Review: Grape Escapes Wine Tour

My brother and his fiancé were very generous this year and got me a gift card for a wine tour for my birthday back in April.

The wine tour company was Grape Escapes and they run tours all year round (probably covid dependent but what isn’t these days)

I finally cashed it in in October on my vacation to take in my own back yard of Wolfville. The tour guide was well informed of the area and it’s history- it was sometimes hard to hear her with the mask but again.. Sign of the times.

We hit up 3 vineyards:

1. Luckette’s Vineyard

2. Benjamin Bridge; and

3. L’Acadie

The thing that I enjoyed the most had very little to do with the actual wine tour- there was a sense of normal this day I hadn’t felt in awhile. Full vaccination was required because of course you can’t have a mask on while taste testing wine so you were just simply surrounded by 25 other strangers drinking wine, seldom mask wearing, pretending the world isn’t going bonkers just for a second. That was nice. Especially as I write this 99% of my holiday plans have been kyboshed due to Omicron… But I digress, I have little to complain about living in Nova Scotia through all of this.

First stop: Luckette’s Vineyard for wine and lunch.

We tried 5 types of wine, all whites (yay) and some had a sparkling touch which was very enjoyable. Lunch was very carb centric (no surprise- but also no complaints- I love bread)

Everything was well scheduled, we spend the most time here since we could eat, drink plus they had a shop to enjoy (that I bought a book from). There was also lots of time to get the iconic red phone booth photo.

Second Stop: Benjamin Bridge

I can not even begin to describe the beauty of this location, if I didn’t know better I’d swear we teleported to Italy. The valley plains were just incredible.

This stop we probably spend the least amount of time, it’s not a huge site but the wines were certainly delicious. I believe we tried 3- 2 whites and a rosé. All sparking as Benjamin Bridge is known for.

We got a small tour of their production which was neat but it was a little squish for so many people to be in there. (still need some personal space c’mon guys). Due to the small space this was probably my lesser favorite of the 3 stops but you still can’t beat that view.

Benjamin Bridge Winery

Final Stop: L’Acadie Vineyards

Another breathtaking site but this one more so for it’s architecture as opposed to the nature. These buildings are rich in culture and I look forward to going back and trying the restaurant out.

We had 5 different wines here and this was the first place that served reds (not my favorite) but my partner loved the dessert wine we got to try and we grabbed it from the shop before leaving the site (along with bacon jam)

Overall it was an enjoyable time, I do think however, if I do it again I’d attempt to arrange a private tour. As much as it was nice to feel like I was in a normal group setting it’s still nicer to be a part of your own “bubble” when laughing and sipping wine.

For the public event they used a large Coach bus and from what I was told a smaller more intimate van is used for the private tours which would feel a little less tourist-y.

My Nova Scotia Book Tour: Stop Five- The Odd Book

I'm excited to talk about my new summer project that is currently in progress. I’m calling it My Nova Scotia Book tour- my goal is to hit up as many independent book stores as possible this summer (and probably into fall)

There is only one rule: Purchase at least one book at each location.

Stop Five was one I was really looking forward too. When doing my preliminary research, The Odd Books website really showed what they were about. They focus on the old and the rare books, the oldest and rarest being featured on their home page. When I visited the site there was a Bible price out for $16,000!! I knew I was going to be in for a treat.

Photo credit goes to my partner Stephen. This was the first time he came along to a stop so I took advantage of the camera in his hand.

Located in Wolfville NS, the store had 2 levels of floor to ceiling literature featuring tons of local interest books and even more odd and old. Prices were ouchy (the technical term for way out of my budget haha) but my partner was with me and did some research online on the spot and he was able to verify they were priced at the going rate for the books they were. The old and the rare.

There was a book on edible wild flowers of Nova Scotia I would have loved to bring home but sadly due to the $50 price tag I left it there.

Even if you don’t collect old and rare books it was still an incredible experience, the history could be felt in the walls and there places to sit and leaf through those old books you know you shouldn’t buy. Pop it on your Valley trip to do list next time you’re out that way.

The owner was very sweet, I gushed over the collection and told him if the budget allowed I’d be leaving full handed- he very nicely advised that looking was free and I could look for as long as I wanted.

I left with one book (first time I’ve left with the minimum since I started this project) it’s a book on bootlegging alcohol during Prohibition in Atlantic Canada called The Rum Running Years. The stories are as true as they can get with a small disclosure from the author stating the stories were being told by men in their 80’s and 90’s so memories aren’t as sharp and some details may be lost to history.

This shop was truly a step back in time and really gave the feeling of old school business that I didn’t feel at the other stops. Even when this project is over I’ll look forward to walking through these shelves to discover another lost story.