This consolidation is unofficial and is for reference only. For the official version of the regulations, consult the original documents on file with the Registry of Regulations, or refer to the Royal Gazette Part II. Regulations are amended frequently. Please check the list of Regulations by Act to see if there are any recent amendments to these regulations filed with our office that are not yet included in this consolidation. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this electronic version, the Registry of Regulations assumes no responsibility for any discrepancies that may have resulted from reformatting. This electronic version is copyright © 2015, Province of Nova Scotia, all rights reserved. It is for your personal use and may not be copied for the purposes of resale in this or any other form.
Nova Scotia Wine Standards Regulations
made under Section 194J of the
Agriculture and Marketing Act
R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 6
O.I.C. 2010-418 (November 16, 2010), N.S. Reg. 170/2010
as amended to O.I.C. 2015-357 (November 24, 2015), N.S. Reg. 358/2015
Table of Contents
Please note: this table of contents is provided for convenience of reference and does not form part of the regulations.
Click here to go to the text of the regulations.
Definitions for Act and regulations
Application of Parts of regulations
Small farm winery registration
Applying for registration as farm winery
Displaying registration at winery
Annual records submitted by wineries
Certification of non-grape crop acreage
Records kept and made available to Board
Records kept and made available to Board or auditor
Suspension and revocation of registration
Content requirements for designation as Nova Scotia wine
Labelling wine designated as Nova Scotia wine
Wines of Nova Scotia designation
Nova Scotia grape content requirements
Botrytized wine category criteria
Vin du curé wine category criteria
Nouveau red wine category criteria
Blanc de noirs wine category criteria
Blanc de blanc wine category criteria
Liqueur wine category criteria
Heritage sparkling wine category criteria
Heritage light sparkling wine category criteria
Prestige cuvée category of wine
Carbonated sparkling wine category criteria
Carbonated light sparkling wine category criteria
Semi-sparkling wine category criteria
Methods of Producing Sparkling Wine
Labelling of sparkling wines produced using carbonation method
Declaring method of production for sparkling wines
Maintaining counter pressure in sparkling wines
Proprietary name on principal display panel
Sugar content and sweetness descriptors
Single-vineyard designated wines
1 These regulations may be cited as the Nova Scotia Wine Standards Regulations.
Definitions for Act and regulations
2 (1) In the Act and these regulations, “winery” is further defined to include any enterprise carried on as a winery, and includes a person or corporation.
(2) In these regulations,
“acreage” includes the head land as specified in the Acreage Certification Standards;
“Acreage Certification Standards” means the published standards approved by the Board for certifying acreage for a winery;
“Act” means the Agriculture and Marketing Act;
“actual alcohol content” means the number of volumes of pure alcohol contained per 100 volumes of product at a temperature of 20°C;
“Brix” is a measurement of the dissolved sucrose-to-fluid-mass ratio expressed as grams of sucrose in 100 g of fluid at a temperature of 20°C, and abbreviated as °Brix;
“cellar audit” means the process by which an auditor determines compliance with content requirements and operating and accounting practices;
“Corporation” means the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation;
“cuvée” means wine or grape must that is in fermentation and that is used in preparing sparkling wine;
“Department” means the Department of Agriculture;
“expedition liqueur” means any product, other than cuvée, added to sparkling wine to enhance flavour or to increase volume;
“finish” means additives that include preservatives necessary to prepare wine or package wine;
“grape juice” means the fermentable liquid that is obtained from pressing fresh grapes or grape must and used for making wine with an actual alcohol content of 1% by volume or less from the juice;
“grape must” means unpressed, unfermented grape juice that may have been in contact with the grape skins, pulp, and seeds;
“grape product” means a product derived from grapes and includes grape juice, grape must and grape wine;
“grape wine” means wine derived exclusively from grapes;
“head land” means the strip of land adjacent to the vines no wider than the maximum space required for farming equipment to turn around at the end of a row of grapes;
“identified crop year” means the calendar year in which the vines bear fruit;
“method of production”, in relation to sparkling wine, means 1 of the following methods used to produce the wine:
(i) traditional method, as described in Section 46,
(ii) charmat method, as described in Section 47,
(iii) transfer method, as described in Section 48,
(iv)carbonation method, as described in Section 49;
Definition of “method of production”, subclause (iv) added: O.I.C. 2011-378, N.S. Reg. 298/2011.
