You can enjoy sparkling wine anytime. No occasion is needed, but if there is an occasion, like Valentine’s Day or a birthday, it can make it more special. I opened these two bottles of BC sparkling wine from TIME Family of Wines; their TIME Brut 2018 and Chronos Brut, with friends to enjoy being with them after COVID has kept us all mostly to ourselves. It is nice to be able to talk to friends face-to-face. Yes, patio time is possible now.
My Wine Tasting Notes
TIME Family of Wines Brut 2018 (BC $29.99)
A blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The grapes for both wines come from different vineyards; Phantom Creek (Oliver) and Kuipers (Kelowna). From the winery, “The base wines were fermented in neutral French oak barrels, stainless steel barrels and stainless steel tanks. Lees stirring in the barrels add complexity of this wine.” Only 330 cases of this wine were produced.
Appearance: A medium-minus intensity straw colour.
Nose: Light aromas of citrus, cut apple and toast.
Palate: Dry with higher acidity, body, and flavour intensity. Pears and other stone fruits, apples and some almond. Some tartness to the fruit flavours. Creamy medium-sized bubbles.
Finish: Medium length finishing with mouthwatering acidity and light flavours of stone fruit and citrus.
Rating: 
TIME Family of Wines Chronos Brut, NV (BC $34.99)
From the winery, “Both varietals were hand-sorted then whole bunch pressed. This wine is a blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir. The varietals were fermented separately with some lees stirring on the Chardonnay. Blended for complexity and finished in the cuvée close method.” FYI, the cuvée close method is another term for the Charmat method. The grapes for this wine came from the King Family (Penticton), Mirror Lake (Osoyoos), and 3 Sisters (Naramata) vineyards. Only 465 cases were produced.
Appearance: Pale peach skin colour.
Nose: Medium intensity nose showing sweet stonefruits, cut apple, and cantaloupe aromas.
Palate: Dry, higher acidity, fuller-bodied with pronounced fruit flavours; Pears and other stone fruits, and cut apple. The bubble is creamy but does fade fairly quickly. Some spiciness.
Finish: Medium length finishing with mouthwatering acidity, pepperiness, stone fruit and a touch of oak.
Rating: 
I tasted these two wines with some light appetizers; smoked prosciutto-wrapped melon, cranberry-infused goat cheese on rice crackers, and medium-aged Cheddar cheese. The Cheddar cheese was a complementary pairing with both wines. I am finding that Cheddar cheese works quite well with many wines and is now a go-to cheese for me. The juiciness of the melon also paired nicely with both wines. The creaminess of the goat cheese was balanced by the acidity and bubble of both wines.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
You can buy both wines through the TIME Family of wines website:
The wines may also be available at private wine shops but you will need to ask.
