Lightfoot & Wolfville

About Lightfoot & Wolfville

Lightfoot & Wolfville is an organic and Demeter-certified biodynamic farm winery located in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia on Canada’s Atlantic coast.
While our journey in wine growing first began in 2009 with the initial planting of grapevines, our family’s farming roots go back eight generations in the Annapolis Valley - four generations on our current home farm land where the winery sits today. Our focus is on cool-climate wines that speak of their origin, including traditional method sparkling wines, aromatic whites, and classically styled Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Situated in close proximity to the Minas Basin and the world’s highest tides, cool breezes and excellent temperature moderation help create wines with great distinction.

Representative Biography

Josh Horton, Winemaker

Josh Horton - Lightfoot & Wolfville Head Winemaker - grew up in Avonport, mere steps from where Lightfoot & Wolfville’s Oak Island Vineyard is located today. Agriculture is in his blood and has shaped his life tremendously. Several summers spent in the family garden and on his Grandfather’s farm gave him the foundations for an early career in horticulture and later viticulture.
After nearly a decade in the landscaping industry, Josh helped the Lightfoot family plant their first vineyard in 2009. Shortly thereafter, with a burgeoning passion for a career in grapes and wine, Josh completed the Winery & Viticulture Technician program at Niagara College, completing several vintages in Niagara and back home in Nova Scotia.
Returning to Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards full-time in 2014, Josh has fulfilled the role of Head Winemaker ever since. A true farmer, meticulous viticulturist, and passionate “winegrower”, Josh believes great fruit is necessary to create fine wine.

Why We're Cool

The Chardonnay program at Lightfoot & Wolfville is entirely rooted in a well evolved recognition of the Annapolis Valley’s tremendous potential for the production of classic, cool climate wines. The region’s first generation accolades have been garnered by the creation of very fine method traditionelle sparkling wines and, particularly in the cooler vintages, they possess a finesse, and a brilliance and clarity of flavour, that can only be achieved in very cool climate regions.

At Lightfoot & Wolfville we’re continuing that tradition with the production of a line of classic method sparklings that includes a 100% Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs. But additionally, on two specific vineyards that capture the warming influences that moderate the hilly slopes on the edge of the minas basin, we’re passionate about making great chardonnay (and pinot noir) inspired by the Burgundian paradigm. With heat units that can edge up to the historic range of Chablis and the Cote D’or, we’ve developed viticultural practices - - biodynamic and organic - - that optimize the flavour development in our finest, low-cropped blocks of chardonnay. Excellent exposure, particularly fine soil drainage and incessant saltwater breezes combine with natural airflow to create conditions that are remarkably conducive to the growing of vibrant, distinctive and full-flavoured Chardonnay grapes.

With guidance from international winemaking consultant Peter Gamble, our winemaking team then employs a traditional Burgundian winemaking regimen. Hand-harvested grapes of balanced ripeness are whole-cluster pressed and proceed to indigenous barrel fermentations in fine French oak, with primaries often extending through the winter and malolactic fermentations that can continue through the next harvest. Every effort is taken to ensure that the resulting wines show the traits of their particular terroir; just as over-ripening is shunned, so too is over-handling and over-oaking. Time in the cellar, resting on fine lees, is fundamental to attaining depth and finesse, but only a small percentage of our barrel stock is new wood.