“non-grape wine” means a wine derived from a wine crop other than grapes;
“principal display panel” means the main label on a wine bottle or container that is normally used when displaying the wine to a consumer;
“producer” means the owner and operator of a registered winery that produces wine;
“production facilities” means that part of a winery used for pressing, fermentation, stabilization, filtration, finishing, bottling, aging and testing wine;
“registered farm” means a farm registered under the Farm Registration Act;
“registered winery” means the owner or operator of a winery that is registered under Section 5 or 6, and includes an individual, a partnership or a corporation;
“sweet reserve” means grape must that is unfermented and sterile, and is added to fermented wine to increase sweetness and balance excess acidity;
“tirage liqueur” means a liquid containing sugar and yeast added to a cuvée to provoke a secondary fermentation;
“varietal wine” means a grape wine that is derived from 1 or more specific identifiable varieties of grapes;
“vineyard” means a farm of grapevines where grapes capable of producing wine are grown;
“vintage-dated wine” means a grape wine derived from grapes grown in an identified crop year;
“wine crop” means a crop capable of being produced into wine;
“wine crop lands” means lands producing a wine crop.
Application of Parts of regulations
3 (1) Part 1 of these regulations applies to owners and operators of registered wineries.
(2) Part 2 of these regulations applies to grape wine producers.
4 The following are the categories of wineries that may be registered under these regulations:
(a) farm winery;
(b) small farm winery.
5 The Minister may register a winery as a farm winery if the winery meets all of the following criteria:
(a) it is a registered farm;
(b) it is in compliance with federal, provincial and municipal requirements;
(c) for a grape winery, it has at least 10 certified acres of vineyards within 500 m of the winery’s production facilities,
(d) for a non-grape winery, it has at least 10 certified acres of non-grape wine crop lands;
Clause 5(d) amended: O.I.C. 2015-357, N.S. Reg. 358/2015.
(e) it meets the required standards for acreage certification and content requirements.
Small farm winery registration
6 The Minister may register a winery as a small farm winery if the winery meets all of the following criteria:
(a) for a grape winery, it has at least 2 certified acres of vineyards located within 500 m of the winery’s production facilities;
Clause 6(a) amended: O.I.C. 2015-357, N.S. Reg. 358/2015.
(aa) for a non-grape winery, it has at least 2 certified acres of non-grape wine crop lands;
Clause 6(aa) added: O.I.C. 2015-357, N.S. Reg. 358/2015.
(b) 100% of the grapes produced from the minimum certified acreage required by clause (a) and 100% of the non-grape wine crop produced from the minimum certified acreage in clause (aa) are used to produce wine at the winery;
Clause 6(b) amended: O.I.C. 2015-357, N.S. Reg. 358/2015.
(c) any additional grapes or non-grape wine crops required to produce wine at the winery are purchased or contracted at the ratio of 1 acre for every acre produced by the small farm winery;
Clause 6(c) amended: O.I.C. 2015-357, N.S. Reg. 358/2015.
(d) it meets the standards for acreage certification and content requirements required by these regulations.
Applying for registration as farm winery
7 To apply for registration as a farm winery or a small farm winery, the owner or operator of the winery must submit information on the physical address and location of the proposed winery together with all of the following to the Minister:
(a) a statement of acreage certification form completed by a Board-approved agrologist;
(b) a content compliance form;
(c) the prescribed application fee.
Displaying registration at winery
8 A registered winery must prominently display its registration and any other notices required by the Corporation at its winery.
Annual records submitted by wineries
9 A registered winery must submit all of the following records to the Minister by the date indicated:
(a) a statement of acreage certification form by November 30 of the harvest year; and
(b) a content compliance form by March 31 of the year immediately following the harvest year.
10 A winery’s vineyard acreage may be certified by the Board if all of the following criteria are met for the acreage:
(a) the acreage has a well-maintained trellis system appropriate to the vines grown on the acreage;
(b) vines grown on the acreage are completely pruned by the date specified in the Acreage Certification Standards;
(c) the winery has an effective program for controlling pests, diseases and weeds on the acreage;
(d) there is evidence of ongoing production on the acreage of wine crops capable of producing grapes;
(e) grape crops, other than crops for late harvest wines, on the acreage are harvested by the date specified in the Acreage Certification Standards for the grapes;
(f) the acreage has a production capacity of at least 750 vines per acre, or 1650 vines per hectare.
