Given that that New Year’s is fast approaching it seems like a good time to talk about sparkling wines; in particular the amount of sweetness in these wines. Sweetness levels range from super dry to very sweet. Because of this extreme variation, the experts have developed a standardized sweetness scale that has been divided into seven levels.
Photo credit: ScientificAmerican.com
The sweetness level varies due to a step in the wine making process referred to as “liqueur d’expedition” where producers add a small amount of grape must (sugar) before corking the bottle. Since sparkling wine is so acidic, the sweetness is added in order to reduce sour flavours in the final product.
The sweetness scale for sparkling wines consists of the following levels:
0-2 calories and up to 0.15 carbs for a total of 91–93 calories per 5 oz. (~150 ml) serving of 12 % ABV sparkling wine.
Extra Brut
0-6 g/L RS
0-6 calories and up to 0.9 carbs per 5 oz. (~150 ml) serving for a total of 91–96 calories per serving of 12 % ABV sparkling wine.
Brut
0-12 g/L RS
0-7 calories and up to 1.8 carbs per 5 oz. (~150 ml) serving for a total of 91–98 calories per serving of 12 % ABV sparkling wine.
Extra Dry
12-17 g/L RS
7-10 calories and 1.8–2.6 carbs per 5 oz. (~150 ml) serving for a total of 98–101 calories per serving of 12 % ABV sparkling wine.
Dry (Secco)
17-32 g/L RS
10-19 calories and 2.6–4.8 carbs per 5 oz (~150 ml) serving for a total of 101–111 calories per serving of 12 % ABV sparkling wine.
Demi-Sec
32-50 g/L RS
19-30 calories and 4.8–7.5 carbs per 5 oz (~150 ml) serving for a total of 111–121 calories per serving of 12 % ABV sparkling wine.
Doux
50+ g/L RS
30+ calories and more than 7.5 carbs per 5 oz (~150 ml) serving for a total of more than 121 calories per serving of 12 % ABV sparkling wine.
Brut has a fair amount of variation in sweetness, whereas Extra Brut and Brut Nature have focused sugar content. Therefore, if a dryer wine is your preference it is best to select either an Extra Brut or Brut Nature wine.
Something to keep in mind when considering the sweetness of sparkling wine is how little sugar is required to make it taste sweet. The amount of sugar in these wines is comparatively low to other beverages.
Drink Comparison (sugar levels in grams)
0 g in Vodka Soda
0.5 g in Brut Nature Sparkling Wine
2 g in Brut Sparkling Wine
8 g in Demi-Sec Sparkling Wine
14 g in Gin & Tonic
16 g in Honest Tea Green Tea
17 g in Starbucks 2% Milk Grande Latte
20 g in Margarita on the rocks (made w/ simple syrup)
I did not know this but there are five types of Scotch whisky, each with a slightly different definition. Until now I thought there were only two, single malt whisky and blended whisky. The definitions of the five types of whisky are:
Single Malt Whisky – whisky made at one distillery using pot stills and only malted barley. Example: Glenlivet 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Single Grain Whisky – whisky made at one distillery using a continuous still, or using any type of still and grains other than malted barley. Example: Strathclyde Single Grain
Blended Malt Whisky – whisky made by combining single malt whiskies from different distilleries. Example: Ballantine’s Finest Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Blended Grain Whisky – whisky made by combining single grain whiskies from different distilleries. Example: Teacher’s Highland Scotch Whisky
Blended Whisky – whisky made by combining malt whisky and grain whisky. Example: Chivas Regal 12 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky
Each bottle of Scotch whisky you buy will have one of these five types indicated on the label.
Only about 10% of the Scotch whiskies on the market are single malt. However, single malt Scotch made up nearly 28% of the whisky exported from Scotland.
For all Scotch whisky the age indicated on the label refers to the number of years the whisky spent in casks. Very few whiskies come from a single cask. The mixing of spirits of different ages is permitted. The age indicated on the bottle indicates the age of the youngest whisky in the bottle, which has matured in oak casks in Scotland for a minimum of three years.
Are single malts better than blends? Well that comes down to personal taste. Many blended whiskies are cheaper than single malts but that doesn’t mean that single malts are better. Blended whisky can have a great range of flavour and can rival single malts not only for complexity and flavour, but also for price. Case in point: Macallan Estate single malt has a price tag of $349.50 while Chivas Regal 25 year old blend currently sells for $359.75.
