Every year when the temperature dips and I have to turn the furnace on for the first time I get a slight feeling of sorrow for the summer that has passed! This happened to me last night and I have to be honest there was even a tear in my eye when I finally fired up the beast in the basement! As the wave of warmth slowly filled the house I started to feel a wee bit better and felt a whole lot better, almost joyful, when I saw the weather forecast for this weekend! Perhaps summer isn’t lost and with the sunshine and warmer temperatures returning, even for a few days, I began rejoicing in all the wonderful things that Fall has to offer! There are many things to be thankful for this weekend, for one I may be able to turn the furnace off for a couple of days but more importantly it is a long weekend, Thanksgiving! A time that will hopefully be filled with plenty of food and wine shared with friends and family! It is also an exciting time for the Nova Scotia wineries and grape farmers throughout the province as the harvest has begun in some cases or is drawing imminently near for others. Another reason to celebrate this weekend is the newest member of the Nova Scotia wine family, Avondale Sky Winery, is having their official grand opening celebrations on Saturday! With so much to be thankful for I would like to toast Fall this weekend and all the passionate producers around the province that keep my glass full of Nova Scotia wine and keep food on my table! I shall honour you all this weekend by eating and drinking my fair share…perhaps even over indulging a little bit….and not once will I feel sad that Fall is officially here!
PS. There is still time to register for one of my Fall courses, Wine Tasting or Wine Uncorked…yet another reason to celebrate! Check out the course details at coned.nscc.ca
Wine of the Week
Avondale Sky, 2010 Tidal Bay
(available at the winery and select NSLC locations and Private Wine Outlets)
I had the pleasure a few weeks back to leave work early on a bright sunny day and head to Avondale Sky Winery for a visit and a tasting! Located on the Avon peninsula, it was a stunning drive through the rolling hills and following the flow of the tide of the St. Croix and Avon Rivers. When I finally arrived at the winery (a short 45 minute drive from the city) I was overwhelmed by the stunning stature of the wine shop…the floating church from Walton! And the wines were equally as impressive…a must try is their 2010 Tidal Bay. It is a stunning blend of L’Acadie Blanc and Geisenheim grapes beautifully crafted by their young, talented winemaker Ben Swetnam. It is a wine that encapsulates what Nova Scotia wine is all about. It is wonderfully aromatic filled with aromas of candied citrus and hints fresh garden herbs. On the palate it is off-dry and nicely balanced with a bright, vibrant kick of acidity on the finish. A great wine to impress your friends and family with…try it chilled on the deck as you soak up the sunshine this weekend!
Avondale Sky Winery