With the holiday season swiftly approaching, sparkling wines will once again be a hot commodity on store shelves.<\/p>\n
Due to supply chain issues, however, provincial liquor authorities have advised customers to shop early for their festive sparklers and to expect that some imported options may not be available.<\/p>\n
With that in mind, researchers at Brock University\u2019s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) suggest reaching for a local option this festive season.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are so many choices available from our wonderful wineries, so consider supporting Ontario wineries and businesses by purchasing Ontario sparkling wines,\u201d said Belinda Kemp, CCOVI\u2019s Senior Scientist in Oenology.<\/p>\n
Kemp\u2019s work in the wine industry has spanned three continents, and her laboratory at Brock\u2019s CCOVI, which she has dubbed \u2018The Bubble Lab,\u2019 is recognized for its leading sparkling wine research and outreach work.<\/p>\n
Kemp is also the founder of the Fizz Club, a national event where sparkling winemakers come together to share the latest in production and research developments. It was first held at Brock in 2013 and has since brought hundreds of sparkling winemakers together to learn from one another at Brock, as well as at networking events across Canada and overseas.<\/p>\n
CCOVI Professional Affiliate Janet Dorozynski, who works for the Trade Commissioner Service to assist Canadian wine, beer and spirits companies with international business development, recently gave accolades to the Fizz Club\u2019s role in the advancement of sparkling wine, both locally and across the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe that the creation of the CCOVI Fizz Club has been a boon for Canada\u2019s sparkling winemakers and am glad to see it operating on a national scale,\u201d said Dorozynski. \u201cFizz Club has provided the structure and environment for formal and informal exchanges which, along with the winemaker study trips to sparkling wine regions, have no doubt led to the overall improvement of Canadian sparkling wine.\u201d<\/p>\n