This is “POP or FLOP”, where we taste test sparkling wines so you don’t have to! (Tough job, we know! 😉) This week we’re sipping the brand new NV Rosé from Nova Scotia sparkling wine pioneer Benjamin Bridge! A vibrant and fruit-forward (yet incredibly complex) traditional method sparkler, that's oh so distinctively Nova Scotian! (Trust us, we know, we tasted plenty on our recent trip out there... for research!) So, is this a bottle of bubbles you should POP? 💁 Or is it a FLOP? 🙅 Let’s see…
Benjamin Bridge is a sparkling-focused winery, located in the heart of the Gaspereau Valley on the Bay of Fundy. The cool climate and the vineyard’s terroir bear a striking resemblance to the Champagne region of France – promoting naturally high acidity and a long "hang-time" for the classic Champagne grape varietals. In fact, BB’s innovative sparkling wines share many of the same characteristics as the classic prestige cuvées from the world’s most famous sparkling wine region – but with a special Nova Scotian flare!
It’s no surprise that Tony Aspler, Canada’s most renowned wine authority, declared BB’s sparkling wines as the best he’s tasted in Canada. Not only that, but BB recently made it onto the wine list at Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant in London. Pretty amazing, huh? We definitely think so! We had the pleasure of meeting Benjamin Bridge's young and dynamic winemaker Jean-Benoit DesLauriers earlier this year here in Ontario, and shortly after were lucky enough to visit the winery out in Nova Scotia to see where the magic happens and sample his sparkling wines while overlooking the stunning slopes of the Gaspereau Valley!
While BB has focused solely on vintage sparkling in the past, they've recently launched a non-vintage program to develop a line of sparkling wines with a signature house style and keep up with the growing national and international demand for Nova Scotia bubbles. The Benjamin Bridge NV and NV Rosé are special cuveé's consisting of wines from different harvest years (as far back as their inaugural 2002 vintage!) to achieve this house style. So let's taste shall we?
Appearance 👀
- Elegant pale rose in colour, with an incredibly lively effervescence and a delicate mousse.
Aroma 👃
- On the nose we were drawn in by luscious fresh red fruit (strawberry, cherry and cranberry), rose petal, baby's breath (the flower! 😆), cream, vanilla, a subtle nuttiness, and the distinctive sea mineral undertones that makes Nova Scotian sparkling so unique. So much depth for a non-vintage wine!
Flavour 👅
- Medium bodied, with a vibrant, racy east-coast acidity on the palate. Flavours of red currant, white cherry, cranberry, and candied ginger root lead to a long mineral-focused finish. Delish!
Food Pairing 🍽
- C'mon, you KNOW we're gonna say lobster rolls! 😜 (We're kind of obsessed with lobster rolls). But yeah, these bubbles were made for seafood. Anything from the finest, freshest oysters, to beer battered fish and chips – #foodgasm! 😍
The Verdict? 💁
- It’s … a POP! It's no secret that we're big fans of east coast bubbly (especially from Benjamin Bridge!) and this NV Rosé certainly did not disappoint! Complex, yet super approachable, we're all about it – and at under $30... you should be too!
PSST! Pro tip: Benjamin Bridge is offering FREE SHIPPING on all sparkling (Canada Only, Orders of $100+) before December 11. So visit their online store and stock up for the holidays. Tell 'em the Sparkling Winos sent ya! 😜
Benjamin Bridge NV Rosé
$27.95
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