Tuesday, July 24, 2012


BENJAMIN BRIDGE SPARKLING HEADS TO LONDON'S 2012 OLYMPICS

July 24, 2012 (Gaspereau Valley, Nova Scotia) – Benjamin Bridge is delighted to announce that its 2008 Benjamin Bridge Méthode Classique Rosé was selected as one of two Canadian sparkling wines to promote and celebrate Canada's best at the London 2012 Summer Olympics.

Canada's High Commissioner in London England will be hosting Olympic receptions and dinners throughout the Summer Games to showcase the best of Canada. About 20 wines, and only two sparkling wines, were selected by Janet Dorozynski, Ph.D., Global Practice Lead with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade who oversees a program which assists Canadian Embassies to serve and promote Canadian wine, and works with companies to develop export market strategies. She explained:

"London is an important market for Canadian wine and is particularly important in terms of exposure to world-renowned authorities in the global wine industry like Jancis Robinson, Master of Wine, and Tom Stevenson, the world's leading authority on Champagne...We want to showcase our very best, and Benjamin Bridge is clearly one of our very best...to promote investment in Canada."

Founder and co-owner of the winery, Gerry McConnell, said:

"We're excited and honoured to be selected as one of only two sparkling wines from Canada to be served during the Olympics...it's truly a testament to the quality of the wines we've been producing at Benjamin Bridge since we began just a little over ten years ago. And the exposure this brings for not only Benjamin Bridge but also the emerging reputation for Nova Scotia wines overall...is terrific."

Benjamin Bridge completed the bottling of its 2011 vintage sparkling wines last week. McConnell said: "Of the 16,000 bottles we cellared last week, all of which were produced from 100% vinifera grapes, about half are sparkling rosé and of exceptional quality according to Raphaël..." Raphaël Brisbois, former chef de cave for the legendary Piper Heidsieck, who together with lead wine consultant, Peter J. Gamble, and resident winemaker, Jean-Benoit Deslauriers are responsible for crafting Benjamin Bridge's nationally acclaimed Méthode Classique sparklings.

A very limited supply of the 2008 Benjamin Bridge Méthode Classique Rosé remains available for sale at private wine stores and select NSLC stores.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Today we thought that we would let our website visitors speak for us

Shelly says it all:
The Wines of Canada website was a delight to discover! Listing all the Wine Regions across Canada, it offers insight into wine terms, Grapes, Wine standards, Ice Wines, Mead Wines, the history of wine in Canada dating back to prohibition, Early Pioneers and "the beginning." An In-depth Tourism section; Where to Dine, Stay, and play Golf! It offers an FAQ section, Wine 101, Wine and your Health, Cooking with Wine, Enjoying Wine and Cheese and Wine. Types of Wine from Organic, Kosher, Fruit, Meads (Honey Wine), Sparkling, Icewine and more. Read about the Scoring System for Wines and what the numbers mean! Check out the Winemaking Calendar! WOC has renowned writers; John Schreiner, Fred Couch, and Robert Bell the developer of WOC. If that isn't enough, Wines of Canada website includes Wine Towns, Winery links, Maps, Tourism links, Awards, a list of cellared wines, constellation wines, a gallery and yes, a Sitemap! Has anyone tried Gimli Goose Sparkling Wine? I just had to "slide" that in. What is truly refreshing about WOC? It is not sponsored by the Gov of Canada, or any wineries or wine associations. Page sponsoring is available and I would strongly suggest it as it will increase your sales. It is a demanding task maintaining the WOC website with over 500 wineries, it is timely and costly. I have written this to bring this to the attention for all my " wine loving" friends and a big thank you to Robert Bell. Happy wine tasting! 

Author and researcher  Robert Murray wrote
Wines of Canada is a great site to promote provincial wines to the world and to acknowledge special individuals connected to the wine industry.


Chris Hawes winemaker Bear River Winery Nova Scotia
"Your site is the "go to" spot for Canadian Winery information.
You have done a great job promoting wineries coast to coast
."
Midge Wyse
Burrowing Owl Estate Winery
Your web site gets better all the time and thanks for sending new updates and reminding us to have a look. I must really commend your efforts to identify the different viticultural areas (Black Sage, Golden Mile etc.) and you have done a great job of including everyone. I'm also very impressed with your updates on sub regions and your descriptions of the corresponding terroir.

WinesOfCanada.com - Bob Bell's Wines of Canada is a unique information source for almost all Canadian wineries, including the lesser known gems in Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. It also has lots of stories about his "wine country" trips and articles of interest related to the Canadian wine industry.
I-wine Review

I'm a freelance writer, writing an article on organic wines for a popular magazine. I found your website to be very informative and accessible, more so than any other website I have found regarding organic winemaking in Canada .
Kate Zimmerman

Hi Bob,
Your web site is really lovely, I still can't get that you are allowing free advertizing, for these companies that are making a bomb, and you are assisting them, with your unique way of showing THIER PRODUCTS. YOU WILL HAVE TO EXPLAIN THAT TO ME AT

With great respect for all your work,
Regards Jean xxx

what do you thin visit us at www.winesofcanada.com
Almost twenty years ago we began boasting about Canada's wines and our winemakers keep proving us correct.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Its the Attitude that Counts

It is easier to get a customer to enter your store the first time, than it is to get them to return
The number one reasons customer fail to return is not the companies product. Its the attitude of the  individual dealing with the customer. Yes the number one reason people fail to purchase or fail to return is a poor attitude display by the person they dealt with.

Recently my wife and  I drove a friend to the airport for 6 Am. We decided to visit a once popular restaurant for breakfast.  Upon parking in fron of the resturant we were suprised how few cars were in the parking lot.  Upon entering the  dinning room it did not take long to realize why.

There was no restaurant person in sight. We waited about four minutes before calling out.
Three times I called before a sleepy waitress appeared she spoke not a word as she walked slowly towards us.  Upon reaching us she said "two"  then lead us to a booth. Not  a smile or a pleasant word, just a bored I don't want to be here look. I want to leave.

The next day we found ourself been taken out for lunch and having a simliar experience in a very popular  restuarant chain.  This time it was a member of the management team.  Thankfully the waitress was bright and cheerful.
We have on too many occasions experience the I don't give a dam that your here attitude from staff at wineries. So many wineries depend upon the tourist business and sells generated by having a tasting room. Better make sure the person tending your business has an attitude that will impress the customer. One that invites them to return.