Tidal Bay wines have a special place in the heart of one Nova Scotian winemaker.
Pete Luckett is the driving force behind Luckett Vineyards.
He and his wife, Sue, established their Gaspereau Valley winery in 2010.
I met him last week, during the Vancouver International Wine Festival.
There was definitely a buzz around Nova Scotia bubble. But there was also plenty of interest in Tidal Bay, the province’s first and only appellation.
I asked Pete to give me a quick rundown on Tidal Bay.
Here’s what he had to say …
“Tidal Bay is a collaboration of 12 wineries working together to create a Nova Scotia appellation. The appellation is a standard, a style of wine, crisp, fresh, zippy, alive, acidic, beautiful wine. Each 12 wineries make a Tidal Bay which is slightly different. It has to go before a tasting panel to be approved, so it’s the real deal. Your mission in life is to try all 12 Tidal Bays! Who loves ya?!”
And just in case that wasn’t quite clear enough for you ;-) … here’s a link with more info.
I tasted Pete’s Phone Box Fizz, a quaffable sipper, with a clever back story. It’s named after the home vineyard. It has a classic British, old style, red phone booth—located slap bang in the middle of the vines. The deal is you can phone anywhere in the world, for free. Sure enough, as I was talking to Pete, a few folks came by to say they’d been there—and used the phone.
_____
Tidal Bay Tastes
I tried several Tidal Bay wines during the festival…
including…
Benjamin Bridge Tidal Bay 2015 is in the market in BC. Blend of L’Acadie, Ortega, and Geisenhiem (a hybrid derived from Riesling and Chancellor). Up front stone fruit followed by a palate of tropical and exotic fruits with a slightly salty edge. Reminiscent of some Albariño. 89 pts.
Devonian Coast Jost Tidal Bay 2015. From the area’s original pioneer vineyard, made from L’Acadie, Pinot Gris, Ortega and Muscat. Up front citrus with a zesty acid driven palate plus streak of refreshing minerality. (pre-festival review) 90 pts
Domaine de Grand Pré Tidal Bay 2015. A blend of L’Acadie Blanc, Vidal, Ortega, Muscat and Seyval from Annapolis Valley. Complex and full on the palate, with good mouthfeel and a fresh, clean finish.90 pts.
Luckett Vineyards Tidal Bay 2015 Blend of L’Acadie, Ortega and Traminette. Sports some floral and pear notes before a zesty palate with a pleasing, juicy acidity. They suggest Nova Scotia scallops … But I reckon BC scallops would do in a pinch ;-) 90 pts.
Mercator Tidal Bay 2015 A blend of L’Acadie, Seyval and New York Muscat. Citrus and mineral on the nose with a hint of mint before a fresh apple and citrus toned palate. 89 pts. 
I thought the appellation wines achieved what they set out to do: make a statement about the area; and offer a good match for the local seafood.
Cheers to you for coming to BC, Nova Scotia!
And to you, Pete Luckett.
Read more about Pete’s remarkable journey here.
Leave A Comment