Red, White & Bubbles with Big Head!

Looking up ‘Big Head’ in the dictionary, you’ll find all sorts of definitions for the colloquial term, including something along the lines of being “very boastful” and so on.  But Niagara’s Big Head Wines is far from that, and their name is derived from a more literal inspiration: Andrzej Lipinski, the winery’s Polish proprietor, has a big head (and according to him, so does his family and many other Poles) [Mike: being a Pole with a big head, I can confirm that this is an accurate and valid observation – no offence taken!]. Though the winery is firmly rooted in …

New Vintages from BC’s Blue Mountain Winery

It’s been a minute since we’ve visited beautiful British Columbia, and we’re still reflecting on the sparkling insights we brought back with us on our last trip in 2018.  Reflecting on Blue Mountain Winery’s Bubbles When we think of pioneers in British Columbia (BC) sparkling wine, top of mind is Blue Mountain Winery, which was one of the first wineries to craft traditional method bubbles on Canada’s west coast in the late 1980’s. On our 2018 trip, we had the pleasure of visiting Blue Mountain and tasting with Christie Mavety, who grew up on the estate, and who joined the winery formally as part of …

Sip Champagne like an NBA Champ with Champagne Cheurlin!

Have you heard of Champagne Cheurlin? 🤔 This award-winning winery is the first and only African American owned Champagne house, and it recently became available in our market here in Ontario! We’re very excited to taste Champagne Cheurlin and share our notes, but before we do, let us tell you a little bit about their story. NBA champion, respected CEO and cannabis and beverage entrepreneur Isiah Thomas and his holding company, Isiah International Inc., has a diverse portfolio that includes cannabis oil and CBD companies, as well as the legendary Champagne Cheurlin.  Isiah discovered his love of Champagne after winning the …

Portuguese Sparkling Wine: More Than Just Vinho Verde

What comes to mind, when you think of Portugal? For us, it’s custard tarts and Portuguese rotisserie chicken, white and blue tiles and cobblestone streets, friendly people and glasses of Vinho Verde (oh, and probably Port and Madeira).  Outside of Port and Madeira, Vinho Verde – which translates to ‘Green Wine’ – is one of Portugal’s larger wine exports. It’s probably what also comes to mind when you think of “Portugal” and “Sparkling Wine.” Certainly, the country’s fortified wines do not conjure up visions of effervescence. Por que é verde? Vinho Verde is a youthful wine style, originally achieving its …

Become a Champagne Expert, Online!

Wouldn’t you love to take a trip to Champagne and sharpen your sparkling skillset? 🤔🍾📝 Well, you are in luck, as the Comité Champagne is offering a Massive Open Online Course (or, MOOC for short) on our favourite subject: Champagne, of course! 🤩 So you can travel to the most famous sparkling wine region in the world, virtually, for an unforgettable effervescent experience. It is the first-of-its-kind Champagne-only course created by the Comité Champagne. Sommeliers, oenologists, wine merchants, buyers, journalists, students and wine lovers, can participate to develop and test their knowledge thanks to this latest innovation in Champagne education. As an international online resource, …

Gifts That Pop: Sparkling Winos 2020 Holiday Gift Guide

We cannot believe it’s December already!  December and the onset of various festive holidays (Channukah, Christmas and New Years) means that sparkling wine is in high demand. Who wouldn’t want a bit of sparkle in their lives, at the longest, darkest point of the year (and after a year that has been extremely taxing)? 🤔 Taking this in mind, we have prepared a gift guide that celebrates a number of key themes that have come up this year: celebrating local, supporting wineries and hospitality partners where possible (especially by buying direct from wineries and agents), and that sparkling wine is …

Stratus Finds Its Sparkle

We’ve had our pulse on all things effervescent in Niagara for a while now, and it goes without saying that the region is producing some exceptional, world class sparkling wines.  Stratus’ sparkling wine project has been something that we’ve heard a lot about (through the grapevine, if you will) over the years. Perhaps, you could call it Niagara’s worst kept secret. Luckily, Stratus’ foray into traditional method sparkling wine is no longer a secret with the launch of their 2013 Blanc de Blancs and its companion, the 2013 Brut Nature. The release of the 2013 Blanc de Blancs came to …

Keeping it Clairette with Poulet et Fils

Sometimes, there are wines that intrigue you.  Years ago, while on a trip to Las Vegas (of all places), we found a small wine shop that focussed on French wines and had a substantial sparkling wine section. We were quite pleased, as you could imagine, and stocked up on a variety of different wines, including a Clairette de Die from Poulet et Fils. We bought it, but did not find the time to enjoy it in situ while in Sin City and off it went on a trip to Canada.  What is it? Clairette de Die is bound by the Clairette …

It’s Official, We’ve Hit 1000 Posts on Instagram!

That’s 1000 posts, 1000 corks, and 1000 memories to reflect upon… and in retrospect, what a wild ride Sparkling Winos has been and continues to be. And, we couldn’t be happier to mention that we remain as committed as ever to the project as we continue on our quest to be a one-stop-shop for all things sparkling wine. Despite COVID, we’re the busiest we’ve even been – in a different, very virtual way! So what have we learned from 1000 posts on a social media network? We’re still curious. Well, for one thing, after over four years in the industry, we …

Bubbles Under $20 for Canadian Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving in Canada just around the corner, we’re thinking about some of our favourite things: Turkey and comfort foods, time spent with family, the fall colours and … sparkling wine! Sparkling wine is a sommelier’s secret weapon, and if you’ve seen our recent live video with the LCBO, you’ll remember that we talked about the endless possibilities when it comes to pairing food with sparkling wine. It’s particularly great for Thanksgiving, given its naturally high acidity and bubbles, which help cleanse your palate of rich, fatty and decadent flavours associated with Thanksgiving (and pretty much most holidays). From Brut to …