Wine Kitz Atlantic

Hello, Each month as part of this blog I will attempt to provide consumer-made wine industry information of interest to winemakers. Some of this information will directly relate to the Atlantic region, and other information will be more general in nature. Where possible I will include links to other wine-related websites which you may find [...]

In-Store Winery Services Now Officially Legal in New Brunswick In mid-May it was announced that the New Brunswick government had amended liquor regulations and had officially legalized in-store winery services. Despite the fact that for the past 6 years there have been 20+ businesses offering in-store winery services in New Brunswick, the legitimacy of the [...]

Wine Kitz Goes Wine-Op On previous occasions I have used this space to offer commentary on the ongoing challenges of convincing our provincial government to green light in-store winery services in Nova Scotia. After many months of soul searching and a bit of due diligence we have decided to no longer wait for government approval. [...]

The Right Wine Glass There is an appropriate style of glass for each type of wine, but wine connoisseurs can start with four essentials of stemware: Champagne, Port, Bordeaux and Chardonnay. Champagne glasses come in two varieties: tall and short. Both are suitable and choosing a style is a matter of preference. Tall flute glasses [...]

Wine Vintage Defined Some people are confused by the term “vintage.”  A wine’s vintage is the year when the grapes were picked. Whether that vintage is considered good or poor is determined by the weather affecting the region. A vineyard requires the proper balance of sun, humidity, precipitation, and wind. Sun is needed for proper [...]

Guidelines for New Home Winemakers Production Guidelines January is the month with the most “new” winemakers. This is generally due to Christmas gift giving. This is also when we, at the brew stores, receive the most phone calls, questions and in-store enquires. Don’t be shy, ask away: there are no dumb questions. Management and staff [...]

As of Oct 17th, 2009, Prince Edward Island has legally and formally approved in-store winery services to Island wine consumers. To review the provincial government’s press release, visit: www.peilcc.ca PEI is the fourth province to offer this type of license, joining Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. It is expected that New Brunswick will be implementing [...]

What are Limited Release Kits? Several times a year, kit manufacturers will produce Limited Release kits. Traditionally, these kits were available in-store to consumers in late fall or early winter months. Now with accessibility to raw material from the southern hemisphere, a.k.a. New World vineyards and wineries, where the harvest season runs at opposite times [...]

Due to the nature of summertime and all the outdoor activities and travel opportunities it brings with it, I have not updated this blog for several months. Now, as most of us return to our every day routines of regular work, school, etc., it’s time to make everyone aware of what matters and is important [...]

Many who have followed this blog over the past year or two may be aware that Tuesday, June 16th was the date set for the judge to render her decision on charges laid against Ross Harrington. In quick review, Ross Harrington is owner/operator of Wine Kitz, a home winemaking store located in Halifax NS. In [...]