Spring is an important time in the industry for the release of the new white vintages, and in Nova Scotia, there is the additional anticipation for the release of the New Tidal Bays. This month's TNT, hosted by Blomidon Estate Winery, gave us and our fellow winegrunters the opportunity to meet with the winemakers and to taste all twelve new 2016 Tiday Bay vintages. For those not so fortunate to receive this sneak peek and one-on-one with the winemakers, there still is the possibility to taste all twelve Tidal Bays without having to drive all over the province from one winery to another. Wines of Nova Scotia is hosting the annual 12 Tides event at the Marriott Harbourfront Hotel in Halifax on May 5, 2017. Each winery will be pouring their new Tidal Bay as well as two other new wines.

In this second instalment of the Tidal Bay Challenge, we taste three tidal Bays under the Devonian Coast Wineries umbrella: Mercator, Gaspereau Vineyards, and Jost Vineyards. As in the first instalment of the Tidal Bay challenge, we will note the similarities and the unique differences between each of these Nova Scotia appellation wines.

A few weeks ago we started a Tiday Bay challenge where we blind taste-test various of these lovely Nova Scotia wines, and seek food pairing for them. A few weeks ago we tasted a lovely Avondale Sky Tidal Bay, unfortunately, it did not pair with the meal I had prepared.  
I did, however, find a perfect pair for this wine: Salmon on a bed of horseradish risotto with asparagus prepared by Five Fishermen Grill in Halifax. Cheers! 

Many wine region have wines that stand out and are recognized for their defining qualities and characteristics. Nova Scotia wines have consistently been known for their fresh, crisp and bright style. Nova Scotia winery owners and winemakers worked to develop a signature wine that reveals these characteristics, this hard work and creativity gave birth to Tidal Bay. Tidal Bay is a wine with unique character that brilliantly reflects the terroir, coastal breezes, and the cooler climate of its place of origin.