BC sparkling wines have been on a tear, with wholesale sales doubling since 2018 and increasing 25% year over year in 2021 and 10% in 2022. However, since then, sparkling wine sales have levelled off, impacted by reduced BC tourism during the summer months.
I have grouped these BC sparkling wines by the winemaking method1 and in order of price. All except one of the recommended wines are from the Okanagan Valley.
Tank Method
Hester Creek Ti Amo 2021($21.99)
Beautifully aromatic, this year’s vintage of our Prosecco-inspired wine is primarily Pinot Gris, complemented by Gewürztraminer and Sémillon. The grapes were grown mainly on the estate and the Vineyard Manager’s neighbouring vineyard on Road 8 and were hand harvested early in the season.
The fruit was carefully sorted, whole-berry pressed, cold settled, and then cool fermented in stainless steel tanks. Following blending, the wine was re-fermented in the Charmat method for a period of 6 weeks and then bottled cold to retain the lively effervescence. A fabulously fresh frizzante crafted to be fruity, floral and fun.
Alcohol: 11.4% / pH 3 / TA 8.63 g/L / RS 18 g/L
It is one of the best-value BC sparkling wines I have tasted. A gorgeous mouthfeel of soft but persistent bubbles with citrus, pears and peaches aromas. A creamy texture and flavours of apple, Bosc pear and lemon. It’s off-dry but still crisp and refreshing. A wine that should be enjoyed while young.
It is a quintessential wine for entertaining loved ones. Enjoy the sparkler with cocktails, brunch or desserts.
Evolve Pink EFFERVESCENCE NV ($21.99)
50% Pinot Blanc, 30% Merlot and 20% Chardonnay. Evolve makes this wine by the Charmat Method, like Prosecco. The base wine is added together with the sugar and yeast mixture into a large tank. As the wine has a second fermentation, the carbon dioxide released by the fermentation causes the tank to pressurize. The wine is then filtered, dosed and bottled without ageing.
Pale pink rose petals in colour. Aromas of ripe red peach and flavours of watermelon, cherry and strawberries.
Vasanti Paradise Bubbles 2023 ($24.99)
This limited-edition Frizzante-style sparkling wine is made from Pinot Gris from the Paradise Block.
Alcohol % 10.5 / pH 3.12 / RS 1.99
The dry sparkling wine has aromas of citrus, apricot and honey. The well-balanced dry sparkling wine has Key lime, lemon and white peach flavours. 90 Points
Moraine Shipuchka Frizzante 2020 ($25)
Shipuchka is our Russian word to describe this sparkling wine. The unique refreshing and beautiful, an effervescent blend of 54% Pinot Auxerrois, 43% Chardonnay, and 3% Gewürztraminer.
The wine explodes with Okanagan orchard flavours, bright acidity and crisp minerality. A hint of bitterness on the finish makes this a sparkler for mature palates. 90 Points.
A wine with a timeless style made for celebrations.
Black Market Secret Society Frizzante NV ($25.90)
“We have been building the base wine for this mysterious Frizzante-style bubbly for three years. All varietals in each vintage were fermented in stainless steel tanks to preserve the freshness of the wine.”
Rob Hammersley, Winemaker
12.2% Alcohol / pH 3.35 / TA 5.4 gm/L/ RS 1.0 gm/L
A mysterious blend of 5 aromatic white grapes, probably including Pinot Blanc and Bacchus from the estate winery. An uncluttered, crisp sparkling wine bursting with floral notes and aromas of orchard fruits. Vibrant and refreshingly dry green apple, Bosc pear, Key lime and pink grapefruit flavours. I can’t wait to enjoy this wine again on a hot summer day! 91 points
Giant Head Blanc de Noir 2016 ($31.22)
The 2016 Blanc de Noir is made from whole-cluster Pinot Noir grapes.
A very pleasant sparkler with a beautiful pale copper tint. This dry, crisp wine shows a finesse of texture wrapped in green apple, preserved lemon and vanilla. Good balance and creamy mousse. 91 Points.
The wine was awarded “Best of Category – Charmat Method – Northwest Wine Summit 2016”.
Ancestral Method
Sperling Vineyards Organic Speritz Pet Nat ($30)
Refreshing and lovely, wild fermented from Perle de Csaba planted in 1934.
Pét-Nat is short for pétillant naturel, which is simply French for “naturally sparkling” – and that’s essentially what it is! This lightly fizzy wine has gained a bit of buzz lately with growing popularity in the natural/organic movement and in more rudimentary methods of winemaking, but people have been sipping on it for ages.
