Showcase 5 Blanc de Noirs 2009

This is so new that McDonald wasn't sure what this will be called when it is finally labeled. It is a blend of 70% Pinot Noir from the Lawrie Vineyard (Four-Mile Creek) and 30% Pinot Meunier. It spent five years on its lees with only a tiny amount of sugar added to the dosage. It has a gorgeous light copper colour and an expressive nose of melba toast, light red fruits, violets, loam, brioche and strawberry cream. It has a lively mousse and an array of complex red fruits with touches of earth and creamy notes that are silky and delicate through the palate. Such a beautiful sparkling wine made in a near bone-dry style. Score - 93. (Rick VanSickle, winesinniagara.com, Sept. 3, 2014)