Those new to the world of Scotch whisky usually begin by trying one or more blended whiskies, especially since they generally have a more favourable price point. It’s easy for single malt fans, like me, to write them off as cheap and uninteresting. However, after some discussion with a Scotch blend enthusiast and tasting some of his recommendations, I made some new discoveries and had to admit that there are some good blended whiskies.
2021 presented lots of challenges for British Columbia’s vintners. The spring was one of the driest on record with very little rain from late May to the end of June. Temperatures in June climbed up to 47 degrees Celsius. The combination of these things resulted in the grapes maturing faster and earlier than normal. The grape yields were low but the quality was good, producing small, very ripe fruit bursting with flavour. It is hoped that this high concentration of flavour will translate into an excellent, though a low yield vintage.
Photo credit: TourismKelowna.com
The wild fires also wreaked havoc on the harvest in some areas, particularly the Thompson and Okanagan Valleys. Fortunately, the worst of the smoke exposure occurred before the grapes began to ripen so the impact is believed to be minimal.
The recent flooding in B.C. has affected all residents either directly or indirectly. With major transportation routes being blocked or damaged, supply chains and mobility have been severely restricted. At this point it is still too early to know what additional burden will be felt by B.C.’s wine industry as a whole because of the flooding.
This year was without a doubt a season with its challenges because of the smoke, heat and floods. However, early indications suggest that the 2021 vintage of British Columbia wines will be very flavourful. Unfortunately for consumers the prices will most likely be higher due to the smaller than normal yields produced. These are some things to keep in mind when the 2021 B. C. vintages begin hitting the store shelves in a year or two.
Ontario had 79 wineries enter this year’s National Wine Awards competition, second only to B.C. With such a strong field of competitors, earning a position in the top 10 is truly an accomplishment.
The wines were presented to the judges without displaying the producer, origin or price. The wines were identified and organized by grape variety or style. The top medalists were tasted in multiple rounds by many different judges.
All ten wineries were from the Niagara region. There were no winners from Prince Edward County, the North Shore of Lake Erie, Norfolk County, Georgian Bay, Huron Shores or the Toronto Wine Region.
The wineries identified in green periodically have their wines available for sale in local liquor stores. The award winning wines identified in blue are available in Ontario through the LCBO.
1. Malivoire Wine Company, Beamsville, ON (1st overall)
Malivoire Wine Company is the National Wine Awards Winery of the Year as a result of their earning 3 Platinum, 1 Gold, 8 Silver and 5 Bronze medals. This was the first year that a winery has received 3 Platinum medals. Malivoire’s wines may be purchased from their website at www.malivoire.com.
Platinum Medal Winners
2020 Le Coeur Gamay – Category: Gamay – $27.95
N/V Bisous Rose – Category: Sparkling Pink – $29.95
2020 Analog Demo Series – Category: Red Blend – $27.95
Gold Medal Winner
2020 Small Lot Chardonnay – Category: Chardonnay – $19.95
N/V Che Bello, Ontario – Category: Sparkling Wine – 17.95
2020 Ladybug Rosé – Category: Rosé – $16.95
2020 Vivant Rosé – Category: Rosé – $19.95
2. Trius Winery, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (4th overall)
Trius Winery was awarded 2 Platinum, 1 Gold, 7 Silver and 5 Bronze medals at this year’s event. Their wines may be purchased from their website at www.triuswines.com.
Platinum Medal Winners
2019 Showcase Late Harvest Vidal – Category: Late Harvest – $29.95
Brut Rose – Category: Sparkling Pink – $29.95
Gold Medal Winner
2019 Showcase Riesling Ghost Creek – Category: Riesling – $29.75
3. Peller Estates, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (5th overall)
Peller Estates received 2 Platinum, 2 Gold, 5 Silver and 3 Bronze medals at this year’s awards. Their wines are available at retailers across Canada, as well as from their website at www.peller.com.
