A Visit To A Winery

So we drove off to the Valley and decided to go on a winery tour...at Domaine de Grand Pré. 

Learned a few interesting things.  Walking around the vineyard was great but was disappointed that we didn't get to see the "caves" where they age the wine. 

The vines are not watered manually.  They will find their water.  Vines that are watered will grow roots sideways.  Vines that are left alone will grow deep roots.

No watering necessary...  You'd think grapes are low-maintenance, eh?  Wait till you here about the pruning chores.  

Grapes are grown only at the bottom of the vine.  Fruit growing at the top will compete for and not get enough nutrients to make them useful for wine-making.

So, these young grapes growing up top will be cut away.

Grapes for red wine also need higher sugar content compared to their green cousins.  So the leaves right above them are cut away to allow more sunlight to reach them.  Done by hand, mind you.  Still think grapes are low maintenance? :-)

This particular grape variety is called "L'Acadie" and is grown only in Atlantic Canada...because it likes the cold weather!  It is the only (?) variety that has a red vine...but the grapes are green.

Then came the tasting... we tasted a total of six different wines--two whites, one rosé, two reds, and one dessert wine.  I liked three.  The Ortega...a not-so-dry white.

The Castel...a fuller-bodied red.  A little woody taste in it too. ...as if I knew what I was talking about...!

...and Pomme d'Or...a sweet, golden dessert apple wine.  I didn't see any apple orchards in the estate but they do use Annapolis Valley apples.  By the way, Grand Pré prides itself in using only local grapes, no imports.  A truly Nova Scotian wine.

The other disappoint was there had been no ice wine tasting.  Ice wine, if you must know, is wine made from grapes frozen on the vine.  Canadian winters are perfect for them!  Note: You cannot put a bunch of grapes in your freezer and hope to produce ice wine from it! :-)

Due to the great weather, this year's harvest is expected to be phenomenal.  2012 will be a good year...maybe better than 2010!

WIne tour+tasting $7 per person.  http://www.grandprewines.ns.ca/