It’s mind-numbing trying to keep up with Don Trump’s tariff moves. The US president is a trade terrorist, and negotiating with terrorists is something rational people avoid if possible. To their great credit, Canadian premiers have stepped off the Trump roller coaster and gone ahead with various measures to show America we most definitely have cards to play in a trade war.
Closest to home, kudos to premier Tim Houston and the NSLC for taking US booze off the shelves last week, no matter where we are in Trump’s on-again, off-again attack on Canadian products. As for those of us citizen bystanders to the chaos of international trade negotiations, the liquor store is a good place to be for a whole host of reasons.
First off, nobody will blame you for wanting to self-medicate to deal with the Trump turmoil. Second, it’s awesome to go in and see those store shelves empty and/or stocked with local bottles where the American brands used to be—you might feel so much pride, you don’t need to self-medicate after all. But third, you still might want to buy something because that’s a way to strike a blow for Canada in the trade war.
Every dollar you *don’t* spend on American liquor to invest in another country’s booze is a little sting to the states. Similarly, every dollar you *do* spend on Canadian products helps our country, and if that product’s from Nova Scotia, it helps our province at the same time. So when you buy a local bottle, you’re supporting Canada and Nova Scotia, while actively undermining the US. Cheers to that win-win-win situation!
Buying local doesn’t mean sacrificing quality, either. Nova Scotians already know our beer, cider and ready-to-drink cocktails (Blue Lobster vodka sodas and their ilk) are great. We drink more local and Canadian versions in all these categories than American and international versions, according to an August 2024 report. But that report, “Strategic Assessment of Wine Business in Nova Scotia,” says when it comes to vino, we tend to prize the import over Canadian—making this an opportune time to overcome any misconceptions or misgivings to discover what NS wines are all about.
We asked for help from some NSLC retail specialists, looking for a local red wine, a white and something sparkling. Here are the consensus picks, three can’t-miss bottles to turn you on to Nova Scotian wine.
The red
Quintessence Red, Planters Ridge Winery
NSLC price: $25.70
People who know wine know it’s too cold here to easily grow sweet, juicy red grapes. People who know Nova Scotians know we like a challenge. There are lots of red wines made here; Quintessence Red, from Planters Ridge Winery, comes recommended as a reliable starting point. It’s a blend of three different grape varieties, each of them bred for our weather, that’s aged in oak barrels for nine months. “A very nice surprise,” observed an online reviewer. “A cool climate red that is smooth with definite flavours of dark berries. It was a match with my striploin steak.”
The bubbly
Joie de Vivre, L’Acadie Vineyards
NSLC price: $31.96
White wine—both sparkling and still—plays to Nova Scotia’s strengths because green grapes can thrive in cooler places. L’Acadie Vineyards was founded in 2004 and, while producing a wide range of wine types, calls itself “Nova Scotia’s premier producer of sparkling wine.” Joie de Vivre is organic and vegan, priced to be more accessible compared to some of L’Acadie’s spendy bottles. With its flavour consistently described as dry and fresh with fruity notes, its taste should be accessible too.
The white
Tidal Bay, Benjamin Bridge
NSLC price: $23.99
The biggest name in Nova Scotia wine is Tidal Bay. Not a vineyard, that’s a specially designated kind of only-made-here wine. Around the world, a “wine appellation” is a defined, protected area for growing grapes, and wines from the region that want to cite the appellation often have to meet quality standards. Champagne is a French appellation, for example, Napa Valley is American and Tidal Bay is Canadian. Launched in 2012, Tidal Bay is called a “racy” white by Wine Growers NS: “Described as the very essence of Nova Scotia in a glass, it is cool, crisp, lively and aromatic. The perfect pairing for our local seafood or for socializing with friends.” More than a dozen wineries produce appellation-compliant versions of this signature wine, but we promised clarity, so here you go: Benjamin Bridge’s Tidal Bay is a strong departure point whether you’re exploring local wines or raising a glass for Canadian sovereignty.
This article appears in Mar 1-31, 2025.