Category: champagne

When you pick up a bottle of Champagne or sparkling wine, you may notice that some have a vintage year on the label, while others do not. The presence or absence of a vintage date can have a significant impact on the wine inside. But what exactly does it mean, and how does it affect the taste, aging potential, and…

While the term “Cru” is most often used for the French classification system, the “Cru” concept can apply to any vineyard or group of vineyards recognized for their superior quality.  It was first mentioned in Champagne in 1911 and then spread across France, and now the rest of the world. This seminar, The Global Cru, took participants on a global…

Interest in enjoying sparkling wine on a regular basis has been increasing since people started buying prosecco.  But there is still Champagne, Cremant, Cava, Franciacorta, pet-nat, and generally termed sparkling wines from the New World.  How did sparkling wines capture Canadians’ interest in 2024?  I created graphs for various sparkling wine styles using Google Trends.  Let’s get into the graphs. …

It is the holiday season and many of us think about opening a bottle of sparkling wine; champagne if we are able.  Bureau du Champagne USA sent me this email outlining food pairings for specific holiday dates and the suggested champagne style.  Here is a copy of the email. The holiday season is a time for gathering with loved ones,…

Crémant is a category of sparkling wines in France made using the same traditional method as Champagne but produced outside the Champagne region. This delightful bubbly offers a high-quality, often more affordable alternative to its famous counterpart while showcasing the unique characteristics of various French wine regions. Like Champagne, Crémant can also be white or rosé in colour. What is…

This post came in my email from the Comité Champagne and I thought I would pass along this information on which style of Champagne to pair with your picnic dishes. Also great timing for Canada Day. Enjoy. ~~~~~ From the café culture of Paris to year-round patio suppers in Provence, the French have perfected the art of enjoying food and…

Celebrate love this Valentine’s Day by indulging in a delightful experience of sharing sparkling or rosé wines with your significant other. The effervescence of sparkling wines mirrors the joy and excitement of love, making it an ideal choice for a romantic evening.  The light and refreshing nature of sparkling wine and the delicate bubbles on your palate will enhance the…

This year I had many terrific wines to taste and review.  Wines that I rate as 5 star I deem as needing nothing to add or subtract.  They are perfect as-is.  I had one wine that reached that status this year so instead of making a separate article for that wine, I am including it in this article.  My 4.5-5…

The history of sparkling wine is a tale that intertwines innovation, elegance, and celebration. Dating back to the late 16th century, a natural effervescence was often seen as an unpredictable and sometimes unwanted result of the winemaking process. It wasn’t until the legendary Benedictine monk Dom Pérignon refined the techniques of producing sparkling wine in the early 17th century that…

East meets west at Cult Wine Canada in Vancouver. I attended a small portfolio tasting of Chinese distilled spirits and European wines distributed by Cult Wine Canada.  In this article, I will cover their European wines and in my follow-on article, I will cover the distilled spirit called baijiu.   If you have not heard of Cult Wine Canada, they describe…