Certification of non-grape crop acreage
11 A winery’s non-grape crop acreage may be certified by the Board if all of the following criteria are met for the acreage:
(a) the acreage has a well-maintained horticulture system appropriate to the crops grown and in accordance with agriculture best practices;
(b) the winery has an effective program for controlling pests, diseases and weeds on the acreage;
(c) there is evidence of ongoing production on the acreage of non-grape wine crops;
(d) the acreage has a production capacity of non-grape wine crop production on a per acre or hectare basis based on horticultural industry standards and best practices.
Records kept and made available to Board
12 A registered winery must keep any records required by the Minister or the Corporation, including all of the following information about its winery, and make the information available to the Board in a timely manner when requested:
(a) crop and wine production plans;
(b) business plans;
(c) tonnage of wine crop purchased and where the supply originated;
(d) tonnage of wine crop grown and used in producing wine at the winery;
(e) the number of bottles and cases of wine produced, listed according to category and classification of wine;
(f) any third-party audit reports prepared under Section 13.
13 (1) The Board may conduct an audit of a registered winery at its own expense for the purpose of verifying the winery’s records.
(2) The Board may direct a registered winery to carry out an audit of the winery at the winery’s expense and submit an audit report to the Board within a deadline specified by the Board.
(3) An audit report for a registered winery must include all of the following:
(a) reporting and verification of wine varieties produced by the winery;
(b) information on whether the winery complies with the wine content requirements in Section 16 for the wines produced at the winery;
(c) information on whether the winery complies with the applicable wine standards in Part 2 of these regulations for the wines produced at the winery.
(4) All audits must be carried out by an independent third party chosen by the registered winery from a list of Board-approved auditors.
Records kept and made available to Board or auditor
14 A registered winery must keep any information required by the Board, including records of all of the following, and make it available to the Board or to any Board-approved auditor on request:
(a) the varieties and volumes of wine produced at the winery, stipulated by individual tank;
(b) the quantity of wine produced at the winery, measured as required by the Board.
Suspension and revocation of registration
15 (1) If the Board determines that a registered winery has failed to meet or to maintain any requirement of these regulations, the Board may recommend to the Minister that the registered winery’s registration be suspended or revoked.
(2) The Minister may suspend or revoke a registered winery’s registration if recommended by the Board.
Content requirements for designation as Nova Scotia wine
16 (1) The Minister may authorize a registered winery to designate a wine as Nova Scotia wine and label the wine in accordance with Section 17 if the wine meets all of the following criteria:
(a) for grape wines,
(i) at least 85% of the wine content in the bottle is derived from grapes grown in the Province,
(ii) 15% or less of the wine content in the bottle is derived from grapes grown outside the Province but within Canada,
(iii) the wine is made from grapes that meet a minimum level of 15°Brix at harvest,
(iv)the wine meets all the requirements of these regulations.
(b) for non-grape wines, 100% of the contents are derived from non-grape wine products grown in the Province.
(2) The Minister may suspend a registered winery’s authorization under this Section for an identified crop year or revoke the authorization if the criteria in subsection (1) are not maintained.
Labelling wine designated as Nova Scotia wine
17 (1) Subject to subsection (2), a registered winery authorized by the Minister to designate wine as Nova Scotia wine under Section 16 may label the wine with the Nova Scotia Geographical Indicator using the words “Nova Scotia Wine” on the principal display panel.
(2) A registered winery authorized by the Minister to designate wine as Nova Scotia wine under Section 16 must label the wine in accordance with subsection (1) if the wine is designated as 1 of the following categories of wine:
(a) ice wine;
(b) late harvest wines;
(c) botrytized wine;
(d) vin du curé.
Wines of Nova Scotia designation
18 The Minister may authorize a registered winery that is authorized to designate wine as Nova Scotia wine under Section 16 to designate the wine as “Wines of Nova Scotia” if 100% of the wine content is derived from grapes grown in the Province.
19 A registered winery’s annual production of wine must not be more than 3600 L per acre for an identified crop year.
Nova Scotia grape content requirements
20 (1) The following formula must be used to calculate the percentage of local grape content of a wine:
1 T of grapes = 900 L of finished wine
(2) The Board may waive the percentage of local content requirement in subsection (1) if it determines that the requirement cannot be met because of extenuating circumstances.
