When Dr. Jonathan Murray and his wife Lesley first came to Nova Scotia, in 2003, they wanted to get into the grape growing industry. He asked around and joined the Grape Growers Association of Nova Scotia.

Knowing nothing about growing grapes he found that everyone has their own way of doing things; from the choice of grape to the method of pruning to the trellis system. He was utterly confused so he thought that there was a place for neophyte growers to learn the business. He founded the Annapolis Valley Institute for Education of Wine.

In the Institution, seminars are held to educate which land is suitable for grape growing (as we have seen in recent years the slope does not need to be south facing); which grapes to choose to grow; how to look after them; how to make the wine and how to appreciate it. These are informal hands-on courses designed to encourage the general interest in the burgeoning wine industry of Nova Scotia and maintain or improve the present high quality of the wines.

The Annapolis Valley Institute for the Education of Wine will host various seminars during the year such as; cooking with wine, wine education, wine making, growing grapes, wine and food combinations, tasting wines and a series of monthly guest speakers. The building, a 19th century 5 bedroom farm house has been completely renovated to house the institute, complete with several meeting rooms, a wine library and a large deck on the second floor that provide an outstanding vista of the Acadian Dykes. A beautiful place to enjoy a glass of wine.