News & Events

Head Winemaker, Gina Haverstock named 2024 Karl Kaiser Canadian Winemaker Award recipient

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

We are pleased to announce that our head winemaker, Gina Haverstock has been named the 2024 recipient of the Wine Growers of Canada (WGC) Karl Kaiser Canadian Winemaker Award. She is the first winemaker outside of British Columbia and Ontario to win and the first female winner. This prestigious accolade is a testament to Gina's remarkable contributions to the Canadian wine industry and her exceptional skills in winemaking.

The WGC Karl Kaiser Canadian Winemaker Award is presented annually by Wine Growers Canada to an individual who demonstrates outstanding leadership in winemaking, serves as a mentor to peers, and dedicates significant time and energy toward advancing winemaking excellence. The award is named in memory of Karl Kaiser, a visionary and one of the pioneers of the modern Canadian wine industry, he was the co-founder and former winemaker at Inniskillin Estate Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake. 

This recognition places Haverstock among the ranks of Canada's most respected winemakers. "To be associated with such accomplished individuals and to receive an award in memory of Karl Kaiser himself is truly humbling," said Gina Haverstock. "This award is not just a personal milestone but a testament to the collaborative spirit and hard work of our entire team," she emphasized.

Highlighting the significance of this achievement, Gina noted, "This is the first time the award has been given to a winemaker outside of British Columbia and Ontario, shining a spotlight on the burgeoning Nova Scotia wine industry." She expressed her pride in being part of a community that is collectively building a legacy in Nova Scotia, a region she describes as her dream workplace for winemaking.

"We are incredibly proud of Gina and her accomplishments. Her passion, dedication, and innovative spirit embody the essence of excellence we strive for at our wineries," said owner, Carl Sparkes “Her work contributes to the ongoing success and reputation of the Canadian wine industry as a whole”.

The award was formally presented to Gina Haverstock during the joint WGC-WGBC Awards Ceremony on March 12th, held in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia. The event, attended by esteemed wineries from across Canada, is a highlight for the industry, celebrating excellence and innovation in Canadian winemaking.

Mercator Tidal Bay Awarded 2022 Lieutenant Governor's Award for Excellence in Nova Scotia Wine

Thursday, July 28, 2022

We are delighted to announce that our 2021 Mercator Tidal Bay has been awarded a 2022 Lieutenant Governor's Award for Excellence in Nova Scotia Wine at a ceremony at Government House in Halifax on July 28th.
 
We are incredibly proud of our Head Winemaker, Gina Haverstock and her Devonian Coast Wineries team for creating a Tidal Bay that has received so many awards this year. Our winery is very honoured to receive such a prestigious accolade and we would like to congratulate our fellow Lieutenant Governor's Award winners Avondale Sky Winery, Domaine de Grand Pré and Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards⁠.
 
The award, established by former Lieutenant-Governor J.J. Grant in 2014, recognizes the exceptional quality of locally sourced and produced wines, and honours the dedication and craft of those in Nova Scotia's wine industry.
 
“I am proud of the quality of wine produced in Nova Scotia. It has been wonderful to watch the industry grow and contribute to the local economy,” said Lt.-Gov. Arthur J. LeBlanc. “The winemakers outdid themselves this year, demonstrating passion, innovation and pride.”
 
Through blind tastings an independent panel of 11 experts chose the following wines as the best among the wines submitted:
- 2013 Blanc de Noir Extra Brut, Avondale Sky Winery⁠
- Riesling Sparkling, NV, Domaine de Grand Pré
- 2015 Blanc de Noirs, Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards⁠
- 2021 Tidal Bay, Mercator Vineyards⁠
 
“In total, there were 34 wines submitted by 14 wineries in this year’s competition. A panel of 11 independent wine judges convened for a blind tasting to assess the wines.” Said a spokesperson for the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. “As in the previous years, the quality of the submissions from Nova Scotia winemakers was very high, which made the scoring very tight. The judges were most impressed with all submissions and agree that (the winning wines) significantly contribute to the growing reputation of the industry in Nova Scotia.”  
 
The award ceremony included the presentation of a certificate and gold medal to each winning winery.   
 
Photo courtesy of Lieutenant Governor's Office

Tidal Bays Win Gold at 2022 International Canned Wine Competition

Thursday, August 4, 2022

We're pleased to announce that both our 2021 Mercator Tidal Bay and our sister winery's 2021 Gaspereau Tidal Bay have received gold awards in the 2022 International Canned Wine Competition.