(3) The Board must conduct a review of any registered winery that fails to meet the percentage of local content in subsection (1), and must consider all of the following in the review:
(a) the percentage of grapes used by the winery for wine production that are grapes grown within the Province;
(b) the winery’s agricultural and production practices, including the results of a recent cellar audit;
(c) the winery’s financial and payment records with the Corporation;
(d) any operations of the winery that the Board considers relevant to the review.
21 All categories of grape wine must be produced exclusively from the complete or partial alcoholic fermentation of fresh grapes, grape juice, or grape must.
22 (1) The categories of grape wine are:
(a) table wine;
(b) ice wine;
(c) botrytized wine;
(d) late harvest wine, including select late harvest wine and special select late harvest wine;
(e) vine du curé;
(f) nouveau red wine;
(g) blanc de noirs;
(h) blanc de blanc;
(i) liqueur wine;
(j) fortified wine;
(k) sparkling wine.
(2) A producer may use 1 of the category designations in subsection (1) on the principal display panel of a wine if the registered winery and the wine meets all of the standards set out in these regulations for the category.
(3) A producer must not use the category designations in subsection (1) on the principal display panel of a wine that does not meet the standards set out in these regulations for the category.
23 A grape wine that meets all of the following criteria may be designated as table wine:
(a) it has an actual alcohol content, achieved by natural fermentation, of 5% to 16% by volume;
(b) 5% to 8.5% of the actual alcohol content is achieved through naturally occurring sugar content;
(c) it is made from grapes that meet a minimum level of 15°Brix at harvest.
24 A registered winery must display the words “wine” or “table wine” on the principal display panel of a grape wine that is designated as table wine.
25 (1) A grape wine that meets all of the following criteria may be designated as ice wine:
(a) it is produced exclusively from grapes grown in the Province that have been harvested while still naturally frozen on the vine at an air temperature of -8°C or lower;
(b) it is processed in accordance with subsection (2);
(c) if produced as a varietal wine, it meets the requirements for the varietal wine.
(2) An ice wine must be produced in accordance with all of the following conditions:
(a) the pressing of grapes must take place in the Province and the grapes must be pressed in a continuous process while the grapes are still frozen;
(b) the grapes, grape juice, grape must and wine must not be artificially refrigerated at any point during the production process except for tank cooling during fermentation or during cold stabilization before the wine is bottled;
(c) after each pressing, the resulting juice must achieve a minimum of 32°Brix when measured after transfer to the fermentation vessel;
(d) the finished wine must be produced from a must that achieves a computed average of at least 35°Brix;
(e) the residual sugar in the wine must not be less than 110 g/L, when the wine is bottled;
(f) the unfermented residual sugar and the actual alcohol remaining in the finished wine must result exclusively from the natural sugar of the grapes.
26 A registered winery must display the words “ice wine” on the principal display panel of a grape wine that is designated as an ice wine.
Botrytized wine category criteria
27 (1) A grape wine that meets all of the following criteria may be designated as botrytized wine:
(a) it is produced in accordance with subsection (2), exclusively from fresh ripe grapes grown in the Province;
(b) a portion of the grapes is affected under natural conditions by the mould botrytis cinerea;
(c) it is produced as a varietal wine;
(d) it has the predominant character of wine made from botrytized grapes.
(2) A botrytized wine must be produced in accordance with all of the following conditions:
(a) the grapes must be naturally harvested on the vine;
(b) after pressing, the resulting juice of a botrytized wine must achieve a minimum of 26°Brix when measured after transfer to the fermentation vessel;
(c) the residual sugar and the actual alcohol content in a finished botrytized wine must result exclusively from the natural sugar of the grapes.
28 (1) A grape wine that is designated as botrytized wine must have 1 of the following together with the words “Noble Rot” displayed on the principal display panel:
(a) “botrytized”;
(b) “botrytis affected”;
(c) “B.A.”.
(2) A registered winery may label a grape wine that is designated as botrytized wine as “totally botrytized”, “totally botrytized [botrytis] affected”, or “B.A.” if, after pressing, the resulting juice achieves a minimum of 34°Brix when measured after transfer to the fermentation vessel.
