The pandemic has forced us to rethink the virtues of our home province. With cross provincial and international borders still limited, the notion of a staycation is a welcome reality. In a recent article, I extolled the foodie virtues of Nova Scotia’s South Shore, and in particular, Lunenburg, which thanks to the likes of Martin Ruiz Salvador, Paolo Colbertdo, and others it is on the verge of becoming a culinarian mecca. 

While Lunenburg and the bucolic towns that line Nova Scotia’s South Shore wage for their share of local culinarian celebrity status, it is Wolfville, my ancestral hometown and the hub of valley tourism which holds the title. Wolfville’s Main Street, is a veritable Rockwellian image complete with red brick fire station, country stores, cafés, bistros and even comes with an expansive — perfect for a summer picnic — lawn in front of Wolfville’s Acadia University. There’s a definitive rural charm to the town, only slightly disrupted in Covid-free summers by the “come from aways,” sharing in its utopian splendour. 

All the wonders of this place 

For me, a visit to wine country begins (coming from the Halifax Regional Municipality) by making a sweeping turn at Exit 10 off Highway 101. The road through Grand Pré — the world heritage site commemorating the expulsion of the French Acadians from Nova Scotia — is a true display of the local food and drink culture that has been fermenting in Nova Scotia for decades. Just Us! Coffee, Canada’s first fair trade coffee roaster, is the ideal place for a pre-wine tour espresso. Walking distance down the road, Tangled Garden, feels like a cross of hippie retreat and contemporary art exposition, as its wild gardens, the source of the herbs and botanicals used to make its fragrant jellies and liqueurs, seem both wild and free and like a well-conceptualized work of art at the same time. The store and tearoom, not surprisingly, are a showcase of its owner’s organic sculptures. My first purchase of the day is always some Tangled Garden lavender jelly. 

Next stop is Domaine de Grand Pré — now considered “old school” producers by locals. The Stutz family, led by patriarch Hanspeter Stutz, transformed the property that once housed Nova Scotia’s first winery in the mid-to-late-1990s. For the better part of the last two decades, its Le Caveau Restaurant overlooking the estate vines has been my favourite place in wine country. Surrounded by greenery, it’s an elegant yet comforting place for a light lunch and an opportunity to breathe in the freshness of a glass of their Tidal Bay — which, made under the direction of Hanspeter’s son Jurg, I consider to be one of the archetypical definitions of Nova Scotia’s signature wine style, as it is invariably bright, fresh, delicately aromatic and always food-friendly.  

A feast for all the senses

By this point of the day, I am usually content, but knowing Lightfoot & Wolfville is only a few minutes away, it isn’t hard to pick oneself up to move on. The opening of L & W was a seminal moment for the local industry. In the early 1980s Jost and the original Grand Pré were the early pioneers. In the 1990s, Domaine de Grand Pré forced the industry to raise the bar higher. Then in the 2000s, Benjamin Bridge did so and more with its world-class sparklers. Now L & W brings it all together with both great liquid in the bottle and a world-class tourism experience which this summer will include a patio menu full of local seafood, charcuterie, and wood-fired pizzas. Save me a table so I can delight in the beauty of the Minas Basin and sip on their Chablis-like chardonnay. The winery’s vinous offerings are rooted in terroir-driven styles, embellished by owners Mike and Jocelyn Lightfoot’s commitment to organic and biodynamic practices. They have classics in the form of traditional method sparklers, Tidal Bay, pinot noir, and chardonnay, but be sure to try one of their more idiosyncratic Small Lot or Terroir Series offerings. You never know what you might find. It could be a nervy riesling, a fragrant scheurebe, or even a fruity kékfrankos. For a young industry, it is all about finding the right ecological fit, and the Lightfoots are willingly doing the exploration for the industry. 

From L & W it’s a few minutes to Wolfville, where you can rest your head at any number of charming inns. After a day of wine tasting, I like to have a beer, and my favourite spot in Wolfville for a pint is Church Brewing, a microbrewery and restaurant that delivers delicious brews and upscale pub fare in the beautiful environs of a restored church.

The next day, no matter the direction you’ll discover more of Nova Scotia wine  country. The Gaspereau Valley, a sub-region of the larger Annapolis Valley, is only a three-minute drive away. Here you’ll find sparkling producers including L’Acadie Vineyards and Benjamin Bridge, who have pushed the traditional method sparkling wine agenda to the fore with their uncompromising commitment to edgy, mineral-tinged, electrifying styles that make us salivate in anticipation of more. Benjamin Bridge has also notably raised its hospitality game in the past couple vintages to rival the world-class nature of their wines. Nearby you’ll find the quaint charms of Gaspereau Vineyards and a trip to the region isn’t complete without a hike up the hill to Luckett Vineyards, where you can call home from their English-style red phone-box set amidst the vines. While the wines are by no means my favourite Valley offerings the beauty of the view is worth the drive. 

Be sure to tell the world about your Nova Scotia wine county adventure.