I tasted this at a recent Ontario sparkling lunch and it stood heads and tails above the rest of the candidates … well maybe that’s a little bit of hyperbole because there are some great Ontario bubbles out there, but this one did impress in a way I never expected from this Riesling house. This is a 100% Chardonnay based bubbly and according to Angelo Pavan, winemaker, although they no longer vintage date this the fruit comes primarily from 2008 and in Angelo’s words, “I’ll take a vintage like 2008 for making sparkling every time”. The nose is bready, biscuit, toasty and yeasty, and for you sparkling wine lovers that should mean quite a lot. The palate improves on the nose with mineral toastiness, apple and pear nuances and a long lovely bread crust finish – plus it has a lovely dryness on the finish from great acidity and not to much sugar in the dosage (what they add in at the end to replace the yeast). This is a real beauty and worth picking up a bunch of, especially because it is very Champagnesque without the Champagne price tag. Price: $29.95 – Rating: **** ½+