29 A grape wine that meets all of the following criteria may be designated as late harvest wine, select late harvest [wine] or special select late harvest wine:
(a) it is produced exclusively from fresh ripe grapes grown in the Province that have been desiccated under natural conditions in a way that favours the concentration of sugars in the berries;
(b) it is produced with residual sugar and actual alcohol content resulting exclusively from the natural sugar of the grapes;
(c) it is produced from grapes that are naturally harvested on the vine after achieving a minimum of
(i) for late harvest wine, 22°Brix at harvest,
(ii) for select late harvest wine, 26°Brix at harvest, and
(iii) for special select late harvest wine, 30°Brix at harvest.
Vin du curé wine category criteria
30 A grape wine that meets all of the following criteria may be designated as vin du curé:
(a) it is produced exclusively from fresh grapes grown in the Province that have been naturally harvested on the vine after achieving a minimum of 18°Brix at harvest;
(b) it is produced from grapes that are left to dry after harvest on frames, mats, small boxes or any other similar structure with a perforated bottom in a dry, ventilated place until such time as they achieve a minimum of 30°Brix when measured after transfer to the fermentation vessel;
(c) the residual sugar and the actual alcohol content of the finished wine result exclusively from the natural sugar of the grapes.
Nouveau red wine category criteria
31 A grape wine that meets all of the following criteria may be designated as nouveau red wine:
(a) it is a red wine produced exclusively from fresh grapes that have been naturally harvested on the vine after achieving a minimum of 16°Brix at harvest;
(b) it utilizes the carbonic maceration process.
32 (1) A registered winery must display the word “nouveau” on the principal display panel of a grape wine designated as a nouveau red wine.
(2) If a registered winery displays a grape variety on the principal display panel of a grape wine designated as a nouveau red wine, all of the following specifications for the display must be met:
(a) the display of the word “nouveau” must be directly below or immediately following the names of the grape varieties displayed; and
(b) the letters used for the grape variety must be
(i) at least half the size of the letters used for the word “nouveau”, and
(ii) no larger than the letters used for the word “nouveau”.
Blanc de noirs wine category criteria
33 A grape wine that meets all of the following criteria may be designated as blanc de noirs:
(a) it is produced exclusively from fresh grapes, of which 85% are a red variety;
(b) it is produced from grapes that have been naturally harvested on the vine;
(c) the juice is separated from the skins before fermentation and vinified using processes and treatments suitable for producing white wine.
34 A registered winery must display the words “blanc de noirs” on the principal display panel of a grape wine that is designated as blanc de noirs and all of the following specifications for the display must be met:
(a) the words must be displayed directly above or below the named grape varieties; and
(b) the letters used for the words must be
(i) at least half the size of the letters used to specify the grape varieties, and
(ii) no larger than twice the size of the letters specifying the grape varieties.
Blanc de blanc wine category criteria
35 A grape wine that meets all of the following criteria may be designated as blanc de blanc:
(a) it is produced exclusively from fresh grapes, of which 85% are a white variety;
(b) it is produced from grapes that have been naturally harvested on the vine;
(c) the juice is separated from the skins before fermentation and vinified using processes and treatments suitable for producing white wine.
36 A registered winery must display the words “blanc de blanc” on the principal display panel of a wine that is designated as blanc de blanc and all of the following specifications for the display must be met:
(a) the words must be displayed directly above or below the named grape varieties; and
(b) the letters used for the words must be
(i) at least half the size of the letters specifying the grape varieties, and
(ii) no larger than twice the size of the letters specifying the grape varieties.
Liqueur wine category criteria
37 (1) A grape wine that meets all of the following criteria may be designated as liqueur wine:
(a) it is produced exclusively from the alcoholic fermentation of fresh grapes, grape juice, grape must, or wine;
(b) it has an actual alcohol content of greater than 14.9% but not greater than 22.9% by volume.
(2) A liqueur wine may be labelled as “natural” if the residual sugar in the finished wine results exclusively from the sugar of the grapes.
38 (1) A grape wine that meets all of the following criteria may be designated as fortified wine:
(a) it is produced by adding a grape brandy or spirit derived from the alcoholic fermentation of a food source and distilled to not less than 94% alcohol by volume to wine, or grape juice, or grape must in fermentation;
(b) it has an actual alcohol content of greater than 16% but not greater than 22.9% by volume;
(c) it is produced from grapes that have been naturally harvested on the vine after achieving a minimum of 16°Brix at harvest.
