Wine Guy: ending 2021 with a spark, or three

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So we come to the end of the year. It’s official, 2021 is coming out with a lot louder than a groan.

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So, in the wise words of Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot, let’s hear him out for “… Shebam, pow, blop, wizz!” Not coincidentally, the sounds that are made when opening a bottle of sparkling wine! Which is where we’ll leave it for 2021, albeit in a bubbly local spirit, popping corks and pushing the holiday season away, with wishes and hopes for a positive new year ahead.

Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards 2017 Fitz Brut, British Columbia ($ 31.99 on sale through Jan 1, # 140481)

The time has definitely come for BC Bubbly. In a way, it seemed like it had been around for a long time, with local vineyards geared up geographically to produce grapes suitable for sparkling wine. However, bubbly production remained relatively marginal. But now the bright stars seem to be lining up and the BC bubble selection has gotten quite frothy. One winery fully aboard the sparkling wine train is Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards. Their Fitz Brut bottling is a bottle of bubbly quality that is easy to carry but complex. A classic and traditional blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, it is lively but elegant, fruity and with a pleasant texture.

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Bottom line: A-, great food companion, from smoked salmon to baked ham

Township 7 2018 seven stars Polaris, British Columbia ($ 35.97, available through select winery and private wine stores)

What is that of the alignment of the stars? After drinking sparkling champagne for the first time, supposed sparkling wine creator and superstar monk Dom Perignon allegedly exclaimed, “Come on brothers, hurry up, because I’m seeing stars.” It’s a claim (and story) since refuted, but the romance lives on and sparkling wine is really great for creating romance! So why not make the stars figurative and literal with Township 7’s seven-star sparkling wine series? Polaris, the North Star, is a traditional Blanc de Blanc Brut method made 100% with Chardonnay. It is delicate but compelling, with classic notes of brioche and apple before a balanced and fresh finish.

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Bottom line: A, elegant and classic

Time Family of Wines 2017 McWatters Collection Brut, British Columbia ($ 64.99, available through winery and select Save-On-Foods stores)

Finally, if there is an award for the iconic bottle of BC sparkling wine, this would be it. Harry McWatters produced the province’s first traditional bubbly method in the 1980s, as the owner of the pioneering Sumac Ridge Estate winery – the esteemed Steller’s Jay Brut. Fast forward decades later, and to honor its 50th British Columbia wine vintage in 2017, McWatters started a new sparkling wine project. Sadly, Harry passed away before it came true, but his legacy lives on with the inaugural launch of the McWatters Collection Brut 2017. It’s simply elegant, complex yet alive, lip smacking and delicious, and yet it’s still a BC-made blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc.

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Bottom line: A, iconic BC bub

The Swirl: Smugglers Trail Kilt Night CaskFest

Kilt vibrates for 2022 as Smugglers Trail Caskworks Co. of Langley Township (9339 200A Street, Langley) is gearing up to host their Kilt Night Cask Festival from 2-7pm on Sunday, January 30. fast pitch is: wear a kilt, get a prize. Regardless of outfit, the $ 30 festival ticket includes a souvenir glass and eight drink tickets to sample a variety of hand-drawn draft beers. It will also feature a special menu, think meat pies, and live music performed by The Contingency. For complete details, go to smugglerstrailcask.com .