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Tidal Bay is a wine, by definition, that has a natural affinity for pairing with Nova Scotia's seafood dishes. Brimming with bright acidity, aromatics and minerality, Gaspereau Vineyards' Tidal Bay provides the perfect accompaniment for local seafood dishes such as oysters, wine-steamed mussels, seafood chowder, crabcakes, haddock fillets and halibut steaks. Soft and fresh cheeses, fresh salads and many chicken and pork dishes are also great choices to pair with Tidal Bay.

2018 was a challenging growing season, beginning with an un-seasonally warm spring followed by a monumental spring freeze in early June. The spring frost, or freeze as it is more correct, affected the young shoots of varieties in frost-prone areas. As a result, yields in affected varieties and areas were drastically reduced. Lucky for us, the Riesling, grown in the upper Eastern block of our estate, was virtually untouched. Likewise for the Riesling at two of our growers’ Riesling sites (Fox Harb’r and Den Haan Vineyards).

The summer was warm and dry but our usual Indian summer was cut short in the fall, abruptly ending our usual period for extended ripening. The grapes coming in to the winery were healthy and clean and the acidity and minerality pronounced.

Each block of Riesling was individually hand harvested at a ripeness level that both allowed us to capture fresh yet mature flavours and to retain a bright acidity that gives the wine its refreshing lift. 100% of the grapes were cold macerated on the skins overnight prior to pressing. The Gaspereau and Den Haan Vineyards Rieslings were were cool-fermented together while the Fox Harb’r Riesling was individually cool-fermented. Both ferments occurred in stainless steel. This year, new to Gaspereau Vineyards, we held back a small amount of unfermented juice and added it back to the fermented wine prior to bottling. This juice is called Suess Reserve and is used to give added fruit and weight to the final wine. The Riesling 2018 was assembled and bottled thereafter in the winter of 2019.

Rosés are ideal wines that fill the food pairing gap for those dishes that require a light, refreshing body, a little tannin and berry fruit aromas. Some of our favorite food pairings with the 2019 Gaspereau Rosé include roast chicken or turkey, planked salmon, sushi and BBqued sausages. Because rosé is made by using the juice of red grape varieties and fermenting it like a white wine, rosé is the perfect wine to balance between red and white.

About 50% of this wine was made from dried Marechal Foch grapes. Drying grapes naturally concentrates the sugar, extract, tannin and flavor of a wine. The concentrated sugar is converted to an alcohol content that is higher than from grapes that have not been dried (14.5%). As a result of the higher alcohol, extract and tannin, the wine has a richer and weightier palate. The dried grapes began fermentation on their own and then the rest of the Marechal Foch was added during the fermentation. After primary fermentation and Malolactic fermentation, the blend was aged in French oak barrels for 12 months.

With a fruit-driven nose backed by vanilla and spice, a balanced backbone of acidity and moderate tannin, the Lucie Kuhlmann 2016 makes an ideal companion for robust beef or lamb dishes, Osso Bucco and many tomato-based Italian dishes.

Lucie Kuhlmann has been a principle grape variety at Gaspereau Vineyards since the vineyard was planted in the mid 90’s and has been the flagship red wine since our winery was established in the early 2000’s. All of our Gaspereau Vineyards’ Lucie Kuhlmann is oak- aged in French and Hungarian oak. We selected some of our newest and most- distinct barrels to age our 2017 Lucie Kuhlmann for an extended period of time, producing this unique, small lot wine. Alluring notes of black cherry and vanilla with a hint of spice are combined with supple tannins on the mid-palate to produce this elegant red wine with a long, smooth finish.

New York Muscat, Nova Scotia’s most aromatic grape variety was used to make this slightly pink-in-colour wine. The grape itself is purple skinned but the flesh inside the grapes is clear. To extract as much of the aromatics as possible from the skins (where most of the aromatics in the grape variety concentrate), we employ a cold maceration or cold soak of the skins, seeds and juice. What this does is allows the aromatics of the skins to move to the juice. What also happens is that there is a movement as well of the color from the skins to the juice. This is why the Muscat has a copper/pink color.

White Rock 2017 is an experimental blend of seven, predominantly Estate-grown, varieties including L’Acadie Seyval, Chardonnay and Muscat. Each varietal wine was barrel-fermented separately, taken through malo-lactic fermentation and aged in French oak barrels for over a year.

Compass Rose is a classic Provence- style Rose, made from our local grapes and expressing our unique terroir. The delicate structure and expressive aromatics make this an ideal food wine year round. Delicate dishes such as those made with local seafood, complex roasted chicken dishes or creamy pasta dishes are some suggested pairings. Compass Rose also pairs well with an array of cheeses and serves well as an aperitif.

Complex with a genuine depth on the nose, the Marquette Reserve 2016 expresses layers of dried fruit, spice, leather and fresh tobacco integrated with subtle oak notes.

Our River Bend Petite Milo is a full-bodied, fruit forward, off-dry white wine. The River Bend area of the vineyard provides optimal conditions to grow these perfectly terroir suited, cool climate Petite Milo grapes.

Mercator Sauvage Sur Lie is a blend of Petite Milo, a cold-hardy grape variety well suited to the new frontier of Nova Scotia’s cool climate, and Chardonnay, a well-travelled grape variety most famously identified with the white wines of Burgundy and Chablis in France. 