(2) The alcohol volume of fortified table wine must be no greater than 2% above its original actual alcohol content.
Heritage sparkling wine category criteria
39 A grape wine that meets all of the following criteria may be designated as heritage sparkling wine:
(a) it is surcharged with carbon dioxide gas to a pressure of at least 300 kPa at 10°C;
(b) it has an actual alcohol content, including the alcohol contained in any added expedition liqueur, of at least 7.5% by volume;
(c) it derives its effervescence exclusively from a primary or secondary alcoholic fermentation in a closed vessel;
(d) it is produced exclusively using 1 of the following methods:
(i) the traditional method,
(ii) the charmat method,
(iii) the transfer method.
Heritage light sparkling wine category criteria
40 A grape wine that meets all of the following criteria may be designated as heritage light sparkling wine:
(a) it is surcharged with carbon dioxide gas to a pressure of at least 300 kPa at 10°C;
(b) it has an actual alcohol content, including the alcohol contained in any added expedition liqueur, of at least 5.5% but not greater than 7.5% by volume;
(c) it derives its effervescence exclusively from a primary or secondary alcoholic fermentation in a closed vessel;
(d) it is produced exclusively using 1 of the following methods:
(i) the traditional method,
(ii) the charmat method,
(iii) the transfer method.
Prestige cuvée category of wine
41 A grape wine that meets all of the following criteria may be designated as prestige cuvée:
(a) it is surcharged with carbon dioxide gas to a pressure of at least 300 kPa at 10°C;
(b) it has an actual alcohol content, including the alcohol contained in any added expedition liqueur, of at least 7.5% by volume;
(c) it derives its effervescence exclusively from a primary or secondary alcoholic fermentation in a closed vessel;
(d) it is produced exclusively using 1 of the following methods:
(i) the traditional method,
(ii) the charmat method,
(iii) the transfer method;
(e) it is produced from a minimum of 85% juice from first pressing.
Carbonated sparkling wine category criteria
42 A grape wine that meets all of the following criteria may be designated as carbonated sparkling wine:
(a) it is surcharged with carbon dioxide gas to a pressure of at least 300 kPa at 10°C;
(b) it has an actual alcohol content, including the alcohol contained in any added expedition liqueur, of at least 7.5% by volume;
Carbonated light sparkling wine category criteria
43 A grape wine that meets all of the following criteria may be designated as carbonated light sparkling wine:
(a) it is surcharged with carbon dioxide gas to a pressure of at least 300 kPa at 10°C;
(b) it has an actual alcohol content, including the alcohol contained in any added expedition liqueur, of at least 5.5% and not greater than 7.5% by volume;
Semi-sparkling wine category criteria
44 A grape wine that is surcharged with carbon dioxide gas to a pressure of between 100 kPa to 250 kPa at 10°C may be designated as semi-sparkling wine.
45 (1) Tirage liqueur must be produced exclusively from 1 of the following:
(a) grape must;
(b) grape must in fermentation;
(c) wine that is suitable for yielding the same quality sparkling wine as the wine it is added to.
(2) Tirage liqueur may contain any or all of the following:
(a) dried yeasts;
(b) yeasts in wine suspension;
(c) sucrose;
(d) concentrated grape must or rectified concentrated grape must.
Methods of Producing Sparkling Wine
46 The traditional method of producing sparkling wine must be by secondary fermentation in a glass bottle with a capacity of 5 L or less, and must be in accordance with all of the following conditions:
(a) the wine must be separated from its lees by disgorging after a minimum maturation period, on the lees, of
(i) 12 months for vintage-dated wine, or
(ii) 9 months for non-vintage-dated wine;
(b) the finished wine must be sold in the bottle in which the secondary fermentation took place;
Text lettered as clause (e) in original, but relettered as (b) for the purposes of this consolidation.
(c) the wine must not leave the bottle before final corking;
Text lettered as clause (b) in original, but relettered as (c) for the purposes of this consolidation.
(d) the finished wine must be identified on the principal display panel as a varietal wine or a blended wine, as appropriate.
