A toast to N.S. wines

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Sean Wood’s new book celebrates province’s thriving wineries
By BILL SPURR Features Writer


WHEN HE MEETS someone who doubts that Nova Scotia produces excellent wine, Sean Wood tells them to remember Richard Nixon.

Wood, The Chronicle-Herald’s longtime wine columnist and the author of the new book Wineries and Wine Country of Nova Scotia, enjoys the anecdote about how, while U.S. president, Nixon ordered that all American embassies would from then on serve U.S. wine, to the horror of the diplomatic corps.

"I’m old enough to remember when the Americans referred to any wine made in the States as ‘domestic’ wine," Wood said. "And the way it was said made it clear that they thought it was inferior to real wine, which meant European … but today does anybody doubt that Napa is one of the great wine regions of the world?"

Today, despite shelves full of international awards, Nova Scotia winemakers still have to contend with the narrow attitudes of some people who believe that if it comes from here, it can’t be as good as the wine from somewhere else.

"I think it’s age-old prejudice, a sense that the stuff is inferior and to be fair, initially, with the exception of true Nova Scotia-grown grapes, a lot of it wasn’t very good. Niagara had to overcome this hurdle, the Okanagan had to overcome this hurdle," Wood said, adding that the constant efforts of those in the province’s wine industry, and some in the food industry, are changing attitudes every day.

"We’re training young sommeliers, and I’m increasingly involved in that; now the young chefs don’t have these prejudices. They’re proud of what we do, they’re working together to develop Nova Scotia wine and cuisine."

Just a couple of decades ago, the only thing more unlikely sounding than a Nova Scotia wine industry might have been a book on the subject. Wood has been a fixture at virtually every wine-related event in the province for years, but he still learned things while researching his book.

"The fact that, for example, Bruce Ewart, who used to be a winemaker out in the Okanagan Valley, had settled in the Gaspereau Valley and, like another guy in the Gaspereau, Gerry McConnell, is planning on making sparkling wine," the author said. "Bruce actually has a reputation as a sparkling winemaker out West so with two people going at it, the notion that we will be making good champagne-style wine is beginning to look realistic. That’s one of the exciting possibilities that I hadn’t really thought that much about."

Two names come up frequently whenever wine in Nova Scotia is the topic: Gerry McConnell and Pete Luckett. Both have grapes under cultivation in the Gaspereau Valley and McConnell’s Benjamin Bridge winery, scheduled to open within two years, is expected to set a new standard. Wood thinks winery owners with passion and deep pockets are the key to the industry moving forward.

"When Grand Pre Wines was bought by Hanspeter Stutz, that was a tremendous boost to the industry because the Stutzs have put a lot of money into it, made it a showpiece, raised the bar. The difference between Hanspeter and all the people who had been in it before was Hanspeter had the financial resources to really make a difference," Wood said.

"In Gerry McConnell’s case, he’s been successful in other walks of life and he’s coming at it in a similar way. He also has a Nova Scotia background and his familiarity with the local scene has enabled him to (acquire) a fantastic vineyard in the Gaspereau. He has the resources to go out and find the necessary expertise … and he’s using it effectively."

As for Luckett, Wood said just having the name of one of the province’s best-known businessmen associated with Nova Scotia wine can only be positive.

"We all know that Pete is one of the greatest merchandisers we’ve seen," said Wood. "He’s just a delight to be around, in addition to doing what he does very, very well and I’m sure he’ll be the same in this area. He’s had that property and has actually been farming in the area for some time, and the fact that he wants to do this could be fabulous for the industry."

Wood had high hopes for wine in Nova Scotia for years, before becoming completely confident about the industry’s future in 2000, when the ripening season was, in his words, very marginal. "I thought we were going to have a setback here but the wines were good, especially the whites. The difference was (the wineries) had learned a lot about vineyard management and winemaking. They were using better techniques; skills had increased," he said.

"This is not a big wine country by any means and it’s never going to be a challenger to the biggies, because we just don’t have that much arable land or the population base to support it. We’re always going to be the quality end of the industry, certainly as far as to what our reputation internationally will be all about."

( bspurr@herald.ca)

‘We’re training young sommeliers . . . now the young chefs don’t have these prejudices. They’re proud of what we do, they’re working together to develop Nova Scotia wine and cuisine.’