The Story of Petite Rivière Vineyards
Destination Winery
Petite Rivière Vineyards is a destination winery in the LaHave River Valley Wine Region on the south shore of Nova Scotia. Its winery location is idyllic, serene and located within 5-miles of three of the province’s most beautiful beaches. The setting is picturesque; French designed winery with large terrace overlooking the vineyards. You would think you were in Provence!
Petite Rivière Vineyards relies on the unique terroir of one of the oldest grape growing regions in North America to make distinctive wines. The winery is known province-wide for the quality of its reds.
Quality & Distinction
Petite Rivière relies on the quality and distinction of its terroir to produce fine wines which are uncomplicated and approachable. The wines are grown in the vineyard, not manufactured in the cellar. The unique features of the terroir, the rocky soil, the slate in the stone, the ocean breeze and the vineyard's micro climate each contribute to wines that are distinct within Nova Scotia.
A Picturesque Setting
Petite Rivière has two separate vineyards—St. Mary’s Vineyard and Harmon’s Hill. The Harmon Hill Vineyard was first developed and planted in 1994. The St. Mary’s vineyard was first developed in 1999. The winery building was constructed between 2000-2002 and opened to the public in 2004 overlooking both vineyards.
The Winery building is a picturesque setting for wine tastings and events, such as parties, weddings, art shows, corporate outings and everyday picnics. Petite Rivière Vineyards also hosts concerts in the summer, where very talented Canadian and Nova Scotian artists put on memorable performances. If you're looking to learn about Petite's wines and history in more depth, winery and vineyard tours are run every Wednesday through Sunday during the months of May-October.
Terroir
Petite Rivière Vineyards is a destination winery in Nova Scotia’s South Shore wine country. It is the one of oldest wine growing region in North America with vineyards dating back to the 1630’s.
The area has a unique terroir framed by the Lunenburg County’s rocky soil and the long growing season enhanced by the ocean’s Gulf Stream. It is ideal for making bold fruity wines. Petite, as it is called by its customers, is most famous for its Reds.
The area is a unique grape growing region due to the terroir which features drumlin topography. The LaHave River Valley is dotted with hundreds of small oval hills called drumlins. These drumlins are composed of sand, gravel, and, broken slate which has excellent internal drainage. This is one of the distinctive terroir features which makes the region an idyllic location for vineyards.
