Category Archives: Sparkling Wine

Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, Sparkling Wine, Frizzante, etc.,

NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING WINERY BALANCE BRUT RIESLING, NV, Traditional Method, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada

09 Sunday Aug 2020

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Highly Recommended, Niagara College Teaching Winery, Non LCBO Wine, Sparkling Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding, Winery Review Series

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Cost: $26.95
Grape: Riesling
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Region, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Niagara College Teaching Winery
Alcohol:  12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Could this be the best traditional made Riesling sparkling wine in Canada? Well, I don’t know as I’ve never tasted every one of them, but in the ones that I have & lets include Blanc de Blancs sparkling wines in general & further add that’s it’s under $27, this is definitely one of the best. Score: 93/100

Tasting Note: Straw with a green ting in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a medium intense nose & a fairly long length on the finish. Wine features lime, green apples, pear & limestone.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: I just love the colour coding labels the Teaching Winery is using for their sparkling wines.

Pairings: Drink now or over the next 7-9 of years on its own or pair it with cucumber gazpacho, especially the one from the Teaching Winery food truck’s chef; Tarun makes.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick

Tasted: August 9, 2020

NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING WINERY TRADITIONAL METHOD ROSÉ, NV, VQA Niagara-On-The-Lake, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada

02 Sunday Aug 2020

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Highly Recommended, Niagara College Teaching Winery, Non LCBO Wine, Sparkling Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding, Winery Review Series

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Cost: $28.95
Grape: Pinot Noir & Chardonnay
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara-On-The-Lake, Niagara Region, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Niagara College Teaching Winery
Alcohol:  12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Niagara College Teaching Winery winemaker; Gavin Robertson, has outdid himself with his new traditional method Rosé sparkling wine, & I am putting it as one of Canada’s top Rosé sparkling wines that I have the pleasure of tasting.

Tasting Note: Pale salmon in colour with a fine mouse, good acidity, a medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. Wine features light yeast, strawberry, red apples, pear, kiwi & hazelnut.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: The Teaching Winery now has 4 sparkling wines (Blanc de Blancs, Brut, Rosé & Riesling. The Riesling sparkling I will be reviewing next Sunday), & I love the colour labeling of all 4 wines.

Pairings: Drink now or over the next 5-7 years on its own or pair it with Cajun spiced fries, especially made by the Teaching Winery chef; Tarun, from his food truck now on the premise serving excellent food.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick

Score: 95/100

Tasted: August 2, 2020

ANTHONIJI RUPERT L’OMARINS BLANC DE BLANCS 2013, Méthode Cap Classique, Western Cape, South Africa

27 Monday Jul 2020

Posted by in Best Buys, Highly Recommended, Sparkling Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

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Cost: $24.95
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: South Africa
Region: Western Cape
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Anthonij Rupert Wyne
Alcohol:  12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

A delightful vintage Blanc de Blancs that is lip-smacking taut, zesty & crisp with fresh fruits & some stone minerality. If this was made in Champagne the cost would be 3 times as high.

Tasting Note: Medium straw in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a medium+ intense nose & a long length on the finish. Wine features lemon zest, pink grapefruit, pear, green apple, peach, orange & sandstone.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Love the classic label & bottle etching.

Pairings: Drink now or over the next 10 years on its own or pair it with seared pork chops with spicy peach sauce.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick & Best Buy

Tasted: July 26, 2020

LCBO: 15681

GRUET SPARKLING BRUT ROSÉ NV, Méthode Champenoise, New Mexico, United States of America

19 Sunday Jul 2020

Posted by in Highly Recommended, Sparkling Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

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Cost: $26.95
Grape: Pinot Noir
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: United States of America
Region: New Mexico
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Gruet Winery
Alcohol:  12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Kudos to the LCBO to bring this sparkling to Ontario so we can experience wines from throughout the US & in this case, New Mexico. Let me just add, this is a wonderful Blanc de Noirs

Tasting Note: Pale salmon hue in colour with fine creamy mousse, good acidity, a medium+ intense nose & a long length on the finish. Wine features brioche, light yeast, strawberry, Spy apple, pear, Rainier cherry & shale.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Their story is of French roots and American dreams. https://www.gruetwinery.com/heritage

Pairings: Drink now or over the next 7-10 of years on its own or pair it with spicy seafood paella.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick

Tasted: July 19, 2020

LCBO: 15686

LOUIS BOUILLOT PERLE D’IVOIRE BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT, NV, Méthode Traditionnelle, AOC Crémant de Bourgogne, France

12 Sunday Jul 2020

Posted by in Best Buys, Highly Recommended, Sparkling Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

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Cost: $19.95 (Clearance Price: $16.00)
Grape: Predominantly Chardonnay with Aligoté
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region: Crémant de Bourgogne
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Louis Bouillot
Alcohol:  12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

LB consistently produces excellent quality Blanc de Blancs at a great price, and this bottle is no exception. “Full and rounded in the mouth, with a certain vivacity, and complex secondary aromas that evolve over time, delighting the taste buds” LB

Tasting Note: Straw in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a medium+ intense nose & a long length on the finish. Wine features light toasted buttery brioche, lemon, green apples, Anjou pear, limestone and white roses on the nose.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Originally tasted Sept 25, 2016, and it has the same quality & notes as today.

