Category Archives: Sparkling Wine

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

RICKETY RIDGE BRUT ROSÉ, NV, Méthode Cap Classique, Franschhoek, South Africa

26 Sunday Mar 2023

Posted by in Non LCBO Wine, Recommended, Sparkling Wine

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Cost: $34.00 KY
Grape: 53% Pinot Noir, 47% Chardonnay
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: Jacques Scott
Country: South Africa
Region: Franschhoek
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Rickety Bridge Winery
Alcohol: 12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

An expressive brut rosé with a distinctive taste. Score: 89/100.

Tasting Note: Deep straw in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Kumquat, Marmite, brioche, raspberry, apricot & white peach

Negatives: None

WINE MAKING: “Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks. The must was fermented between 14 – 17˚C and the lees was stirred up daily for three months and then twice every week for three months thereafter. The wine spent 18 months on the lees during and after second fermentation before it was disgorged.”

Pairings: Drink this now or in 3-4 years on its own or pair it with Sunday brunch.

My Opinion: Recommended

Tasted: March 26, 2023

SEGURA VIUDAS BRUT RESERVA CAVA, NV, Método Tradicional, DO Cava, Spain

18 Saturday Feb 2023

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

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Cost: $16.95 (Sale price until Feb 26, 2023: $14.95)
Grape: 50% Macabeo, 30% Xarel·lo, 20% Parellada
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO General List
Country: Spain
Region: Cava
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Segura Viudas
Alcohol: 12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Probably my favourite inexpensive sparkling wine as it features fruitiness, freshness and complexity. Score: 95/100.

Tasting Note: Straw in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a medium intense nose & a good length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon, pear, pitaya, Granny apples, peach, & fresh cut carnations on the nose.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: “Autolysis of the yeast cells in the base wine for 3 months before bottling, and a second autolysis of the yeast cells for a minimum of 15 months ageing in bottle.” Winery. Really like the new

Pairings: Drink this now or in 3-4 years, on its own or pair it with Porcini mushroom risotto.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick & Best Buy

Tasted: February 12, 2023

LCBO: 216960

ALBINO ARMANI 1607 CONEGLIANO VALDOBBIADENE, NV, DOCG Valdobbiadene, Prosecco Superiore, Veneto, Italy

07 Tuesday Feb 2023

Posted by in Best Buys, Highly Recommended, Sparkling Wine

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Cost: $18.95 (Clearance Price: $15.20)
Grape: Glera
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO
Country: Italy
Region: Valdobbiadene, Prosecco Superiore, Veneto
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Albino Armani
Alcohol: 11.0% Alcohol/Vol.

An elegant, delicious extra-dry Prosecco at a great price. Score: 91/100.

Tasting Note: Straw in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a medium intense nose & a good length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon zest, pear, Granny apples, pink grapefruit, apricot & roses on the nose.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point:

Pairings: Drink this now or in 3-4 years, on its own or pair it with Parmigiano Reggiano.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: February 5, 2023

LCBO: 16602

FREIXENET ITALIAN ROSÉ EXTRA DRY SPARKLING WINE, NV, Charmat Method, Italy

31 Tuesday Jan 2023

Posted by in Best Buys, Recommended, Sparkling Wine

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Cost: $21.95 (Clearance Price: $15.40)
Grape: Pinot Noir & Glera
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO
Country: Italy
Region:
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Freixenet
Alcohol: 11.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Simple but very pleasant, easy drinking sparkling wine with fresh fruit. Score: 89/100.

Tasting Note: Pink/salmon in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a medium intense nose & a good length on the finish. This wine features: Strawberry, raspberry, MacIntosh apples, lemon zest & roses on the nose.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Beautiful bottle

Pairings: Drink this now or in 3-4 years, on its own or pair it with Roasted Salmon and Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce.

My Opinion: Recommended

Best Buy

Tasted: January 29, 2023

LCBO: 11222

NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING WINERY BALANCE PET NAT CHARDONNAY 2017, VQA St. David’s Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada

26 Thursday Jan 2023

Posted by in Canadian Wines, Niagara College Teaching Winery, Recommended, Sparkling Wine, Winery Review Series

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Cost: $28.95
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: St. David’s Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Niagara College Teaching Winery
Alcohol: 12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

This isn’t half bad, but I wouldn’t pay the price for it. A simple Brut frizzante. Score: 87/100.

