Township 7 scores big with sparkling wine

Photo: Township 7's master of sparkling wine Mary McDermott

In November, at the Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships in London, Township 7 Vineyards & Winery won the trophy for the best Canadian sparkling wine in the competition. The winning wine was seven stars Rigel 2020, a traditional method sparkling wine made with Riesling grapes. The wine was also runner-up for World Champion in the aromatic category. This is the second time Township 7 has won the Best Canadian Sparkling Wine in the show. It previously won in 2019 with seven stars Polaris, its flagship sparkling wine.

Township 7 winemaker Mary McDermott has crafted an entire family of traditional method sparkling wines, all grouped under the “seven stars” designation. The wines all carry names that come from an astronomer’s guidebook: Polaris, Equinox, Aurora, Vega, Rigel and Sirius. Here are notes on four recent releases from Township 7, including two sparkling wines. One is made, unusually, with Viognier. The other, Sirius, is described by the winery as the “crown jewel” of its sparkling portfolio. The wine won gold in October at the Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition in Oregon.

Township 7 Benchmark Series Riesling 2020 ($29.97 for 468 cases). The fruit is clone 21-B Riesling vines from the Fool’s Gold Vineyard north of Oliver. The wine was fermented very cool and for six weeks in both stainless steel and neutral French oak barrels. The wine has quite intense aromas and flavours of lime, lemon and petrol. The bright acidity gives the wine a penetrating brightness that lingers on the finish. 92.

Township 7 Benchmark Series Viognier 2021 ($30.97 for 175 cases). The fruit is also from the Fool’s Gold Vineyard. It was fermented in stainless steel and in two barrels to enhance the texture. The wine has aromas and flavours pineapple, guava and stone fruit. 90.

seven stars Vega 2021 ($36.97 for 383 six-bottle cases). Viognier is rarely used for sparkling wine, likely because the varietal can get too ripe. The 2021 vintage was famously hot but the winery met the challenge by picking the Oliver-area grapes for this wine on August 30. That preserved the acidity needed for sparkling wine. This wine was en tirage for just 12 months. The wine presents itself with an active mousse. Aromas of apple and stone fruits mingle with delicate notes of brioche. The rich palate delivers flavours of apple, grapefruit and orange. 91.

seven stars Sirius 2016 ($79.97 a bottle for 283 six-bottle cases). This wine is in one of the most elegant packages of any traditional method sparkling wines. The wine is made with co-fermented Chardonnay (78%) and Pinot Noir (22%) from Township 7’s cool Langley vineyard (which happens to be located on the same latitude as Champagne). The wine was en tirage for 60 months and, on bottling, was finished in a “brut” style. This sophisticated wine has aromas and flavours of brioche mingled with citrus and apple. The fine and persistent mousse gives the wine a creamy texture on the finish. 94.