Unsworth Vineyards Cuvée de l'Île Blanc de Blancs 2020
Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, CanadaVancouver Island produces a distinctive wine, characterized by intense minerality and acidity. I would warn that it is not suitable for everyone, especially if softness and sweetness are your ideal in a wine. Look for a refreshing, taut, lemony sparkler with a touch of creamy texture to support a burst of green apples, toasted nuts, and small, persistent bubbles. It is a wine for connoisseurs that can be aged for a decade or more. Treve reported on this wine late last year, calling it the pinnacle of Unsworth's sparkling wine program. I would add that it is amongst the best Blanc de Blancs I have tasted in the country. It is made from Cowichan Valley Chardonnay, fermented and aged in neutral French barrels. It has aged on its lees in the bottle for about 40 months before a final hand-riddling at disgorgement. It spends another year in the winery's bottle before being released, essentially bone dry.Tasted: 30 October 2025Tasted by: Prices:
Unsworth Vineyards Cuvée de l'Île Blanc de Blancs 2020
Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, CanadaThis exciting inaugural traditional method BdB is Cowichan Valley chardonnay, grown on marine sedimentary soils at the Mildenstein vineyard, planted 1999 by David Godfrey (remember Godfrey-Brownell?). After a whole cluster press, this was fermented in neutral French oak with full MLF before heading to bottle and 45 months sur lattes. It was disgorged in March 2025, with 2.5 g/L RS (Unsworth 2022 chardonnay as base for liqueur). Meringue, lemon curd, crunchy green and yellow apple, and lingering flake salts roll along the palate, with humming energy striking a deft balance between island terroir, marine acidity, and thoughtful technique. This project has been a long time in the making, so it's great to finally see accomplished, as a success. I can't recall ever tasting such an impressive first release of a Canadian trad met. One to track. *With only 384 bottles in 750mL and 42 magnums, track / act quickly.Tasted: 30 October 2025Tasted by: Prices:
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