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Shaping Bubbles
Shaping Bubbles Lecture Series
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Photo by Kim Lawton
Speakers
Speakers Norman Cole, Thierry Lemaire, Denis Bunner, Marcello Galetti.
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Photo by Kim Lawton
Bubbles Tasting
Tasting at the Lecture
Sparkling wines are the hottest trend in the business right now, and BC winemakers are moving to take advantage of this rapid growth.
Winemakers from around the province gathered recently at Okanagan College to discuss the bubbling field of sparkling wines. Attendees had the chance to hear from international experts about different methods of producing sparkling wine, share best practices and try products from around the world.
Sparkling wine production in BC is getting more popular and many wineries are either launching or expanding their sparkling wine line. Norman Cole, owner of Artus Bottling and one of the organizers of this lecture explained, “There is a significant opportunity for BC wineries to further expand into the very popular sparkling wines category. Worldwide consumption and demand for sparkling wines is increasing. BC wineries are seeing this trend first hand with consumers seeking out this style of wine. In other wine regions around the world, sparkling wines represent a higher percentage of a winery's business than we see here in BC and wineries here are responding.”
This lecture brought in international experts to share their worldwide best practices and to discuss the range of different sparkling wine styles and production options. Marcello Galetti, a wine consultant in Italy, discussed different Italian sparkling wines including Prosecco and Lambrusco. Marcello also gave a presentation on the Charmat method.
On the incredible growth in Prosecco, now at 400 million bottles produced a year, Galetti explained, “Prosecco is a lifestyle choice. It is perceived by the consumer as a product with an excellent relationship between quality and price.” Prosecco is relatively quick to produce and the price point, often ranging from $17-$25 a bottle, reflects this.
Conversely Champagne, the name given to sparkling wines produced in France, are wines that take significantly more time and labour to produce. These higher-priced sparkling wines can be considered a status symbol and often range in price from $50-$80 a bottle or more. Denis Bunner, Assistant Chef de Cave at Champagne Bollinger, presented the main styles found in Champagne. Denis explained that “... with 306 million bottles of Champagne produced annually, they are seeing strong growth in Champagne sales, but also peaks and valleys as Champagne sales reflect financial crises.”
Jonathan Rouse, Director of Food, Wine and Tourism and Associate Dean of the Okanagan School of Business at Okanagan College mentioned, “This lecture is perfect timing as wineries in BC expand their interests in sparkling wine. It also ties in extremely well with relationships that Okanagan College is developing with European viticulture and oenology education institutions, such as the Avize Viti Campus in Champagne. The intent is for student and faculty exchanges with two students from the Avize Vit Campus visiting the Okanagan this summer on internships, providing an excellent opportunity to bridge knowledge, cultures and values among our respective regions.”
Jason James, the Winemaker for Sumac Ridge, Black Sage Vineyards and Steller’s Jay participated in the lecture. “I think making sparkling wine can be more complex than people think, so when you get a chance to listen and talk to experts like those present at this lecture, you do it. I always gain an idea or method to improve our sparkling wines,” said James.
This lecture was part of the Bottling Excellence Lecture Series provided by Artus Bottling and Nuance Winery Supplies, with the support of Okanagan College. Thierry Lemaire, Owner of Nuance Winery Supplies explained, “We’re very pleased to bring such talented international expertise to BC. The goal of this lecture and our ongoing Bottling Excellence Lecture Series is to help wineries continue to improve the quality of their wines by bringing them leading edge presenters, technology and worldwide best practices." ■
For more information or to be included on the invitation list for future lectures, email Norman Cole at norman@artusbottling.com or Thierry Lemaire at thierry@nuancetrade.com