Road Trip to Jōst
Home, home on the range…
Victoria Day weekend was spent on the east coast celebrating the upcoming marriage of my college BFF, Melissa. We had our nails done, drank terribly sweet cocktails, danced to bad 90s music, had a very tasteful bridal shower, and caught up on life. After all the festivities in Moncton were over, we found ourselves at a loose end for Monday. With skies threatening rain, we set off for Nova Scotia.
I’ve spent quite a bit of time on the east coast as my Mum was born there, and I graduated from Mount Allison University but was far overdue for a visit when the snow isn’t knee deep and the raw winds prevent outdoor adventures. The landscape has changed quite a bit on the marshes between Sackville and Amherst — the CBC radio towers have been replaced by a goliath wind farm! Some things never change though, there is still a man sat in that light house counting each car as they cross the border from New Brunswick into Nova Scotia (what a boring job).
The farther we got from the New Brunswick border, the sunnier the day became. Melissa’s car took a beating on the winding, bumpy roads of the Sunrise Trail along the north shores of Nova Scotia. We fetched Nana from Fox Harbour with most of the car still intact, and took her on a tour to Wallace for lunch at the burger bus (it’s not actually a bus anymore). After eating a sufficient amount of seafood, we travelled a little further up the coast to Malagash, the home of Jōst Vineyards. It’s the oldest vineyard in Atlantic Canada and boasts both sea views and delicious wine.
They have a brand new shop on site, where you can purchase and sample their stock. My summer favourite is their sangria, perfect for hot weather! The interior has great heritage touches: the bar is made to look like a wine barrel, most of the lumber used is untreated barn board and even the tables in the lounge feature a mechanical touch.
the bride to be, brown baggin’ it
A great way to spend a Monday! If you’re ever in Nova Scotia and fancy a stunning drive, I highly recommend visiting Jōst. The vineyard offers tours of their winemaking facilities daily, and they host a few events over the summer – including a charity Grape Stomp! Check out their website for more details on events. If you can’t make it east, you can always order a case directly from them!
