It pours with a crisp pale yellow colour and aromas of pithy lemon peel, wet stone, and lightly floral notes. With plenty of zingy lemon on the palate accented by a hint of melon, plus a slight pinch of sea salt from its local wild fermentation, this Tidal Bay is refreshing and only slightly off-dry. Benjamin Bridge’s Tidal Bay would stand up well to heavier seafood dishes. Consider classic fish and chips, where it would cut through the grease, or a creamy chowder with crusty bread that will let you extend its season well into the cooler months. Score: 8/10.

Domaine de Grand Pré 2022 Tidal Bay
$20.26 for 750 mL, direct from grandprewines.com

Domaine de Grand Pré is named for the Landscape of Grand Pré UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s immediately adjacent to its vineyards. Take a leisurely stroll through the vineyards to a scenic lookout over this historic farmland, reclaimed from the sea floor centuries ago by the Acadians. Once you’re back to the wine, you’ll find Domaine de Grand Pré’s Tidal Bay to be a blend of l'Acadie Blanc, Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc, Ortega, and New York Muscat, with an alcohol content of 11%. It starts with inviting aromas of peach and sweet blossoms. Layers of citrus and peach on the palate give way to a long and pleasantly tart grapefruit finish. Try it a plate of Nova Scotia’s famously rich steamed lobster with drawn butter. Score: 8.5/10.

Mercator Vineyards 2021 Tidal Bay
$24.79 for 750 mL, direct from mercatorwine.ca

If you haven’t heard of Mercator, perhaps you’ve heard of Jost. Those two wineries, plus Gaspereau Vineyards, are owned by Devonian Coast Vineyards, and each winery in the family is permitted to produce to its own signature style. Mercator’s format is modern, premium interpretations, which comes across elegantly in this Tidal Bay, winner of the 2022 Lieutenant Governor’s Award. L’Acadie Blanc, Riesling, New York Muscat, Chardonnay, and Petite Milo go into this blend, resulting in an alcohol content of 11%. It’s a slightly deeper yellow in the glass than the rest of these offerings, while the nose offers lemon and apple with a hint of richness. This follows through with flavours of creamy lemon curd alongside bright apple and lightly floral notes, creating a surprisingly complex palate. It’s beautifully smooth and easy drinking with low acidity. A milder dish will let this wine’s unique flavours shine. Consider pairing it with cod cakes and a green salad, or a light scallop and green pea risotto. Score: 9/10.

L’Acadie Vineyards 2022 Tidal Bay
$21.57 for 750 mL, direct from lacadievineyards.ca 

For this unique Tidal Bay, l’Acadie Vineyards has leaned into the grape that gives the winery its name by producing it entirely from the l’Acadie Blanc varietal. But how can it still qualify under the appellation rules that require Tidal Bay to be a blend? Great question: the grapes are picked from different vineyards at different times, with each harvest seeking the ideal expression of its specific terroir. As a bonus, l’Acadie’s Tidal Bay also happens to be organic and vegan. On a whole, the l’Acadie Blanc grape is known for its citrus and grass notes and distinct minerality, all of which shine through here in this wine with 11% alcohol. It has a paler yellow colour, another hallmark of l’Acadie Blanc, with distinct mineral aromas along with freshly cut herbs. The palate offers a barely off-dry and refreshing melange of citrus and wet stone with a hint of saline and a tropical undertone. Because it’s more savoury than most, this example would pair well with shellfish such as freshly shucked oysters or mussels with a delicate cream sauce. Score: 8/10.

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