This is “POP or FLOP”, where we taste test sparkling wines so you don’t have to! This week we’re sipping Konzelmann Estate Winery’s Sparkling Rosé, a fresh and vibrant charmat method bubbly crafted from Merlot. So, is this a bottle of bubbles you should POP? 💁 Or is it a FLOP? 🙅 Let’s see…
Konzelmann Estate Winery is located in the Niagara Peninsula appellation of Ontario – and boy, is the winery beautiful! As Niagara’s only lakefront winery, it is a destination onto its own! 😍 In 1984, fourth generation winemaker Herbert Konzelmann arrived in Niagara-on-the-Lake from Germany, wishing to establish a Canadian winery under his family’s guidance. When Herbert arrived in Niagara, he specifically selected a site located along the shores of beautiful Lake Ontario because it offered a mesoclimate well suited for the wines the family wished to grow! It’s no surprise, then, that Konzelmann Estate Winery has received many accolades over the years, including a shout out in Wine Spectator. 😎 So, without further ado, let’s get down to business, shall we?
Appearance
- Vibrant bold coral colour, with a vivacious effervescence and enticing mousse.
Aroma
- Dominated by juicy red fruit (strawberry and raspberry) and complimented by tart cherry. The almost sunset-like colour and fruit forward nose of this wine ignited our senses as we poured a glass as an apéritif in our backyard… and we couldn’t wait to taste! 😎
Flavour
- The palate was very similar to the nose, dominated by fresh red berries and tree fruit. However, it had a very distinct and interesting creaminess to it, which gave the wine a delicious strawberry gelato-like character. YUM! 😍 It wasn’t long before we were reaching for a refill!
Food Pairing
- This wine is all about the juicy red fruit, and with the hint of sweetness we thought it would pair perfectly with a homemade pizza grilled on the BBQ topped with a soft cheese and spicy salami… and we were right! The touch of sweetness helps to balance the spice, and the refreshing acidity (and bubbles!) cleanse the palate between bites.
The Verdict?
- It’s … a POP! This is the perfect wine to help cling on to those last days summer… and to continue sipping well into the fall! 😉 Light bodied, with a crisp acidity and off-dry, it’s extremely versatile and makes for a lovely aperitif, an accompaniment to a meal with a bit of spice, or in place of dessert. That strawberry gelato-like character tho!!
Konzelmann Sparkling Rosé
$17.95
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