At one time when we thought of quality sparkling wine, our thoughts would go to Europe; Champagne, Cava, Cremant, Franciacorta. But that is no longer the case. Quality sparkling wine can be found in BC as well as many southern hemisphere countries like Australia and the state of Tasmania, in particular. I have a Tasmanian and a BC sparkling wine to tell you about. Perfect to enjoy on the patio in this hot weather with a summer salad and fresh seafood. The two wines are BC’s Township 7 seven stars Sparkling Wine 2020 and Tasmania’s Jansz Premier Cuvée NV. Let me tell you about them.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Township 7 seven stars Sparkling Wine 2020 (BC $ wine club exclusive)
seven stars is Township 7’s sparkling wine series made in the méthode champenoise style. This wine is made from Pinot Noir grapes. The wine is vegan-friendly. From the winery, “This elegant sparkling wine is named for the Goddess of Dawn, AURORA, who ancient Romans believed brought light to the heavens and earth, and whose tears created the sparkling morning dew. This vintage of seven stars AURORA is a single vineyard Blanc de Noir from the Stoneridge Vineyard, in Okanagan Falls… The grapes are picked with high natural acidity and lower sugars to allow for aging during extended time in bottle. The wine was left “en tirage” for 30 months to ensure the development of autolytic characters. After riddling we disgorged this wine and added a small amount of our proprietary dosage for complexity and depth of flavour.“
Appearance: A clear, bright medium-intensity mix of star and pear skin colours. Medium-minus-sized bubbles in the glass.
Nose: Medium-plus intensity fresh aromas of stone fruits and blossoms.
Palate: Dry with medium body. Medium-plus acidity and flavour intensity. Smaller biting bubbles. Stone fruits and stone fruit skins along with touches of citrus rind and floral flavours.
Finish: A medium-plus length finishing with a light mouthfeel. Citrus and some bitterness.
Rating: 
Jansz Premier Cuvée NV (BC $49.68)
This sparkling wine is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The wine uses wild fermentation and is vegan-friendly. Jansz employs sustainable winemaking methods. From the winery, “Handpicking, gentle whole bunch pressing, cool fermentation, 100% malolactic fermentation, complex assemblage and extended ageing on lees after bottle fermentation, all combine to produce a stylish and complex wine.”
Appearance: A clear, bright straw colour with medium-sized bubbles.
Nose: Medium-intensity aromas of citrus, lees and a touch of stone fruit.
Palate: This wine is dry, with medium-plus body and acidity. Creamy, medium-sized bubbles. Citrus, lees, crisp apple and a touch of grape stem on the palate.
Finish: Medium-plus length finishing with some drying tannins and citrus flavour.
Rating:
The bubbles were persistent till the last drop in the glass for both of these wines, which to me shows the quality of these wines.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
The Township 7 seven stars Sparkling Wine 2020 is a wine club exclusive, so you need to first sign up as a member before accessing pricing for this wine. The Jansz Premium Cuvee is available at Marquis Wine Cellars and at Legacy Liquor Store in Vancouver. It should also be at Everything Wine, but does not show up in their online search. Check in the store for it.
