Local wines to fall for

[
        
          {
            "name": "Air - Inline Content - Upper",
            "component": "26908817",
            "insertPoint": "1/4",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "8"
          },{
            "name": "Air - Inline Content - Middle",
            "component": "26908818",
            "insertPoint": "1/2",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "8"
          },{
            "name": "Air - Inline Content - Lower",
            "component": "26908819",
            "insertPoint": "100",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
          }
        
        ]

Alanna McIntyre

sommelier and product specialist at Bishop’s Cellar

Favourite local wine for fall

If I have to pick, my favourite local drop at the moment is the 2013 Planter's Ridge riesling. For those who are still skeptical about the local wine scene, a glass of this refreshing and zesty white wine may sway their opinion. Don't be fooled by the wine's colourless appearance—it has good intensity on the nose with pretty aromas of citrus and stone fruits. It would be considered "off-dry" as they say in the biz, with just a hint of sweetness that perfectly balances this grape's racy natural acidity.

Feels like

The lightness and brightness of this wine is really uplifting and puts a smile on my face. It reminds me of the Nova Scotian summer I don't want to see end!

Drink it with

I think riesling goes with pretty much anything but red meat. This is delicious on its own, but would enhance any spice-infused dish. I love it with Dennis Johnston's Dragon Pad Thai.

Avery Gavel

sommelier at The Five Fisherman Restaurant & Grill

Favourite local wine for fall

Well, it is difficult to nail down one particular wine. After having white most of the summer, in the autumn I lean towards an oaked white, rosé, light or heavier red wines.

Feels like

As a sommelier at Five Fishermen, having the autumn/harvest happening around me, I feel blessed to be a part of the exciting Nova Scotia wine industry! I give thanks to our generations for the free country that we live in and salute the wine pioneers of our great province.

Drink it with

In the autumn, traditional Thanksgiving dinner—it's the obvious meal that everyone enjoys. All of our "personal palates" are different. I would choose an oaked white or rosé. I do prefer a rosé that is made from 100 percent red grapes. Those are available from Petite Rivière, Sainte-Famille, Avondale Sky or a festive bubbly Cabernet Franc from Benjamin Bridge. A good oaked white could be Buried White from Luckett Vineyards. The Five Fishermen has a local pork dish that I would also pair with rosé, the Buried White or L'Acadie Vintner's Reserve from Domaine de Grand Pré. Local food always pairs very well with local wine. We have Northumberland lamb that I would pair with Marquette from Jost Vineyards in Malagash. Other great heavier pairings could be Buried Red from Luckett Vineyards or Rebirth of the Legend (The Bluenose) from Petite Rivière.

Heather Rankin

sommelier and co-owner of Obladee, A Wine Bar

Favourite local wine for fall The weird and wonderful 2013 Benjamin Bridge sauvignon blanc.

Feels like

I appreciate a wine that draws me in and makes me pay attention. It's bold and unapologetic and made with obvious skill and care. And it's delicious. And local!

Drink it with

I keep pairings pretty simple. Some toasted sourdough with an aged goat's milk cheese, preferably blue. Fromagerie Hug Your Nanny Goat's Buckmaster's Bloom from Weymouth Falls is a pretty perfect match.

Mark DeWolf

owner of By The Glass Food & Wine Club and president of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers’ Atlantic chapter

Favourite local wine for fall

Blomidon Estate Cuvee L'Acadie.

Feels like

It makes me proud that we can deliver this much quality for what is a very reasonable price, given the context of the style and the price of comparable wines from other regions.

Drink it with

I'd pair it with just about anything, but in truth in the fall I start fusing local seafood with seasonal vegetables. This would make a great pairing to seared scallops served over a parsnip or celery root puree.

Della D’Entremont

tour guide, Grape Escapes Nova Scotia Wine Tours

Favourite local wine for fall

My favourite local wine to drink in the fall would have to be the rosé. One of my favourites is the rosé from L'Acadie Vineyards in the Annapolis Valley. This rosé is nice and dry and has a creamy finish, perfect for fall.

Feels like

Rosé feels so festive to me, with a glass of rosé in hand I match all the beautiful colours of the changing leaves.

Drink it with

I like to pair rosé with turkey dinner and cranberry sauce or curry pumpkin soup. It goes well with all fall harvest foods, poultry and Thai dishes.