Tasting Note: Cloudy yellow gold in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a light intense nose & a good length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon zest, grapefruit, sour bread, yeast, kumquat, Jonagold apples & limestone.

Negatives: The price

Interesting Point: “This was made in the “Petillant Natural” or “Pet Nat” style. Fermented only using indigenous yeast, it was bottled down near the end of fermentation to capture natural CO2 gas bubbles. No additions have been made to this wine and it remains sur lie (with lees) to protect its integrity, structure and ageability.”

Pairings: Drink this now on its own or pair it with rippled potato chips with dill/onion dip.

My Opinion: Recommended

Tasted: January 24, 2023

DECOY BRUT CUVÉE SPARKLING WINE, NV, Méthode Champenoise, United States of America

27 Tuesday Dec 2022

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

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Cost: $28.99 KYD
Grape: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: Jacques Scott, Cayman Islands
Country: United States of America
Region: California
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Decoy
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Traditional Champagne grapes & traditionally made. Great taste, that’s easy to drink, especially when it’s almost ice cold & at half the price of the lowest priced Champagne wines. Score: 94/100.

Tasting Note: Straw to light gold in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Light yeast, brioche, pear, white peach, lemon zest, green apples & limestone stone.

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: Dosage with French oak barrel fermented Napa Valley Chardonnay.

Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 3 – 5 years on its own or pair it with tuna tartare.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick

Tasted: December 26, 2022

NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING WINERY GASTRONOMY SPARKLING WINE, NV, Méthode Traditionnelle, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada

19 Monday Dec 2022

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: $34.95
Grape: Chardonnay & Pinot Noir
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: Winery
Country: Canada
Region: Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Niagara College Teaching Winery
Alcohol: 12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

One of NC best dry sparkling wines they’ve made, which is delicious, elegant, clean & crisp. Score: 93/100.

Tasting Note: Straw to light gold in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a light to medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Light yeast, brioche, sourdough bread, lemon rind, green apples, pear, white peach,

Negatives: None

Interesting Point: 4 years on lees.

Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 3 – 5 years on its own or pair it with Norwegian eggs Benedict.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick

Tasted: December 18, 2022

GRAHAM BECK BRUT SPARKLING NV, Western Cape, South Africa

05 Monday Dec 2022

Posted by in Recommended, Sparkling Wine

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Cost: $22.95
Grape: Chardonnay & Pinot Noir
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: South Africa
Region: Western Cape
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Graham Beck
Alcohol: 12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Crisp clean, fruit driven dry sparkling wine. Score: 89/100.

Tasting Note: Straw in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Light yeast & toasted bread, lemon zest, peach, Fuji apples, saline, pink grapefruit & limestone.

Negatives: None

Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 3 – 5 years on its own or pair it with salt n pepper calamari.

My Opinion: Recommended

Tasted: December 4, 2022

LCBO: 593483

GRAHAM BECK ULTRA BRUT 2016, Méthode Cap Classique, Western Cape, South Africa

28 Monday Nov 2022

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

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Cost: $29.95
Grape: Chardonnay
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: South Africa
Region: Western Cape
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Graham Beck
Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Quality, complexity, dry but creamy & at under $30, this would best those Blanc de Blancs at $100+. Score: 99/100. My highest score for a Blanc de Blancs.

Tasting Note: Light gold to straw in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Brioche, yeast, sour dough, lemon, Key lime pie, Jonagold apples, peach, pear, Ataulfo mango, honeydew melon, roasted almonds & shale.

Negatives:

Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 5 – 7 years on its own or pair it with caviar.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick

Tasted: November 27, 2022

LCBO: 435453

ANTECH CUVÉE EUGÉNIE BRUT CRÉMANT DE LIMOUX 2018, AC Limoux, Languedoc, France

17 Thursday Nov 2022

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

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Cost: $23.95
Grape: 70% Chardonnay, 20% Chenin, 10% Mauzac
Category: Sparkling Wine
Location: LCBO Vintages
Country: France
Region: Limoux, Languedoc
Format: 750 ml
Producer: Maison Antech
Alcohol: 12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

One of my favourite Limouxs. Fresh, clean & creamy. Score: 93/100.

Tasting Note: straw in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Light yeast, brioche, green apples, honeydew melon, white peach, limestone, & honeysuckle on the nose.

Negatives:

Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 3 – 5 years on its own or pair it with Spanish omelette.

My Opinion: Highly Recommended

Top Pick & Best Buy

Tasted: November 10, 2022

LCBO: 25367