{"id":10696,"date":"2012-09-28T12:59:20","date_gmt":"2012-09-28T12:59:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/?p=10696"},"modified":"2012-09-28T13:00:34","modified_gmt":"2012-09-28T13:00:34","slug":"nova-scotia-wines-top-25-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/nova-scotia-wines-top-25-list\/","title":{"rendered":"Nova Scotia Wines: Top 25 List"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Here are my top 25 wines from Nova Scotia, and like my Top 25 BC Wines<\/strong><\/a>, this has been in the works for the last few months. Nova Scotia holds a special place in my heart because I grew up just outside of Halifax, spending my summers in Cape Breton.<\/p>\n

Although I’ve visited most of the wineries several times when I’m home, I’ll be visiting all of them over the next year again as I start the research for my third book, which will be exclusively about Canadian wines from coast to coast.<\/p>\n

Nova Scotia’s wine industry may be small, but it has a mighty big potential, as I discussed with Starr Dobson on CTV News<\/a><\/strong> recently and in my regular column for Saltscapes Magazine<\/strong><\/a>. Therefore, this is a list will be updated regularly, so I encourage wineries and wine agents to get in touch with me to have their wine considered for evaluation if I have not yet tasted it, including more recent vintages (natdecants@nataliemaclean.com).<\/p>\n

You can also find a three-part video chat<\/strong><\/a> in which I taste Nova Scotia wines and cheeses with Janice Beaton, as well as a complete directory of NS wineries<\/strong><\/a> with pictures, wines produced, history and hours. Enjoy the taste of Maritime hospitality!<\/p>\n

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Cheers,<\/p>\n

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1. Benjamin Bridge Brut Reserve 2004<\/a><\/strong>, Gaspereau Valley, Nova Scotia<\/p>\n

Very toasty and crisp with a gorgeous baked bread finish. Vibrant white pear fruit on the mid-palate. Superb craftsmanship. Drink: 2012-2018.\u00a0 695555000195\u00a0 11%\u00a0 D\u00a0 750 mL\u00a0 $89.79\u00a0 Score: 92\/100.<\/p>\n

2. Benj<\/strong><\/a>\"\"<\/a>amin Bridge Benjamin Bridge Nova 7 2010<\/strong><\/a>, Gaspereau Valley, NS<\/p>\n

Celebrate life! Wow this is liquid exuberance. Moscato-grape aromas with orange zest and honeysuckle swaying in the summer breeze. Low alcohol, and some sweetness make this a great aperitif or companion to any spicy dish or one with a bit of sweetness like glazed ham, sweet potatoes etc. Pair\u00a0with:\u00a0smoked salmon, lobster, seafood chowder, charcuterie and Dragon’s Breath blue cheese. Drink:\u00a02011-2\"\"<\/a>015.\u00a0 256289\u00a0 6.90%\u00a0 MD\u00a0 750\u00a0mL\u00a0 $25.00\u00a0 Score:\u00a092\/100.<\/p>\n

3. L’Acadie Vineyards Prestige Brut Sparkling Wine<\/strong><\/a>, Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia<\/p>\n

Terrifically toasty with bright green apple fruit and lime. Superbly crafted. Buy a case for all your celebrations, and open a bottle tonight to make it a celebration. Pair with: fried chicken, oysters, mussels.\u00a0 11.50%\u00a0 XD\u00a0 750 mL\u00a0 $25.00\u00a0 Score: 90\/100.<\/p>\n

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4. Benjamin Bridge Ros\u00e9 2008<\/strong><\/a>, Gaspereau Valley, Nova Scotia<\/p>\n

Seductive aromas of fresh field strawberries on the nose. Lovely pale pink tint with a celebratory toastiness. Vibrant and alive! Pair with: pork tenderloin, duck, and lobster, Mediterranean-inspired dishes. Drink: 2012-2015.\u00a0 695555000232\u00a0 11%\u00a0 MD\u00a0 750 mL\u00a0 $44.79\u00a0 Score: 91\/100.<\/p>\n

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5. Gaspereau Vineyards Black Dogs Riesling 2011<\/strong><\/a>, Gaspereau Valley, Nova Scotia<\/p>\n

A superbly well-made riesling with lime, lemon zest and green melon notes. Mouth-watering with a long, satisfying finish and persistence of flavours, yet delightfully low in alcohol. Pair with: light to medium bodied white fish, cream pasta dishes, roast pork. Drink: 2012-2016.\u00a0 624448094119\u00a0 10.70%\u00a0 D\u00a0 750 mL\u00a0 $21.99\u00a0 Score: 90\/100.<\/p>\n

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6. Gaspereau Vineyards Tidal Bay 2011<\/strong><\/a>, Gaspereau Valley, Nova Scotia<\/p>\n

So pretty! Lovely, light and floral with a crisp, mouth-watering refreshment. Open a bottle and feel happy. Pair with: seafood and shellfish, salads. Drink: 2012-2014.\u00a0 624448094041\u00a0 10.70%\u00a0 D\u00a0 750 mL\u00a0 $21.99\u00a0 Score: 88\/100.<\/p>\n

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7. Domaine de Grand Pr\u00e9 Champlain Sparkling Wine<\/strong><\/a>, Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia<\/p>\n

Almond toasty with mouth-watering notes of green apples and lime zest. This wine is named after Samuel de Champlain who mapped Nova Scotia during the earliest French and Acadian settlements. The wine is a blend of Seyval Blanc and L’Acadie Blanc. A solidly-made bubbly that makes a terrific aperitif. Pair with: aperitif, oysters, seafood, fruit desserts, cheeses. Drink: 2012-2017.\u00a0 834630000358\u00a0 11.50%\u00a0 D\u00a0 750 mL\u00a0 $29.50\u00a0 Score: 89\/100.<\/p>\n

