Sparkling Winos Celebrate Five-Year Anniversary with Book Plans

Get ready to pop that bottle as we’ve got news that will make you say “Cheers!” – the book you never knew you needed is coming soon. Jeff and Mike, better known as the dynamic Instagram duo Sparkling Winos, are thrilled to share their newest venture ‘Life is the Bubbles: An Effervescent Guide to Sparkling Wine’. The announcement of the lighthearted guide coincides with the five-year anniversary of Sparkling Winos debut, with pre-orders now available.

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 …