The perfect sparkling speritz, yeasty, hoppy aromas with rose petal and lemon blossom and mineral undertones. Unfiltered, so opaque with effervescence. Very pale straw core. On the palate, medium acid, light body flavours of Anjou pear, key lime, and Meyer lemon with minerality and floral notes. Serve well chilled. A refreshing hot day sipper! 10 % Alcohol. 89 Points.
For food pairings try with a charcuterie plate and for beer drinkers fried pub fare, maybe fish and chips.
Traditional Method
Blue Grouse Charme De L’Île ($29.99)
Charme de l’Île is a signature sparkling wine made from a blend of 100% Vancouver Island grapes. It is a blend of Chardonnay, Schönburger, Muller Thurgau, and Pinot Noir, crafted using the Charmat method.
A beautifully rich lemon straw colour with an abundance of bubbles! Light aromas of citrus and green fruit. Flavours of green apple, key lime and white peach. Dry with a beautiful balance and a fine, persistent mousse. 92 Points
Church and State Blanc de Blancs 2018 ($32.88)
“This is the first vintage of this traditional method, brut nature Chardonnay. The 2018 Blanc de Blancs spent 30 months on the lees at our sparkling wine house in Brentwood Bay. The fruit for this wine comes from the Détente vineyard on the Black Sage Bench. A terroir that ripens Chardonnay perfectly for this method of wine making.
Fermentation in stainless steel tanks and aged in bottles for 30 months.Winemaker – Arnaud Thierry
Alcohol: 12.5% / TA 7.2 g/L / RS 5.0 g/L
The wine is pale straw in colour with green hues. The nose opens on citrus notes and orchard blossoms. It has a crisp mouthfeel with a multitude of delicate fine bubbles. Flavours of ripe apples and Meyer lemon. 92 points.
Lightning Rock Elysia Blanc de Noir 2018 ($35)
One of two traditional method, single-vineyard, Blanc de Noirs released in 2018 by Lightning Rock.
Aromas of lemon candy, ginger, passionfruit and brioche. The palate has high acid, medium body, and bone dry with beautiful fine bubbles. The acid level shines through in this sparkler. Notes of ripe apple, caramel and grapefruit pith with a hint of bitterness on the finish. 93 Points
Township 7 Rigel seven stars 2020 ($39.97)
Sourced from a block of clone 21B riesling at Fool’s Gold Vineyard in North Oliver. The Western sloping vineyard is comprised of sandy clay loam soil, with abundant rocks and gravel, providing excellent drainage.
The fruit was gently pressed and fractioned off to separate tanks for free-run and gently pressed portion. Only the free-run juice was used in the cuvée. The juice was then cold-settled before fermentation in stainless steel. The ferment was cool, enabling the retention of the most delicate fruit aromatics. En tirage was for 12 months prior to disgorging and adding a proprietary dosage, for an expressive, bright and delicious sparkling wine.
12.0% Alcohol | pH 3.1, TA 8.9 g/L, RS 12 g/L | Vegan
Rigel is named for a blue supergiant star in the constellation of Orion and this sparkler does shine. Aromas of lime zest and stone fruit with flavours of lemon, green apple, white peach and biscuit. Beautifully balanced with crisp acidity and a long creamy mineral finish. 93 Points
Noble Ridge The One 2018 ($34.99)
Okanagan Falls sub-GI designation. 72% Chardonnay / 28% Pinot Noir.
The Chardonnay is Clone 76 and 95 harvested from blocks 7, 8 that were planted 2003.
Pinot Noir is Clone 114, 115, and 777 from blocks 1, 11, and 12, planted in 2001 and 2008.
Whole-cluster pressed and cool fermented with Méthode traditionnelle and en tirage extended to 47 months.
12.1% Alcohol /pH: 3.28 / TA: 7.4 /Brix: 18.0/ RS 6.0 g/L
A clear pale straw/lemon colour with a buttery pastry aroma and subtle flavours of green apple, lemon, and yellow plum. The sparkling wine has an exotic creamy mousse, a lingering long citrus finish and lots of bubbles. 93 Points
50th Parallel Estate Blanc de Noir 2018 ($85)
What a fantastic sparkling wine. The excitement starts when you pop the cork!
This cuvée is made by the traditional ‘Methode Champenoise’ using the premium estate Pinot Noir clones 115 and 777, from Block 1.
A gorgeous pale salmon hue. Aromas of fresh strawberries, rose petals and earthy mushrooms. Full of luscious butterscotch, ripe apple, and baked pear flavours with a hint of earthy bread. A creamy mousse, dry and refreshing. 93+ Points.
References
- How sparkling wine is made? Wine Folly