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.

While taking a quick break from winegrunting last Sunday, I stopped by Planter's Ridge's table at the Halifax Seaport Market. It had been a while since I enjoyed their Chardonnay, and as luck would have it, they happened to be offering samples of said wine. The last time I had a bottle of this wine was sometime shortly after the "Liquid Gold and Buried Treasure" event we hosted at the Italian Canadian Cultural Institute of Halifax back in October 2016.  Indeed, it had been too long since I had savoured this outstanding Chardonnay - it is a cross I must bear - after all, there are so many amazing local wines to drink, and I try to vary what I drink, for research purposes, of course. Thus, that early Sunday afternoon, a little taste to remind me of how good it is was all it took for me to bring a bottle home and get my creative juices flowing and to have me fantasizing of what I would pair with my rediscovered gem.

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.