47 The charmat method of producing sparkling wine must be by primary or secondary fermentation in a closed vessel with a capacity of greater than 5 L, and must be in accordance with all of the following conditions:
(a) there must be at least 6 months from the start of the alcoholic fermentation to aging at the undertaking where the wine was made;
(b) the alcoholic fermentation process designed to make the cuvée on the lees must take the following minimum time:
(i) except as provided in clause (b) [subclause (ii)], at least 80 days,
(ii) when fermentation takes place in a tank with a mixer, at least 30 days;
(c) the finished wine must be identified on the principal display panel as a single varietal wine or a blended wine, as appropriate.
48 The transfer method of producing sparkling wine must be by secondary fermentation in a glass bottle with a capacity of 5 L or less, and must be in accordance with all of the following conditions:
(a) the wine must be separated from its lees by disgorging after a minimum maturation period, on the lees, of
(i) 12 months for vintage-dated wine, or
(ii) 9 months for non-vintage-dated wine;
(b) the entire contents must be disgorged without remuage into a tank under pressure, filtered in bulk and re-bottled into a fresh bottle; and
(c) the finished wine must be identified on the principal display panel as a varietal wine or a blended wine, as applicable.
49 The carbonation method of producing sparkling wine must be by injecting carbon dioxide into the wine during bottling, and the wine must be produced as a varietal wine or blended wine.
Labelling of sparkling wines produced using carbonation method
50 A registered winery must not display any of the following information on the principal display panel of a sparkling wine produced using the carbonation method:
(a) grape varieties;
(b) a vintage date.
Declaring method of production for sparkling wines
51 A registered winery must declare the method of production on the principal display panel of a sparkling wine in accordance with the following table:
Method of Production
Acceptable names on label
traditional method
• traditional method
• méthode traditionelle
• classical method
• méthode classique
charmat method
• charmat method
• méthode cuvée close
transfer method
• transfer method
carbonation method
• carbonation method
Maintaining counter pressure in sparkling wines
52 (1) The carbon dioxide contained in a heritage sparkling wine must result exclusively from the alcoholic fermentation of the cuvée from which it was prepared.
(2) For the traditional method, the charmat method and the transfer method, carbon dioxide gas may be used under supervision to maintain counter pressure during the process of racking or the transfer of a finished sparkling wine from a bulk process tank to bottle, as long as the content of carbon dioxide gas contained in the sparkling wine is not increased.
53 A grape wine may be classified by any or all of the following:
(a) vintage;
(b) variety;
(c) sugar content and sweetness.
54 (1) All varietal wines must be classified by identified crop year, except for sparkling, fortified and liqueur wines.
(2) At least 85% of a grape wine must be derived from grapes grown in the same identified crop year.
(3) Cuvée that is made up of less than the minimum percentage required by subsection (2) must be labelled as non-vintage.
(4) A sweet reserve from the same vintage that is added to a grape wine must be included in calculating the percentage required by subsection (2).
55 (1) At least 85% of a single-variety wine must be made from 1 grape variety.
(2) At least 90% of a dual-variety wine must be made from 2 grape varieties, with neither variety making up less than 15% of the total.
(3) At least 95% of a triple-variety wine must be made from 3 grape varieties, with 2 of the varieties being at least 15%, and one of the varieties making up at least 10% of the total.
(4) A sweet reserve that is added to a varietal wine must be included in the calculation of a wine’s content under this Section.
56 (1) A registered winery may display the variety of a wine on the principal display panel of a grape wine that meets the criteria for classification as a single-variety, dual-variety or triple-variety wine in Section 55, and all of the following specifications for the display must be met:
(a) the grape varieties must be listed on the principal display panel in descending order of quantity, in lettering that is identical in size, typeface and colour;
(b) the grape varieties must be displayed immediately before or after the Nova Scotia wine designation with no words or symbols written between the named varieties and the Nova Scotia wine designation.
(2) A description of a grape variety may be added after the name of the grape variety on a principal display panel under subsection (1), if the description is accurate and would not reasonably confuse a consumer as to the proper name of the grape variety.
Proprietary name on principal display panel
57 (1) Subject to subsection (2), a proprietary name may be displayed on the principal display panel of a grape wine.
(2) A proprietary name displayed on the principal display panel of a varietal wine may only be displayed using letters that are no larger than 3 times the size of the letters used to designate the grape varieties.