Congratulations to our winemaking team lead by Head Winemaker, Gina Haverstock. We are so proud of the Devonian Coast team who has again demonstrated their knowledge and skill in creating two wines that each showcase the Tidal Bay style but also demonstrate the unique terroir of the different vineyards. 

Try them both and discover the difference. Mercator’s Tidal Bay is refined and subtle, reflecting the overarching style that Mercator wines encompass. It expresses delicate notes of lemon curd and apple with nuances of spice and minerality. Gaspereau's is an aromatic-driven white with floral notes and tropical fruit along with a minerality and brightness that persists throughout the entire tasting experience. 

Thank you to Allan Green, Competition Director and this year’s panel of judges Robert Williams Jr., PhD., Dan Berger, Brielle Buckler Jonathan Cristaldi, Dennis Doorakkers, Brooke Martin, Ali Nemo, Laura Ness, and Greg Richtarek. Like you, we believe canned wine done well is certainly something to celebrate!

Double Gold for Mercator Reserve Marquette

Friday, June 17, 2022

We are thrilled to announce that our Reserve Marquette has been awarded a Double Gold in the 2022 All Canadian Wine Championships. 
 
This Reserve Marquette is made from two vintages in the Appassimento method (dried grapes). 2019 was cool and produced vibrant wines. 2020 was warm and dry and produced concentrated wines. Drying Marquette grapes in both of these vintages produced very different yet successful results, however, the optimal balance and expression of our Reserve Marquette was achieved by blending these two distinctly different vintages together.
 
Come sample our Reserve Marquette yourself as part of our Forerunner Flight, Mercator Experience Flight and our Chocolate Pairing Flight.
 
Thank you to our Head Winemaker Gina Haverstock, Becca Griffin and the whole winemaking team. Congratulations to all of our fellow award-winning Canadian wineries.

Two Mercator Vineyards wines awarded The Lieutenant Governor's Awards for Excellence in Nova Scotia Wine

Friday, September 10, 2021

We are thrilled to announce that both Mercator Vineyard's 2010 Fortified Castel and Passito Muscat have been awarded the 2021 Lieutenant Governor's Award for Excellence in Nova Scotia Wine. Both are small lot wines, carefully crafted and rare enough that they are currently available in-store only at Mercator Vineyard's winery boutique. 

We couldn’t be more proud of Gina Haverstock, Becca Griffin and the whole winemaking team at our sister winery for receiving 2 gold medals this year. It is truly an honour to receive this prestigious award and we would like to congratulate all the award winners.

Photo courtesy of Communications Nova Scotia

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

We are pleased to announce that our head winemaker, Gina Haverstock has been named the 2024 recipient of the Wine Growers of Canada (WGC) Karl Kaiser Canadian Winemaker Award. She is the first winemaker outside of British Columbia and Ontario to win and the first female winner. This prestigious accolade is a testament to Gina's remarkable contributions to the Canadian wine industry and her exceptional skills in winemaking.

The WGC Karl Kaiser Canadian Winemaker Award is presented annually by Wine Growers Canada to an individual who demonstrates outstanding leadership in winemaking, serves as a mentor to peers, and dedicates significant time and energy toward advancing winemaking excellence. The award is named in memory of Karl Kaiser, a visionary and one of the pioneers of the modern Canadian wine industry, he was the co-founder and former winemaker at Inniskillin Estate Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake. 

This recognition places Haverstock among the ranks of Canada's most respected winemakers. "To be associated with such accomplished individuals and to receive an award in memory of Karl Kaiser himself is truly humbling," said Gina Haverstock. "This award is not just a personal milestone but a testament to the collaborative spirit and hard work of our entire team," she emphasized.

Highlighting the significance of this achievement, Gina noted, "This is the first time the award has been given to a winemaker outside of British Columbia and Ontario, shining a spotlight on the burgeoning Nova Scotia wine industry." She expressed her pride in being part of a community that is collectively building a legacy in Nova Scotia, a region she describes as her dream workplace for winemaking.

"We are incredibly proud of Gina and her accomplishments. Her passion, dedication, and innovative spirit embody the essence of excellence we strive for at our wineries," said owner, Carl Sparkes “Her work contributes to the ongoing success and reputation of the Canadian wine industry as a whole”.

The award was formally presented to Gina Haverstock during the joint WGC-WGBC Awards Ceremony on March 12th, held in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia. The event, attended by esteemed wineries from across Canada, is a highlight for the industry, celebrating excellence and innovation in Canadian winemaking.

