Except for a break of 350 years or so, winemaking has been happening in Nova Scotia for four centuries. In 1611, French settler Louis Hebert responded to what he felt were intolerably long delays in the replenishment of wine rations from France by planting a small vineyard in Bear River. Today, with 11 commercial wineries in Nova Scotia-including one in Bear River-plus 10 in New Brunswick and one in Prince Edward Island, it doesn't much matter to wine drinkers how long it takes ships to cross the Atlantic.

In 2005, local wines accounted for 11 per cent of all wine sales in Nova Scotia. They generated sales of approximately $7.2 million, an amount forecast to grow to $24 million by 2020. That increased appetite is reflected in the growing number of restaurants that carry Nova Scotian wines, by national awards, and by the increasing ranks of certified sommeliers (there are now around 60). The Savour Food and Wine Show, which pays tribute to local products, has become a part of the calendar in four provinces, and the month of February has been transformed from a dreary four weeks into a celebration of food and wine. Although local wines are gaining in popularity, the issue now is not quality, it's supply. Demand is so strong that wineries are having trouble keeping up.

Dial established Domain de Grand Pré in the late 1970s. A hybrid test vine that ripened too quickly in southern Ontario's heat was shipped east for more testing. Extensive planting by Dial showed it to be perfect for the Annapolis Valley's more gradual season. L'Acadie Blanc is now Nova Scotia's signature grape. As challenging as finding the right winter-hardy grapes was, equally as challenging was dealing with the Nova Scotia Liquor Commission (now Corporation). Dial had to convince the NSLC to create a farm-winery licence to allow wineries to sell direct to consumers (with the government taking a cut). The NSLC didn't want to lose its monopoly on wine profits, says Dial. But when the commission became a corporation in 2001, part of the mandate of the new body was to support the local wine industry. The NSLC implemented a preferred pricing policy for Nova Scotia wineries, meaning that in order to keep local wines affordable, the markup is lower than on non-local wines. "The corporation's current regime is very supportive of the industry," Dial says.

However, with 106 NSLC stores, supply is a major issue. Most Nova Scotian wines sell out every year by selling direct from the winery, at farmers' markets and to restaurants and private wine stores. As a result, just four wineries-Jost Vineyards, Blomidon Estate, Lunenburg County and Grand Pré-have listings in select liquor outlets. Benjamin Bridge, Sainte-Famille Wines and L'Acadie Vineyards will have wines in Nova Scotia liquor stores by this fall or Christmas.

Customers keen to maintain their supply of local wine should visit the wineries and get to know the growers. "See them in situ," says Michael Howell, chef and owner of the Tempest restaurant in Wolfville, NS. "Visit the country and take in the full sensory experience of wine, which is to be able to see, in your mind's eye, the exact spot where the grapes were grown." Visitors can often get a discount if they buy 12 or more bottles. Running out of local wine at a liquor store is more about the supply chain and distribution issues than a lack of product, Howell says. "By going to the wineries, you can easily skip this often troubling issue." 

Interesting fact:
Most Nova Scotia vineyards are on southern-facing slopes near bodies of water that don't freeze in the winter, so the water acts as a heat sink. That hot air rises and helps to moderate conditions in the winter, minimizing damage from cold temperatures. In the summer, when the sun goes down, the hot air rises and helps to ripen the grapes through the evening.

Sean Buckland is a sommelier and co-owner of a small vineyard in Windsor, NS.