Taste & Terroir

I’m absolutely delighted that after decades of folks thinking that sparkling wine should be reserved for special occasions, that it’s pretty much universally known now that any time can be the right time for a good glass of bubble. Don’t get me wrong, there’s hardly anything more cheery or festive than raising a glass of a good fizz when celebrating an accomplishment, a milestone birthday, or, heck, getting to the end of a long week. Sparkling wines, though, are so user-friendly, and play well with all sorts of cuisines, that we can pretty much find a place for them at the table at any time, regardless of what’s on our plate, or in our bowl. I’d venture to say, if we were to choose one single style of wine that offers the best bang for your buck in British Columbia, it would probably have to be sparkling. The amount of care and effort that goes into make these bottlings requires a good amount of experience, equipment, and of course it all has to start with good fruit. In saying this, here are a half dozen recent favorites, all worthy of being on constant rotation in your fridge.

We can presumably thank the Italians and their Prosecco wines for busting any myths about sparkling wines needing to be reserved for fancy people or fancy occasions. Those cheery, fruity wines with gentle spritz are enjoyed around the world, but those looking for a similar style locally can just glance towards Summerland in the Okanagan Valley, nabbing a bottle, or two, of 8^th Generation Vineyard Confidence 2022. A blend of Cabernet Frank, Merlot, Pinot Meunier, and such, think of it as an ever so slightly off-dry, rosé, chock-full of red berry fruit, a good splash of citrus, and some lovely aromatic herbs on the finish. Looking to find a suitable pairing for a holiday dinner? Consider this one with the cranberry sauce and your turkey.

Increasingly common nowadays in restaurants and shops are sparkling wines labeled as ‘pét-nat’ or ‘ancestral method.’ The way these wines are made is quite simple: once you have a ferment starting of a wine, you have your fresh pressed grape juice interacting with yeast, with the two main by-products of yeast consuming the sugars being alcohol, and carbon dioxide that generally blows off into the atmosphere. In this case of wine production, wine is put into a bottle while that ferment is still happening, with a cap quickly put on top. That carbon dioxide is going to have nowhere to go except to stay right in the bottle as it’s formed, creating pressure, and fizzy bubbles in spades. A fun example of this comes via Whispering Horse Winery L’Acadie 2022 Ancestral Method, Fraser Valley, where co-proprietor and winemaker Laurent Fadanni uses relatively uncommon grape varieties that are quite well-suited to their organically-farmed Chilliwack vineyard, resulting in fresh, lively, cool climate wines. The L’Acadie variety is uniquely Canadian, the result of a crossing of other grapes to create a variety able to withstand turbulent weather and cold winters. This wine has plenty of citrus, white flowers, and finishes quite dry. Fried chicken, salty snacks, things of that nature goes so well, and I definitely wouldn’t say no to a few fresh shucked oysters with this one either.

Poplar Grove Winery on the Naramata Bench has been respected for over a generation for its rich and opulent reds, and its hallmark Pinot Gris, which is almost like a rite of passage for those getting into British Columbian wine. Recently, over the last few years, they’ve been making forays into the sparkling world, which includes gems like Poplar Grove Winery Benchmark Brut 2022, a blend of Chardonnay and Viognier that is chock-full of tropical fruit, slathered on some nice, toasty brioche. This wine is made via the Charmat, Marinotti, or tank method (all the same thing), where a still white wine is made, then placed in a pressurized tank with the addition of a little bit more yeast and sugar, so a secondary fermentation occurs in that sealed container, creating a lovely sparkle to all of that pretty fruit. Creamy pastas and risottos can step right up.

Of course, when we think about sparkling wine, Champagne immediately comes to mind, and while the only wines that can be called Champagne have to originate in the Champagne region of France, there are many excellent examples of the exact same method of production found all around the world.

Right here in our own backyard Noble Ridge Vineyard & Winery has been consistently offering one of the best bargains in the Okanagan Valley for a wine like this, simply known as The One. Noble Ridge Vineyard & Winery The One 2017 is composed of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, resulting in some lovely lemon curd, and Gala apple notes, with a nice hunk of pie crust, due to ageing on the spent yeast, giving it some richness. We can go with some classic pairings with this one: Dungeness crab, smoked salmon, artisan cheeses and the like.

Over on Vancouver Island, there is a signature style that increasingly turns heads year after year: Charme de l’île is a style of sparkling wines that are produced by more than one winery, made from both traditional and unique aromatic grape varieties that seem tailor-made for this cool climate, breezy, seaside wine region. A wine such as Blue Grouse Vineyard & Winery Charme De L’Île carries plenty of citrus, stone fruit like peaches and nectarines, a tiny pinch of sea salt, and is a perfect accompaniment for anything coming from the sea.

Back on the mainland, one of our most northern wine regions is the Thompson Valley, where Monte Creek Winery has been producing a fun little number: Monte Creek Winery Living Land Sparkling 2022. Haven’t had a Thompson Valley wine? Take this opportunity to splash into juicy guava, pineapple, and a little bite of quince: a bubbly charmer, that will be at home with everything from barbecued salmon on the balcony, to a bag of chips on the couch.

This is such an ideal time to explore BC sparkling wines, and there’s no better way than to visit British Columbia wine country or order direct from your favourite winery. In pursuit of the finer points of sparkling? Wine news: The fun crew at Township 7 Vineyards & Winery can teach you the fine art of sabering a bottle of sparkling with their Sabre & Sip experience.

Whether we’re in wine country or at home, let’s raise a glass to BC sparkling wine, and to finding your next favourite bottle!