Thursday, July 28, 2022

We are delighted to announce that our 2021 Mercator Tidal Bay has been awarded a 2022 Lieutenant Governor's Award for Excellence in Nova Scotia Wine at a ceremony at Government House in Halifax on July 28th.
 
We are incredibly proud of our Head Winemaker, Gina Haverstock and her Devonian Coast Wineries team for creating a Tidal Bay that has received so many awards this year. Our winery is very honoured to receive such a prestigious accolade and we would like to congratulate our fellow Lieutenant Governor's Award winners Avondale Sky Winery, Domaine de Grand Pré and Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards⁠.
 
The award, established by former Lieutenant-Governor J.J. Grant in 2014, recognizes the exceptional quality of locally sourced and produced wines, and honours the dedication and craft of those in Nova Scotia's wine industry.
 
“I am proud of the quality of wine produced in Nova Scotia. It has been wonderful to watch the industry grow and contribute to the local economy,” said Lt.-Gov. Arthur J. LeBlanc. “The winemakers outdid themselves this year, demonstrating passion, innovation and pride.”
 
Through blind tastings an independent panel of 11 experts chose the following wines as the best among the wines submitted:
- 2013 Blanc de Noir Extra Brut, Avondale Sky Winery⁠
- Riesling Sparkling, NV, Domaine de Grand Pré
- 2015 Blanc de Noirs, Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards⁠
- 2021 Tidal Bay, Mercator Vineyards⁠
 
“In total, there were 34 wines submitted by 14 wineries in this year’s competition. A panel of 11 independent wine judges convened for a blind tasting to assess the wines.” Said a spokesperson for the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. “As in the previous years, the quality of the submissions from Nova Scotia winemakers was very high, which made the scoring very tight. The judges were most impressed with all submissions and agree that (the winning wines) significantly contribute to the growing reputation of the industry in Nova Scotia.”  
 
The award ceremony included the presentation of a certificate and gold medal to each winning winery.   
 
Photo courtesy of Lieutenant Governor's Office

Thursday, August 4, 2022

We're pleased to announce that both our 2021 Mercator Tidal Bay and our sister winery's 2021 Gaspereau Tidal Bay have received gold awards in the 2022 International Canned Wine Competition.

Congratulations to our winemaking team lead by Head Winemaker, Gina Haverstock. We are so proud of the Devonian Coast team who has again demonstrated their knowledge and skill in creating two wines that each showcase the Tidal Bay style but also demonstrate the unique terroir of the different vineyards. 

Try them both and discover the difference. Mercator’s Tidal Bay is refined and subtle, reflecting the overarching style that Mercator wines encompass. It expresses delicate notes of lemon curd and apple with nuances of spice and minerality. Gaspereau's is an aromatic-driven white with floral notes and tropical fruit along with a minerality and brightness that persists throughout the entire tasting experience. 

Thank you to Allan Green, Competition Director and this year’s panel of judges Robert Williams Jr., PhD., Dan Berger, Brielle Buckler Jonathan Cristaldi, Dennis Doorakkers, Brooke Martin, Ali Nemo, Laura Ness, and Greg Richtarek. Like you, we believe canned wine done well is certainly something to celebrate!

Friday, June 17, 2022

We are thrilled to announce that our Reserve Marquette has been awarded a Double Gold in the 2022 All Canadian Wine Championships. 
 
This Reserve Marquette is made from two vintages in the Appassimento method (dried grapes). 2019 was cool and produced vibrant wines. 2020 was warm and dry and produced concentrated wines. Drying Marquette grapes in both of these vintages produced very different yet successful results, however, the optimal balance and expression of our Reserve Marquette was achieved by blending these two distinctly different vintages together.
 
Come sample our Reserve Marquette yourself as part of our Forerunner Flight, Mercator Experience Flight and our Chocolate Pairing Flight.
 
Thank you to our Head Winemaker Gina Haverstock, Becca Griffin and the whole winemaking team. Congratulations to all of our fellow award-winning Canadian wineries.

Friday, September 10, 2021

We are thrilled to announce that both Mercator Vineyard's 2010 Fortified Castel and Passito Muscat have been awarded the 2021 Lieutenant Governor's Award for Excellence in Nova Scotia Wine. Both are small lot wines, carefully crafted and rare enough that they are currently available in-store only at Mercator Vineyard's winery boutique. 

We couldn’t be more proud of Gina Haverstock, Becca Griffin and the whole winemaking team at our sister winery for receiving 2 gold medals this year. It is truly an honour to receive this prestigious award and we would like to congratulate all the award winners.

Photo courtesy of Communications Nova Scotia