Platinum Medal Winners
2019 Private Reserve Cabernet Franc – Category: Cabernet Franc – $23.75
2019 Signature Series Riesling – Category: Riesling – $29.95
Gold Medal Winners
2018 Andrew Peller Cabernet Franc Icewine – Category: Icewine – $108.90
2019 Winemaker’s Blend Red – Category: Red Blend – $24.95
2019 Small Lot Riesling Triangle Vineyard – Category: Riesling – $29.75
2018 Effervescent Riesling – Category: Sparkling White – $38.95
5. 13th Street Winery, St. Catharines, ON (15th overall)
13th Street was awarded 1 Platinum, 1 Gold, 5 Silver and 14 Bronze medals. Their wines are available at retailers in Ontario, as well as from their website at www.13thstreetwinery.com.
Platinum Medal Winner
2015 Premier Cuvee – Category: Sparkling White – $39.95
Gold Medal Winner
2020 Cabernet Franc June’s Vineyard – Category: Cabernet Franc – $24.95
Silver Medal Winners
2013 Grande Cuvee Blanc de Noir – Category: Sparkling White – $59.95
2019 Gamay – Category: Gamay – $19.95
2019 Blanc de Blanc – Category: Sparkling White – $29.95
7. Fielding Estate Winery, Beamsville, ON (22nd overall)
Fielding achieved 3 Gold, 5 Silver and 12 Bronze medals this year. Their wines are available at retailers across Ontario, as well as from their website at www.fieldingwines.com.
Gold Medal Winners
2018 Estate Bottled Cabernet Franc – Category: Cabernet Franc – $39.95
2019 Cabernet-Syrah – Category: Red Blend – $29.95
N/V Sparkling Brut – Category: Sparkling White – $37.15
Tawse received 2 Gold, 12 Silver and 7 Bronze medals at this year’s awards. Their wines are available from their website www.tawsewinery.ca and from retailers across Ontario.
British Columbia had 148 wineries entered in this year’s National Wine Awards competition; the highest of any province. With such a strong field of competitors, earning a position in the top 10 is truly an accomplishment.
The wines were all served to the judges without displaying the producer, origin or price. The wines were identified and organized by grape variety or style. The top medalists were tasted in multiple rounds by many different judges.
The wineries identified in green periodically have their wines available for sale beyond British Columbia. The award winning wines identified in blue are available in Ontario through the LCBO.
1. La Frenz Estate Winery, Penticton, B.C. (2nd overall) In addition to being the top B.C. winery, La Frenz was declared the Best Performing Small Winery of the Year. They previously received the title in 2017. This year they earned 2 Platinum, 6 Gold and 5 Silver medals. La Frenz wines are available online from their web site www.lafrenzwinery.com.
Platinum Award Winners
N/V Liqueur Muscat – Category: Fortified Wine -$22.00
2019 Reserve Ensemble – Category: White Blend – $29.00
2019 Reserve Vivant – Category: White Blend – $29.00
2019 Vintage Port Style – Category: Other Fortified
2. Blasted Church Vineyards, Okanagan Falls, B.C. (3rd overall) Blasted Church received 2 Platinum, 6 Gold, 5 Silver and 11 Bronze medals. There wines are available from their website at www.blastedchurch.com. Platinum Award Winners
2019 Big Bang Theory – Category: Red Blend – $24.00
2019 Cabernet Franc – Category: Cabernet Franc – $36.90
Gold Award Winners
2017 Nectar of the Gods – Category: Red Blend – $75.00
2017 Holy Moly Petit Verdot – Category: Petit Verdot – $50.00
2018 Cabernet Merlot – Category: Red Blend – $34.00
2018 Small Blessings Malbec – Category: Malbec – $40.00
4. Quails’ Gate Estate Winery, West Kelowna, B.C. (7th overall)
Quails’ Gate Estate Winery received 1 Platinum, 3 Gold, 9 Silver and 4 Bronze medals. Their wines are available from their website at www.quailsgate.com.
This year was the twentieth anniversary of the WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada (NWAC). The country’s largest competition of Canadian wines is usually held in June each year but this year the event was moved to October due to COVID-19 and took place in Penticton, British Columbia. The final results were not released until November 12th.
The judges’ panel consisted of 14 men and 12 women who tasted 2,075 wines from more than 260 wineries.
This year’s Winery of the Year is Niagara’s Malivoire Wine Company. Malivoire earned 17 medals at this year’s Nationals, including 3 Platinum, 1 Gold, 8 Silver and 5 Bronze.
It is the first time in NWAC history that a single winery has won three Platinum Medals at the Nationals. Equally incredible is that the medals were won in three different wine categories.
