Blue Mountain sparkling wines continue to impress

Photo: Blue Mountain's Matt Mavety

Blue Mountain Vineyard & Cellars has been making excellent sparkling wines every year since the winery started in 1991. Ian Mavety, the winery founder, was one of the participants in a sparkling wine project undertaken in the Okanagan by Schramsberg Cellars from California. Schramsberg dropped out after deciding there were not enough grapes in the valley at the time to support a significant volume of sparkling wine production. Blue Mountain had a large vineyard of its own coming into production. The Mavety family decided to launch their own winery, with sparkling wine in the portfolio.

The consulting winemaker originally hired by the Mavety family was Raphael Brisbois, a French-trained enologist working in California. His speciality was making sparkling wine. His skills were picked up by family member Matt Mavety, who took charge of the Blue Mountain cellar after completing a winemaking degree in New Zealand. Blue Mountain Gold Label Brut is the winery’s bread and butter sparkling wine. It spends two years on the lees before being disgorged, bottled and released, a fairly standard treatment. In the last decade or so, Matt has extended the portfolio by releasing wines with more time on the lees, a common technique in making sophisticated Champagne. The quality of Blue Mountain’s sparkling wines is the equal of Champagne, but at a lower price. One can afford to toast the new year without breaking the bank.

Here are notes on three currant releases from Blue Mountain.

Blue Mountain Gold Label Brut NV ($31.90). The blend is 65.5% Chardonnay, 34.5% Pinot Noir. The wine presents in the glass with an active mousse that delivers aromas of citrus and apple with just a hint of brioche. On the palate, the fruit flavours dominate. The finish is fresh and lively. 92.

Blue Mountain Brut Rosé 2019 R.D. ($39.90). This wine is 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay. It spent 30 months on the lees before being disgorged. The wine presents with a lightly golden hue. It begins with aromas of strawberry and brioche which are echoed on the creamy palate. The finish is long. 94.

Blue Mountain Reserve Brut 2014 R.D. ($49.90). The blend in 55% Chardonnay and 45% Pinot Noir. The wine was aged on the lees for 7 ½ years and finished crisply dry on disgorging. There is a very fine mousse with aromas and flavours mingling citrus and toasty brioche notes. This is a soave and elegant sparkling wine. 94.