Trying bubbly in bulk puts palate through its paces
Tasting 50 sparkling wines in an afternoon offers new insights into range of offerings
I was in Toronto a couple of weeks ago and did two solid days of wine and bubbly tasting. (I make sacrifices for you, faithful reader.) In one afternoon I tried more than 50 sparkling wines from Champagne to Prosecco to Canadian sparklers and everything in between.
The differences between the various wines is much less to do about the method used to produce them these days — pretty much any winery can master the technology behind the Methode Traditionelle — but about the cépage, or mix of grapes fermented in the wine. Canadian sparkling wine tends to substitute other grapes for Pinot Meunier. Italians tend to use Glera. Argentinians are wildly experimental. Californians prefer French grapes, etc. etc.
There were a few things that struck me when tasting 50 sparkling wines over the course of the afternoon. The first was what a tremendously good drink Freixenet Cordon Negro Cava is. The second is Ontario wines are still kind of spotty. The third is that Prince Edward County may well be Canada’s Champagne.
We all overlook Freixenet. After all, we drank it when young and broke. We drank it when we think of ourselves as not knowing any better. But the stuff is impeccably reliable. More than that, it is an excellent wine, made to high standards, for very little money.
Can you buy better Cava? Of course. I had a couple in Toronto. Is it as good as Champagne? I’m willing to argue that although the palate and bouquet are different due to the cépage and yeasts, the stuff is probably as good as $50 entry level NV. Note that it costs about onethird the price. I think the only reason we tend to rate Champagne more highly is because we are more familiar with it. Indeed, if Cordon Negro were introduced to the market today at $25, my guess is that would add two to five points to the average score.
The main aromas in the bouquet are honey and citrus with just a touch floral. The palate is dry with a nice acidity and remarkably long finish. If you like seafood, this is a huge leap forward for your dinner wine. Especially if you like shellfish and sushi.
The Ontario wines were interesting when tasted en masse. Although I’ve always loved the stuff, I was somewhat surprised that all my fellow tasters responded exactly as I did to Henry of Pelham Catherine Brut — with a sigh of relief and a very large second pour. It’s mostly Chardonnay, about 80 per cent, but it is aged significantly on the lees, and it shows. The palate is citrus, herbs and floral. The texture is creamy. The finish is fabulous. Honestly, this is as good as $80 Champagnes. You need to buy some to try it.
Hinterland Blanc de Blanc was an eye-opener for me. I’ve been mildly cynical about the wineries springing up on marginal climates, but Champagne is specifically evolved as a harsh climate product. The bouquet is surprisingly mineral, very reminiscent of Champagne. The palate is creamy with a great acidity and flavours of green apples. The finish is fine.
I spend more on French Champagne every year than I do on gas for my car. I would never want to discourage you from choosing the stuff. But when you just want a glass of wine or bubbly with your sushi, and maybe the RSP is looking ragged, never overlook Freixenet.
Wine of the Week: Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava NV $17
Other Choices:
Cuvee Catherine Brut 2012 $30 Hinterland Blanc de Blanc 2013 $40