The NWAC top 10 wineries for 2021 are listed below, including their Platinum and Gold winning wines. The lion’s share of this year’s awards went to British Columbia.
In order to be considered for inclusion on the list, the winery must enter a minimum of five wines. The five top-scoring entries (not including Icewine) from each winery are used to determine the order.
Malivoire Wine Company, whose awards included 3 Platinum, 1 Gold, 8 Silver and 5 Bronze. The winning Platinum and Gold wines included:2020 Le Coeur Gamay (Platinum Award)
No Vintage (N/V) Bisous Rose (Platinum Award)
2020 Analog Demo Series (Platinum Award)
2020 Small Lot Chardonnay (Gold Award)
B.C.’s La Frenz Estate Winery was awarded Best Performing Small Winery of the Year. They earned 2 Platinum, 6 Gold and 5 Silver awards. The Platinum and Gold award winning wines included:
With the warmer weather becoming a distant memory and the dark cold days of winter coming, thoughts turn to hunkering down in front of the fire and indulging in comfort foods. When pairing your wine to your meal there are 5 factors about the wine to consider: tannins, the body or ‘weight’, acidity, intensity and sweetness.
Tannins
Tannins are the components in red wine that make your mouth feel dry and give a wine its texture. When served with food tannins will soften proteins and provide a good balance to fatty foods. Therefore such wines go well with rich meats and cheeses.
Body
Body is the perception of weight in a wine. A light body wine will feel lighter in your mouth than a wine that is full-bodied. When pairing with foods, it is best to pair full-bodied wine with heavier foods.
Acidity
Acidity in wine generally ranges from being soft and light, like a pear, to crisp and bright like a lemon. Acidity will cut through rich and fatty foods. Wines with crisp acidity pair well with rich meats and cheeses, creamy sauces and oily foods.
Intensity
Intensity is the speed in which the wine’s aromas and flavours react to your sense of smell and taste. Wines with more intense flavour and aroma (bouquet) will be best with subtly flavoured foods like creamy pasta, risotto or mild cheeses.
Sweetness
Sweetness relates to the taste of the wine rather than the actual amount of sugar content. When pairing a wine with food the wine should taste as sweet as, or sweeter than the food. Sweet wines also pair well with spicy foods.
Based on this information it can be a simple process to pair wine with your favourite comfort foods. For example here are some suggested wines to pair with my own comfort foods:
Homemade Mac & Cheese Light unoaked Chardonnay goes well but if you like to add lobster or crab then a white Burgundy or Chenin Blanc may be more to your liking
Spaghetti and meatballs A red wine such as Sangiovese, Chianti, Barbera, a fruity acidic Merlot or a Zinfandel
Homemade Pizza Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, or Merlot
Grilled Cheese Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio), Gewürztraminer or Riesling
Meat Lasagna Primitivo, Sangiovese, Barbera or Valpolicella
Chicken Noodle soup Pinot Blanc, unoaked Chardonnay or light-bodied, low-tannin reds such as Beaujolais, Gamay, Baco Noir or Pinot Noir
Beef stew Red Bordeaux, Malbec, Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon
Chicken and dumplings Oaked Chardonnay
Chili Malbec or Zinfandel
Shepherd’s pie Syrah (Shiraz) or Zinfandel
Chicken pot pie Chardonnay or Merlot
Comfort food and a nice glass of wine; what better way to brace yourself for the cold weather ahead!
Scotch whisky prices have been slowly rising over time and in recent years distillers have also introduced new blends and names and labels that do not include a whisky’s age. According to one distiller I spoke to while in Scotland several years ago, this is the result of increased popularity and demand. This resulted from a number of consumers no longer being able to afford their 10, 12, and 18 year single malts.
Photo credit: TheTrendSpotter.net
The minimum legal aging requirement for Scotch whisky is 3 years. However I am not aware of any brand that advertises any 3-year-old scotch whiskies for sale. There are however, many no age statement (NAS) whiskies and many of these will almost certainly contain some 3-year-old whisky mixed in with older blends; but normally 10-12 years old is the minimum age for most consumers to consider purchasing.
Scotch whisky is expensive due to other factors besides demand; many of which don’t affect other alcoholic drinks in the same manner. Long term storage contributes a large percentage of the cost; not only due to the time required to mature but also due to the losses that occur from evaporation. Bottling, packing, distribution and a large percentage of excise tax have a high impact on price as well.