Sugar content and sweetness descriptors
58 The sweetness descriptors permitted on the principal display panel and the limits of sugar content shown for the various wine categories are as set out in the following table:
Sweetness Descriptors
Residual Sugar Level
Total Acid Level (calculated as tartaric acid)
Table wines
Dry (sec)
a) not more than 5 g/L, or
b) total acid plus 2 but not more than 9 g/L
at least 4 g/L
Semi-dry (off-dry; demi-sec)
a) more than 5 g/L but not more than 12 g/L, or
b) total acid plus 10 but not more than 18 g/L
at least 4 g/L
Medium dry (semi-sweet; demi-doux)
more than 12 g/L but not more than 45 g/L
at least 4 g/L
Sweet (doux)
more than 45 g/L
at least 4 g/L
Fortified and liqueur wines
Dry (sec)
not more than 30 g/L
at least 4 g/L
Medium dry (semi-dry; demi-sec)
more than 30 g/L but not more than 65 g/L
at least 4 g/L
Sweet (doux)
more than 45 g/L
at least 4 g/L
Sparkling wines
Natural brut (naturel)
not more than 15 g/L and no sweetener in the dosage
at least 4 g/L
Brut
not more than 15 g/L
at least 4 g/L
Extra dry (extra sec)
more than 15 g/L but not more than 25 g/L
at least 4 g/L
Dry (sec)
more than 25 g/L but not more than 35 g/L
at least 4 g/L
Medium dry (semi-dry) (demi-sec)
more than 35 g/L but not more than 50 g/L
at least 4 g/L
Sweet (doux)
more than 50 g/L
at least 4 g/L
Ice wines
Sweet (doux)
more than 110 g/L
at least 6.5 g/L
Single-vineyard designated wines
59 A producer may designate a grape wine as a single-vineyard wine and display the designation on the principal display panel if all of the following conditions are met:
(a) at least 85% of the wine is from grapes grown on the designated vineyard;
(b) the remaining 15% or less of the wine is from grapes grown in the Province.
60 (1) In this Section, “controlled by” in relation to the land a winery is located on means that the land is under the terms of a lease or other agreement of at least 10 years’ duration, and the winery has a legal right to perform, and does perform, all of the acts common to viticulture on the property, and includes land used by members of a cooperative winery to grow grapes.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (3), a producer may designate a grape wine as estate-bottled wine or estate-grown wine if all of the following conditions are met:
(a) at least 85% of the grapes used to produce the wine are grown on land owned or controlled by the winery;
(b) 15% or less of the grapes used to produce the wine are grown in the Province;
(c) the winery has done all of the following onsite:
(i) harvested and crushed the grapes,
(ii) fermented the resulting must,
(iii) finished and aged the wine.
(3) During the first 2 years of the term of a lease or other agreement referred to in subsection (1), a winery must not designate any of the wine from the land controlled under the lease as estate-bottled wine or estate-grown wine.
61 A registered winery must not use words other than “estate bottled” or “estate grown” on a principal display panel of a wine designated as estate-bottled wine or estate-grown wine under Section 60.
62 (1) Unless otherwise prohibited by these regulations, a registered winery may put additives in grape wine only when done in accordance with the Food and Drugs Act (Canada).
(2) Except as provided in subsection (4)[(3)], a person must not add water to a Nova Scotia wine during any stage of production.
Text numbered as subsection (3) in original, but renumbered as (2) for the purposes of this consolidation.
(3) Dissolving oenological substances in water is permitted to the degree to which the water is an essential element for proper use of the substances.
Text numbered as subsection (4) in original, but renumbered as (3) for the purposes of this consolidation.
63 (1) In this Section, “chaptalization” means the process of adding sugar to fresh grapes, grape juice or grape must before or during fermentation to increase sweetness, offset excess acidity or raise the actual alcohol content of a finished wine.
(2) Subject to subsection (3), chaptalization is permitted for all grape wines authorized to be designated as Nova Scotia wines under Section 16 unless otherwise prohibited by these regulations.
(3) Chaptalization of table wine is limited to 76.5 g of sugar (dry basis) per litre of juice or 4.5% alcohol by volume.
Subsection 63(3) amended: O.I.C. 2011-378, N.S. Reg. 298/2011.