Both varieties are naturally fermented in re-bent, toasted French oak barrels in a method referred to as a “Sauvage” or “Wild” fermentation. This natural approach is the source of complexity and expressions of oak in the wine which further develop through its ageing sur lie. 

Aromas of fresh herbs, apple peel and lemon rind give way to a smooth complexity with elements of celery, lime and pear supported with acidity, which act as a platform for the weight on the palate and persistency in the finish.

The 2017 Mercator Sauvage is a wine made from a blend of Nova Scotian grown Petite Milo and Chardonnay. The grapes were allowed to spontaneously ferment in French oak barrels, using only the wild yeast naturally present on the grapes. The word Sauvage translates to ‘wild’ in English. The wine was aged ‘sur lie’ with a regimented stirring routine to enhance the weight and complexity of the wine. Notes of lemon curd, brioche and an integrated high note of toasted oak are present on the nose. There is a notable mid-palate weight without compromising the freshness and minerality on the finish. Sauvage can be enjoyed now or cellared for further aging.

Defined and subtle, the Mercator Tidal Bay reflects the over-arching style that Mercator wines encompass. Notes of Fresh apple, peach, lemon rind and subtle spicy notes are delicately expressed on the nose, allowing the fruit to convey a sense of the cool climate where it was grown.

Upper Ridge Marquette is an elegant red wine made from 100% Marquette grapes and expresses notes of black cherry, anise and integrated oak with chocolate notes and hints of earthiness on the nose. It has obvious freshness yet exhibits a depth of flavor that only optimally- timed aging in mature oak barrels can provide. This wine has a style that is reminiscent of old world Pinot Noir.

AS SEEN ON THE TONIGHT SHOW! Full-bodied and with a hint of impulsiveness, award-winning 4 SKINS combines a carefully selected blend of four grapes fermented on their skins to create a one-of-a-kind wine. Castel, Lucie Kuhlmann, Marechal Foch and Leon Millot are blended to a rich, ruby hue. This is a deeply satisfying wine with a long, pleasurable finish.

With Canada’s 150th anniversary we challenged ourselves to produce a wine that speaks to our wine heritage. GBFR is a wine to drink alongside the BBQ and more. It is a toast to our great country, the celebration of success and the sound of laughter. Friendship in a bottle.

FLIRTATIOUS · FRESH · FUN

Like a bite of a cool crisp apple, lush and balanced. Alongside lobster, mussels or roast chicken, its spirit shines. A fun sidekick for a night out or quiet companion at home.

LIVELY · LIGHT · SURPRISING

An adventurous blend of Nova Scotia L’Acadie Blanc with a touch of Ontario Pinot Grigio. A hint of sweetness in a dry, floral wine. Pair with full sails and brisk winds, even when just watching from the deck.

Jost Vineyard's Premium Red Wine: Malagash Red is a wine with extraordinary character. This medium-bodied red combines old-world methods with new world innovation. A blend of Marquette and Pinot Noir, Malagash is aged in burgundy barrels.

Fruit-driven, juicy and medium-bodied. Marechal Foch is a master of the Nova Scotia terroir, where the colder climate gives it a lighter, civilized edge. Make Marechal Foch a commanding presence at your next hearty meal

Each wine and varietal was individually cool-fermented in stainless steel and blended only after the intended alcohol and sweetness was reached.

In the tradition of its Acadian roots, this white wine embodies the bright minerality and substance unique to the tidal terroir along the Northumberland shore.

Dans la tradition de ses racines acadiennes, ce vin blanc incarne la minéralité distincte et la substance unique au terroir des marées  le long de la côte de Northumberland. 

Like it’s mythological namesake, Selkie is irresistible and alluring on its own and has the seductive powers to transform any food pairing or occasion.

A frizzante-style wine, Selkie Rosé is created using a time-honoured technique where effervescence of fine bubbles defines the youthful liveliness of the flavours and aromas.

Nova Scotia's Premier White Wine Jost Tidal Bay brilliantly reflects its birthplace: the terroir, coastal breezes, cool climate, and our winemakers’ world-class craftsmanship. It pairs brilliantly with relaxing on the deck or dinner with family and friends.

Using Seyval Blanc, a well-known grape variety in Nova Scotia, combined with Chardonnay and a touch of Pinot Noir, this non-vintage traditional method sparkling is made up of vintages between 2012 and 2015. Aged on the lees for over two years and finished with a 6g/l dosage, this sparkling has expressive aromatics, a bright acidity and a powerful minerality on the finish.

Bare Knuckle Boxer matches Nova Scotia heavy-hitter L’Acadie Blanc with crowd favorite Pinot Grigio. The result is a refreshing balance, weaving signature fruitiness and acidity all the way to a defining finish. This wine was skillfully finessed with decades of practice from the winemakers at Jost Vineyards on the North Shore of Nova Scotia.

Diceros is a proprietary red blend. Character strength of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with a hint of franc-ness, this lovely beast bares boldness and elegance as one. From its exotic nose to the firm body and tailored finish, this wine with red berry and mocha chocolate overtures, favours its lineage from Kautz Family Vineyards in the Sierra foothills of California.

Our Maple Wine is made from maple syrup collected from trees in the vast maple forests of Nova Scotia. The maple “juice” is carefully cool fermented until the desired concentration of residual sugars is reached. Our award winning Maple Wine is a Quality Certified dessert wine by the national certifying body, Fruit Wines of Canada.