Evaporation, often referred to as the Angels’ Share, is the portion lost from barrels during the maturation process. On average roughly 2% of the whisky is lost per year. However, newly made spirit evaporates at a much higher rate, closer to 3.5-4% over the first few years with a slow reduction down to about 2% in the later years.
Whisky Age Litres before Maturation Litres after Maturation
10 Year Old 200 Litres 160 Litres
12 Year Old 200 Litres 152 Litres
25 Tear Old 200 Litres 100 Litres
Is Scotch whisky worth the price? In my humble opinion many are. I find that I can easily sip on an enjoyable aged single malt and relax or dive deep into my own thoughts, depending on my frame of mind.
Over 800 of B.C.’s finest wines from more than 120 B.C. wineries were judged by a panel of 15 judges at the 2021 B.C. Lieutenant Governor Wine Awards. The results were released earlier this month.
The top honour went to the Tantalus Vineyards’ 2018 Old Vines Riesling. The wine was produced from Riesling grape vines first planted in 1978. The vineyards and winery are situated on the eastern shores of Lake Okanagan overlooking the lake and the City of Kelowna.
CedarCreek Estate Winery, 2019 Platinum Cabernet Franc
Church & State Wines, 2019 Marsanne
Church & State Wines, 2019 Trebella
Unfortunately from what I can tell, none of this year’s winners are presently available outside of British Columbia. I have indicated in green those wineries that do have products that are occasionally found east of the Rockies. Even though the winners may never travel beyond B.C., other wines from these vineyards would be well worth trying.
Many Canadian vintners and wineries are working to reduce both our carbon footprint and reduce negative environmental impact. They are finding ways to reduce energy consumption, lessen dependency on pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers, as well as lessen the need for water.
Stratus Vineyards and Tantalus Vineyards
In the past I have discussed the impacts of climate change on the wine industry but today I will talk about the actual buildings and their design. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or LEED, is the most widely-used green building rating system in the world, available for virtually all building, community, and home-project types. In Canada LEED is a proven path to addressing climate change, and to creating buildings that are more resource-efficient, healthy and resilient.
LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building was designed and built using strategies aimed at achieving high performance in key areas of human and environmental health. This includes location and transportation, sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
There are two wineries in particular that have been leaders in adapting change.
Stratus Vineyards, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Stratus was the first winery in Canada to earn LEED certification. In order to qualify for LEED certification, the winery had to meet numerous criteria that reduced the negative impact on the environment both during construction and on a permanent, operational basis.
The facility was designed in a way to minimize the amount of equipment needed and where possible it is designed in a way where it can be reconfigured in response to the need. Even the table where the grapes are sorted can be set up in at least 17 different ways.
The winery was built using recycled materials where possible. The building also includes a super-insulated roof and geothermal heating and cooling. There is a resource and energy efficient electrical and plumbing system as well as a toxin-free waste management program.
They also chose native plants and flowers for the landscaping because they can thrive without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Even the pavement for the parking lot was made of stone that reduces light-reflected heat.
Tantalus Vineyards, Kelowna
Tantalus takes great care in everything they do, from farming to winemaking. Riesling is the real focus but their Pinot Noir shines as well.
Being a successful winery and needing to increase production, Tantalus found themselves in a situation where they needed to replace their original building. The new facility earned them the distinction of being British Columbia’s first LEED-certified winery.
The building is environmentally friendly and energy efficient. There are natural sky lights, an unpaved driveway and parking area to avoid heat reflection and a highly efficient dual-exchange heating and cooling system. The wine shop features custom handcrafted wooden cabinetry sourced from native Alder and the landscaping surrounding the winery has been planted with bee-friendly flowers and shrubs.
The wastewater treatment system processes the winery’s effluent and domestic sewage. It is the first of its kind for a British Columbia winery and allowed them to be completely non-reliant on municipal or private waste disposal providers.
Final Thoughts
LEED certifications is just one way of helping preserve and protect our environment. Both of these wineries, along with many others, are also following sustainability practices and some are even aiming to convert to dry-farming. One thing for certain is that the wine industry is helping to lead the way to improve our environmental health.
A Layman's Wine Musings 