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8. Jost Vineyards Tidal Bay 2011<\/strong><\/a>, Malagash, Nova Scotia<\/p>\n

Fresh, clean and floral like small white flowers in spring on a mountainside. So pretty and refreshing. Pair with: succulent lobster dishes, fresh oysters, fish and chips, Nova Scotia cheeses (including heavy blues), poultry, lemon-pepper seared tuna, calamari and fish cakes. Drink: 2012-2014.\u00a0 624448034740\u00a0 10.60%\u00a0 D\u00a0 750 mL\u00a0 $19.99\u00a0 Score: 88\/100.<\/p>\n

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9. Domaine de Grand Pr\u00e9 Ice Cuv\u00e9e<\/strong><\/a>, Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia<\/p>\n

This blend of L’Acadie Blanc and Seyval Blanc grapes spent 12 months in the bottle on the lees, which gives it a rich, creamy texture. Vidal Icewine was added to enhance the sweetness and flavour. This lovely cherry-berry wine is rich and tasty without being too sweet or cloying. It’s a wonderful after-dinner drink Pair with: local seafood, fresh fruit, creamy cheeses, fresh fruit, tarts. Drink: 2012-2014.\u00a0 834630000365\u00a0 11.50%\u00a0 M\u00a0 750 mL\u00a0 $34.50\u00a0 Score: 88\/100.<\/p>\n

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10. Luckett Vineyards Tidal Bay 2011<\/a><\/strong>, Gaspereau Valley, NS<\/p>\n

One of the prettiest Tidal Bay wines I’ve tasted: fresh, crisp and floral with lovely replays of white peach on the palate. Drink:\u00a02012-2014.\u00a0\u00a05632489550117\u00a0 11%\u00a0 MD\u00a0 750\u00a0mL\u00a0 $20.00\u00a0 Score:\u00a089\/100.<\/p>\n

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11. Gaspereau Vineyards Brut Chardonnay<\/a><\/strong>, Gaspereau Valley, NS, $32.32\u00a0 Score:\u00a088\/100.<\/p>\n

12. Benjamin Bridge Benjamin Bridge Estate Vero 2010<\/strong><\/a>, Gaspereau Valley, Nova Scotia, $21.99\u00a0 Score: 88\/100.<\/p>\n

13. Domaine de Grand Pr\u00e9 Ice Cuv\u00e9e<\/a><\/strong>, Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia, $34.50\u00a0 Score:\u00a088\/100.<\/p>\n

14. Jost Vineyards Jost Vineyards L’acadie Pinot Grigio 2011<\/a><\/strong>, VQA, Malagash Peninsula, NS, $12.99\u00a0 Score:\u00a088\/100.<\/p>\n

15.\u00a0 Luckett Vineyards Phone Box Red 2010<\/a><\/strong>, Gaspereau Valley, NS, $20.00\u00a0 Score:\u00a087\/100.<\/p>\n

16. Gaspereau Vineyards Warner’s Vineyard Riesling 2011<\/a><\/strong>, Gaspereau Valley, NS, $17.99\u00a0 Score:\u00a087\/100.<\/p>\n

17. Luckett Vineyards Triumphe 2011<\/a><\/strong>, Gaspereau Valley, NS, $20.00\u00a0 Score:\u00a087\/100.<\/p>\n

18. Jost Vineyards Jost Vineyards Ortega 2010<\/a><\/strong>, Malagash Peninsula, NS, $17.99\u00a0 Score:\u00a087\/100.<\/p>\n

19. Luckett Vineyards L’acadie 2011<\/a><\/strong>, Gaspereau Valley, NS, Score:\u00a087\/100.<\/p>\n

20. Gaspereau Vineyards Seyval Blanc 2010<\/a><\/strong>, Gaspereau Valley, NS, $16.99\u00a0 Score:\u00a087\/100.<\/p>\n

21. Luckett Vineyards Ortega 2011<\/a><\/strong>, Gaspereau Valley, NS, $22.00\u00a0 Score:\u00a087\/100.<\/p>\n

22. Domaine de Grand Pr\u00e9 Vintner’s Reserve Muscat 2011<\/a><\/strong>, Grand Pre, Nova Scotia, $18.50\u00a0 Score:\u00a087\/100.<\/p>\n

23. Gaspereau Vineyards Barrel Select Lucie Kuhlmann 2009<\/a><\/strong>, Gaspereau Valley, NS, $24.99\u00a0 Score:\u00a087\/100.<\/p>\n

24. Jost Vineyards Cayuga 2011<\/a><\/strong>, Malagash, NS, $14.99\u00a0 Score:\u00a087\/100.<\/p>\n

25. Domaine de Grand Pr\u00e9 Domaine de Grand Pre L’acadie Blanc 2010<\/a><\/strong>, Grand Pre, Nova Scotia, $15.00\u00a0 Score:\u00a085\/100.<\/p>\n

I’d also like to give a shout out to PEI wineries Rossignol<\/a><\/strong> and Newman Estate, as well as to New Brunswick’s Magnetic Hill Vineyards<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Which wines do you think belong on this list?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here are my top 25 wines from Nova Scotia, and like my Top 25 BC Wines, this has been in the works for the last few months. Nova Scotia holds a special place in my heart because I grew up just outside of Halifax, spending my summers in Cape Breton. Although I’ve visited most of the wineries several times when I’m home, I’ll be visiting all of them over the next year again as I start the research for my third book, which will be exclusively about Canadian wines from coast to coast. Nova Scotia’s wine industry may be small, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10696","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-wine-picks"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10696","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10696"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10696\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10840,"href":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10696\/revisions\/10840"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10696"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10696"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10696"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}