Reported by Rutha Astravas

The December VPR was definitively festive, featuring eight sparkling wines.

The first flight began with light, crisp sparklings from the new world. The Tasman Jansz Premium Cuvee exhibited many strings of persistent bubbles, citrus notes and predominant Chardonnay characteristics despite being a 51% Chardonnay/46% Pinot Noir /3% Pinot Munier blend. The Gloria Ferrer was creamy with apple, citrus, and mineral notes. It was medium-bodied with good acidity and a nice finish and proved to be excellent value. However, the favourite was the Roederer Brut. Many commented on its Old World note character. Its nose consisted of yeast, bread, candy or prosecco-like fruit, and pleasing complexity on the nose and palate.

The second flight presented classic Champagnes in differing styles. The Roederer Brut was the overall favourite with its classic apple, fruit, biscuit, lemon aromas, excellent balance, and mid-palate. The big question was whether anyone could be convinced to buy Roederer’s famous Cristal (also featured in the release) for a private tasting! The Bollinger Special Cuvee was indeed special—gutsy, full-bodied with some marked notes of bread, caramel, peach, and chalk. In the mouth its maturity showed through hazelnuts and richness and long fine finish that comes with age. (FYI—the heady 1999 Grande Annee was offered at the Wine and Food Show and had many mature notes of nuts, toffee, toast, ginger, dry flowers, and incredible length). However, tasters either loved or hated this style of full-bodied Champagne. Of the two roses, the Laurent Perrier was preferred by a slight majority. It charmed with fine bubbles, red berry and fresh red fruit aromas, passionfruit, hints of liquorice or other sweet herbal and earthy notes, racy acidity and an interesting twist on the finish. The Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose was very Pinot-driven, long, piquant, and very balanced. However it had contradictory notes of strawberries, fruit, gasoline, vanilla, smoke, beet, and perhaps rancio.

Needing a break from bubbles and searing acidity, the next flight offered a bigger style modern Verdicchio. It was soapy with big apple notes. Some noted a somewhat bitter aftertaste and tropical flavours. Le Clos Jordanne Pinot Noir was well-received because of its ripe red fruit, soupcon of smoke, traditional “claret” notes, and its drinkable nature. The favourite however was the Big Fire Pinot Noir. It was surprisingly lighter than the Ontario Pinot and beside typical Pinot fruit notes, it had Cabernet Franc greenish notes and a pleasing sour taste. The flight finished with a deeply-coloured but disappointing Clos du Bois Cab. It had green and cassis notes, vanilla, and black pepper. The tasting was rounded off with a surprise: a fruity, red sparkling Shiraz. It was not everyone’s favourite, but definitely worth trying for the price and its adaptability to food. It was remarked that all the wines except the Big Fire Pinot could be easily enjoyed on their own.

The wines

Flight 1
Jantz Premium Cuvee, NV, Tasmania, $24.95, 566828
Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut, NV, $23.95, 192898
Roederer Estate 25th Anniversary Brut, NV, Anderson Valley, $27.95, 294181

Flight 2
Roederer Brut Premier, NV, Champagne, $63.95, 268771
Bollinger Special Cuvee Brut, NV, Champagne, $67.95, 384529
Laurent Perrier Rose, NV, Champagne, $89.95, 158550
Billecart Salmon Brut Rose, NV, Champagne, $84.95, 724559

Flight 3
Colonnara Cuprese, 2005, DOC Verdicchio, $16.96, 723619
Le Clos Jordanne Claystone Terrace Pinot Noir, Niagara Peninsula, $34.95, 033951
Big Fire Pinot Noir, 2006, Oregon, $26.95, 054841
Clos du Bois Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, 2004, Alexander Valley, $29.95, 054080
Katnook Founder’s Block Sparkling Shiraz, 2004, Coonawarra, $19.95, 053330