Wine writer offers tips
“The sparkling wines are really what Nova Scotia is known for. We have a lot of international acclaim for them. They’re frequently named as some of the best wines in all of Canada.”
Meaghan Carey Edmonton-based freelance writer
Alberta-based wine writer Meaghan Carey will be toasting this holiday season with some of the best wines available.
And guess what? Those wines just happen to be from Nova Scotia.
Carey, a Sydney Mines native, now lives in Edmonton where she works as a recreation and community engagement consultant. In her spare time, she blogs about food and is now a freelance food, wine, and travel writer.
She also studied wine, earning a Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) level three designation. She is especially knowledgeable about the wines that come from Nova Scotia, which she highly recommends for upcoming holiday celebrations.
“Nova Scotia has nothing to be ashamed of,” she says, adding it produces some of this country’s best wines.
The province has been involved in growing grapes for hundreds of years, maybe even a thousand or more.
“Nova Scotia, interestingly, is one of the first regions in North America that they have found evidence or historical backing that vineyards were planted and that goes back to the 1700s,” said Carey in a recent interview from her home in Alberta.
“There was quite a bit of work done around 1630-ish, where French settlers were planting vines that they had brought with them in regions along the South Shore. If you want to get really romantic, there is one theory that in the 11th century, when the Norse came over, that they also planted grapes but there’s been no proof of that."
While some may be surprised at the idea of growing grapes in Nova Scotia, it is being done successfully. The soil and climate in the province are very similar to a celebrated wine-producing region in France.
“What people don’t know, and it’s pretty cool, our climate and terroir down in the (Annapolis) Valley is very, very similar to the Champagne region in France. That is why we produce such great sparkling wines because the soil and the climate is so similar to Champagne," she explains.
"The sparkling wines are really what Nova Scotia is known for. We have a lot of international acclaim for them. They’re frequently named as some of the best wines in all of Canada.“
CHRISTMAS PAIRINGS
Sparkling wines are among her recommendations for Christmas celebrations and meals, thanks to their naturally celebratory nature.
“They’re so food-friendly. A lot of people appreciate that champagne shouldn’t be just for a toast or celebration. They actually work so well with meals,” she says.
Carey is particularly fond of sparkling wines being used with a traditional holiday dinner.
“A lot of time we’ll do a sparkling wine, a Benjamin Bridge NV Brut,” says Carey. “It’s a good price point at around $25. It’s really highquality wine that you are getting. You’re always leery once you get over that $20 price point to recommend it, but it is so food-friendly."
It pairs well with turkey and has a nice acidity, she adds.
“I also think a L’acadie Vineyard Cuvee Rose would be beautiful with a turkey dinner, or a Lightfoot and Wolfville Flora will go beautifully as well with a turkey dinner.”
If your main meal includes roast beef or beef of any kind, consider using a Petite Riviere Italy Cross, although the Benjamin Bridge Riesling would also work for those who prefer white wines.
Does your meal include ham? Sparkling wines go well with the ham’s saltiness, she says, or consider a Chardonnay, like the one from Planters Ridge.
For those considering a vegan or vegetarian meal, Carey recommends going with a lighter wine, such as a Riesling or even a Blomidon Crémant. The main consideration is ensuring the wine comes from a winery that uses organic, sustainable methods. And Carey stresses not worrying about whether you should have red or white with a meal.
“People are really letting go of those traditional, ‘oh, you should drink white with this or red with that.' A lot of it is what people want to drink and to find food-friendly wines that work with everything is, as a host, the best thing that you can do,” she says.
If you’re looking for wines for the dessert course, consider these recommendations:
• Grand Pre Vidal Icewine works well with rich desserts like traditional fruitcake, mince pies, and butter tarts.
• Try a fortified wine like Bent Ridge 1761 with a more chocolatey offering.
• If you’re serving something light, like fruit, you really can’t go wrong with sparkling wines.
DISTANCED CELEBRATIONS
This isn’t the year to hold a major wine and cheese party indoors. But a few people could meet outside in the backyard, and to go with that sort of celebration, Carey has a suggestion.
“In Alberta, we can’t have anyone in our homes, and we can have a maximum right now of 10 people outside, so I would get a selection of cans of wine. There are some really great cans of wine out there. Then you’re not worrying about glasses, people can sanitize their own cans and it’s their own contained drink. That’s the safest way to go and you can mix it up with some great local beers as well.”
If you’re looking for something for yourself that’s a little lighter than egg nog but tending towards sweet, Carey points out that Nova Scotia is also known for its ice wines and there’s a good selection available.
Or you could get literally into the holiday spirit with an egg nog martini made with Steinhart Maple Vodka from Arisaig, near Antigonish, and mix in a little egg nog.
“They’re fantastic.”
GO ONLINE
Visit SaltWire.com/holidays to see a video interview with Meaghan Carey. Some of her work can be found on unassaggio.com and www.foodbloggersofcanada.com/tag/meaghan-carey/.