Pairings: Drink now or over the next 8-10 of years on its own or pair it with cranberry Pecan baked Brie.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy & Top Pick

Tasted: July 12, 2020 (Happy birthday to my mom turning 94)

LCBO: 48801

FEATHERSTONE JOY PREMIUM CUVÉE ROSÉ 2017, Méthode Classique, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

07 Sunday Jun 2020

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Recommended, Sparkling Wine

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Cost: $29.95 (Clearance price: $21.00)
Grape: Pinot Noir
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Featherstone Winery
Alcohol:  13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

This almost dry sparkling wine presents a lot of red juicy sweet fruit

Tasting Note: Tawny in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a medium intense nose, & a long length on the finish. Wine features Maraschino cherry, strawberry, raspberry, red currant & Fuji apples.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Better when it’s chilled below 10C.

Pairings: Drink now or over the next 3-5 of years on its own or pair it with pan seared pork chops with red currant glaze

My Opinion: Recommended

Tasted: June 7, 2020

LCBO: 450700

BERNARD-MASSARD CUVÉE DE L’ECUSSON ROSÉ BRUT SPARKLING WINE NV, Méthode Traditionnelle, Luxembourg

17 Sunday May 2020

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Cost: $19.95
Grape: Pinot Noir
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Luxembourg
Region:
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Bernard-Massard
Alcohol:  12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

I love trying wine from non-tradition wine regions that are rare to get in Ontario, & I am happy to say this is a delight to drink; dry, light & fruity

Tasting Note: Light cooper in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a light to medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. Wine features lots of strawberry, cherry, green & red apples & thyme.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: The winery was founded in 1921

Pairings: Drink now or over the next 5-7 of years on its own or pair it with charcuterie.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy & Top Pick

Tasted: May 17, 2020

LCBO: 369074

CUDDY BY TAWSE LIMESTONE RIDGE SPARKLING WINE NV, Traditional Method, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada

09 Saturday May 2020

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Recommended, Sparkling Wine

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Cost: $25.95 (Clearance price: $18.20)
Grape: Riesling
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: Canada
Region: Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Tawse Winery
Alcohol:  10.7% Alcohol/Vol.

A well-made Riesling sparkling wine

Tasting Note: Straw colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a medium+ intense nose & a long length on the finish. Wine features light brioche, lemon, green apples, pears, & petrol on the nose.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: On Tawse website they list this wine at $28.15. In addition, the label list the alcohol as 12%, but LCBO has put a label on it listing the alcohol as 10.7%.

Pairings: Drink now or over the next couple of years on its own or pair it with breaded calamari.

My Opinion: Recommended

Tasted: May 9, 2020

LCBO: 546762

OYSTER BAY SPARKLING CUVÉE ROSÉ, NV Hawke’s Bay & Marlborough, New Zealand

03 Sunday May 2020

Posted by in Recommended, Sparkling Wine

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Cost: $22.95 (Clearance price: $18.40)
Grape: 80% Chardonnay & 20% Pinot Noir
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: New Zealand
Region: Hawke’s Bay & Marlborough
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Oyster Bay
Alcohol:  12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

A clean, crisp & lean sparkling rosé

Tasting Note: Copper in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a medium intense nose, & a fairly long length on the finish. Wine features strawberry, cherry, green & red apples.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Charmat method

Pairings: Drink now or over the next 3-5 years on its own or pair it with Waldorf salad.

My Opinion: Recommended

Tasted: May 3, 2020

LCBO: 280172

LOUIS BOUILLOT PERLE D’OR BRUT CRÉMANT BOURGOGNE 2012, Méthode Traditionnelle, Ac Burgundy, France

26 Sunday Apr 2020

Posted by in Best Buys, Highly Recommended, Sparkling Wine, Top Picks, Price Not Withstanding

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Cost: $24.95
Grape: Chardonnay & Pinot Noir
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region: Burgundy
Format: 750 mL
Producer: Louis Bouillot
Alcohol:  12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

This has become one of my favourite sparkling wines or Champagnes as this vintage wine (8 yrs old) has a beautiful nose, complexity & is truly a really pleasant sparkling wine to drink for a great price.

Tasting Note: Bright yellow gold in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. Wine features toasted bread, brioche, Anjou pear, peach, apricots, green apples, Honeycrisp apples, vanilla, & Honeysuckle on the nose.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Besides the taste, I love the look of the bottle

Pairings: Drink now or over the next 5-7 years on its own or pair it with strawberry crepes.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy & Top Pick

Tasted: April 26, 2020

LCBO: 51565