Monday, August 3^rd: Dinner: chicken puttanesca tagliatelle (a sous vide meal created by Cacio Pepe (www.caciopepemeals.com), with a bottle of Perez Cruz Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2024 from Maipo Valley, Chile.

Tuesday. August 4^th: Dinner: hamburgers with a bottle of Malivoire Albert’s Honour Old Vines Foch 2022.

Wednesday, August 5^th: John Nadeau and I flew Air Canada to Halifax to interest Nova Scotia wineries to participate in the first-ever Canadian Pavilion at the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival this October. Not an auspicious start to our quest, as the Air Canada flight scheduled for 4:55pm did not take off until 6:40pm owing to an unscheduled mechanical situation (two tires had to be changed!). We passed the time in the lounge, sipping on Jackson-Triggs Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

At Halifax airport, John rented a Volvo from Hertz which looked like it had just come off the lot. We arrived late at the Westin Nova Scotian, too late for dinner, but enough time to have a glass of Lightfoot & Wolfville Tidal Bay 2025.

John Nadeau with Lightfoot & Wolfville Tidal Bay 2025

Tidal Bay is Nova Scotia’s signature local white wine; it must be made from a blend of the following approved varieties:

• L’Acadie Blanc: A unique Nova Scotia grape, offering crisp acidity and maritime minerality
• Seyval Blanc: Hybrid variety providing structure and complexity
• Vidal: Contributes aromatic intensity and tropical fruit notes
• New York Muscat: Adds floral aromatics and stone fruit character

Currently, 16 Nova Scotia wineries produce a Tidal Bay wine.

Thursday, August 6^th: After breakfast we drove to Benjamin Bridge in the Gaspereau Valley, near Wolfville, to meet winemaker Jean-Benoit Deslauriers, who has been producing superlative sparkling wines for the company since 2008.

Benjamin Bridge winemaker Jean-Benoit Deslauriers

We tasted Benjamin Bridge Extra Brut 2016 (a 50/50 blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir). We were fascinated by the bottles of sparkling wine that Jean-Benoit ages on the seabed at a depth of 20 feet for as long as ten years. They come out encrusted with marine shells. The rosé that both John and I purchased were part of a 3,000-bottle lot committed to the deep!

Ocean-aged Benjamin Bridge rosé

Jean-Benoit quizzed us enthusiastically about the Hong Kong adventure and we came away with the impression that he will advocate strongly for a presence in the Canadian pavilion with his team.

Tent made from old sails at Benjamin Bridge

Our next stop was Luckett Vineyards, where an operational British red telephone booth stands in the middle of the vines and visitors can make complementary calls within North America. This phone booth speaks to the heritage of Pete Luckett.
In 2000, Pete Luckett purchased what at that time was a 92-acre open hay field overlooking the beautiful Gaspereau Valley in Nova Scotia. He built the specialty grocery chain Pete’s Frootique from a single stall into one of Atlantic Canada’s most recognized brands before selling it to Sobeys in 2015. In 2010, he founded Luckett Vineyards in Nova Scotia’s Gaspereau Valley, producing wines that showcase local varietals. Luckett gained national attention through TV appearances, columns, books, and his Food Network series The Food Hunter. His ventures now span to Portugal, where he runs a farm-to-table retreat.

Mike Mainguy, Pluckett’s winemaker

The winery with its shop is spectacular. Winemaker Mike Mainguy produces an interesting wine in both red (a blend of Lucie Kuhlman, Leon Millot and Marechal Foch) and white (L’Acadie Blanc) which he buries in oak barrels in the vineyard where the grapes are grown for 72 months, eight feet down. Mike sent us on our way with a bottle of Luckett Sparkling Chardonnay.

Next stop, Lighthall & Wolfville, where the winery’s sommelier, Anjana Wiswantha, led us through a tasting of the following wines: Small Lot Rose Extra Brut 2021, Riesling 2021, Ancienne Chardonnay 2022, Ancienne Pinot Noir 2016 and Terroir Series Gamay Noir 2015.

Our tasting

On the way back to our hotel we decided to drop into Halifax’s wine store, Bishop’s Cellar (1477 Lower Water Street). I used to know the owner John Stewart years ago. When I asked for him, the cashier told me he had died a few months ago. So sad.
John Nadeau and I had a reservation for dinner at Bicycle Thief, a renowned Italian restaurant kitty-corner to Bishop’s Cellar.

Friday, August 7^th: Early morning flight back to Toronto.

Saturday, August 8^th: My sister Shirley’s 92^nd birthday. Deborah and I took the train into Toronto to join Shirley and her three sons for dinner at Sorrel on Yonge Street, across the road from the LCBO. A great meal. I ordered grilled squid, followed by tagliatelle with black truffle and a creme brulee for dessert. The wines: Daniel Chotard Sancerre 2025 and Cloudsley Pinot Noir 2023.