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.
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.
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.
A nice dry sparkling wine with crispness & flavour. Score: 92/100.
Tasting Note: Light straw in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Sourdough bread, lemon zest, green apples, pear & limestone.
Negatives: None
Interesting Point: “Vineyard on hillsides entirely harvested by hand on the famous geological fault of Ribeauvillé, which offers an incredible diversity of terroirs. Made in the purest respect of the traditional method with whole harvests and 12 months of aging on slats.”
Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 5 – 7 years on its own or pair it with salt and pepper calamari.
Cost: $19.95 Grape: Pinot Noir Category: Sparkling Wine Location: LCBO Vintages Country: France Region: Alsace Format: 750 ml Producer: Pierre Sparr Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Beautifully made Blanc de Noirs that is crisp, dry but having good fruitiness that doesn’t make it too tart. Score: 92/100.
Tasting Note: Pomegranate in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Bing cherry, pomegranate, MacIntosh apples, strawberry, pink grapefruit & crisp mineral notes.
Negatives: None
Interesting Point:
Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 5 – 8 years on its own or pair it with tuna tartare.
A pleasant surprise for this Charmat method Sauvignon Blanc. Not complex but good quality. Score: 90/100.
Tasting Note: Straw in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, a medium intense nose & a good length on the finish. This wine features: Lemon/lime, honeydew melon, pink grapefruit, fresh grass & limestone.
Negatives: None
Interesting Point: “Fermented in stainless steel down to dryness. Following stabilization and sterile filtration, the wine base underwent secondary fermentation to 6.5 g/L residual sugar in specialized pressurized tanks followed by battonage.” (Winery)
Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 4-6 years on its own or pair it with Devil Eggs.
Cost: $21.95 Grape: Pinot Noir, Gamay Category: Sparkling Wine Location: LCBO Vintages Country: France Region: Crémant de Bourgogne Format: 750 ml Producer: Mason Patriarche Alcohol: 12.0% Alcohol/Vol.
A very pleasant dry sparkling rosé. Score: 90/100.
Tasting Note: Cooper in colour with fine mouse, good acidity, medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Yeast, sour dough, wild strawberry, red currants & light ginger.
Negatives: None
Interesting Point: Vegan, Vegetarian
Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 3-5 years on its own or pair it with Eggs Benedict Royale.
Cost: $16.95 Grape: Semillon Blend Category: Sparkling Wine Location: LCBO Vintages Country: France Region: Bordeaux Format: 750 ml Producer: La Fleur de François Alcohol: 12.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Food friendly dry sparkling wine at a good price. Score: 88/100.
Tasting Note: Straw in colour with fine mouse, good acidity, low intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Light brioche, yeast, lemon, grapefruit, bruised apple, pear, wet stone & limestone.
Negatives: None
Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 3-5 years on its own or pair it with Ackee & Saltfish.
Cost: $17.00 (Sale price until Sept 11/22: $15.00) Grape: 40% Trepat, 40% Pinot Noir, 20% Garnacha Category: Sparkling Wine Location: LCBO General List Country: Spain Region: Cava Format: 750 ml Producer: Segura Viudas Alcohol: 12.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Beautifully made, very appreciable full of fruit with some spice at a great price. Score: 93/100.
Tasting Note: Salmon in colour with fine mouse, good acidity, medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Strawberry, cherry, peach, grenadine, redcurrants, cinnamon, cloves & roses on the nose.
Negatives: None
Interesting Point: “Ageing time on the lees is less for this rosado than for the rest of our Cavas, since our objective is to retain the primary aromas of the fruit. A minimum of 12 months in contact with the lees will give the Rosado a perfect balance between fruit aromas and complexity. The fruit, naturally, comes from the grapes, and the complexity from the process of autolysis of the yeasts during the secondary fermentation in bottle, where the personality of the yeasts is transferred to the wine, enriching it in flavours and nuances.” (Winery)
Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 3-5 years on its own or pair it with Mini quiche Lorraine with asparagus and bacon.
Cost: $19.95 (Clearance price: $16.00) Grape: Pinot Blanc Category: Sparkling Wine Location: LCBO Vintages Country: France Region: Alsace Format: 750 ml Producer: Pierre Sparr Alcohol: 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Simple clean, fruity with minerality. Score: 90/100.
Tasting Note: Straw in colour with fine mousse, good acidity, low to medium intense nose & a long length on the finish. This wine features: Light yeast & brioche, lemon, green apples, pear, peach cobbler & wet flint rocks.
Negatives: None
Interesting Point: 1st review of this sparkling wine was in 2015, and the price was a dollar less, so great for the consumer that in 7 years it’s almost the same price.
Pairings: Drink this now or in the next 3-5 years on its own or pair it with Gyoza