14 of the LCBO’s best sparkling wines right now
These bubblies will fizz up any festivity
Louis Roederer Brut Premier
$72.95 | Champagne, France | 94 points
This classic—a mature lemon-gold Champagne with intense aromas of hazelnut, dried apple and aged honey—outperforms more expensive peers. It has power and intensity, very dry with firm, staunch acidity. Solid and so focused. Vintages Essentials 268771
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin 2008 Vintage Brut
$102.95 | Champagne, France | 93 points
This fine, mature vintage Champagne shows complex apple, almond, lemon meringue and brioche aromas. It is a light, elegant style: nicely creamy with very fine acidity. Excellent length expected at the price. Vintages Essentials 508614
Pol Roger Brut Reserve
$67.45 | Champagne, France | 92 points
This well-structured Champagne combines rich fruit and toasty brûlée and nutty notes. It is more voluminous than many Champagnes. It has presence and finesse with riveting acidity. Excellent length. LCBO 217158
Piper-Heidsieck Brut
$59.95 | Champagne, France | 91 points
Among the lightest, raciest Champagnes on the shelf, this one has an intense flinty minerality, with complex lemon loaf and baked-bread notes, and smokiness. Light-bodied, vivacious and quenching with seafood and shellfish. LCBO 462432
Taittinger Brut Reserve
$61.95 | Champagne, France | 90 points
Expect generous dried apple, garlicky and earthy aromas. It’s medium-weight, flavourful and taut, with precise acidity and a slightly creamy texture. The length is excellent. LCBO 365312
Victoire Prestige Brut
$39.75 | Champagne, France | 90 points
This base-priced Champagne delivers, with bracing acidity and a hint of sweetness. It’s light and frothy with a fairly complex nose of dried pear, lemon, toast and a hint of custard. LCBO 190025
Henry of Pelham Cuvée Catherine Rosé Brut
$29.95 | Niagara Peninsula | 90 points
This deep-pink pinot noir rosé was aged 30 months in the bottle. It shows a fairly rich nose of raspberry strudel, icing sugar and some bready yeastiness. It’s mid-weight, firm and a touch sweet with bracing effervescence. LCBO 217505
Cave Spring Blanc de Blancs Brut
$29.95 | Niagara Escarpment | 90 points
This is a light, fresh, balanced chardonnay-based sparkler, with generous baked apple pie, hazelnut and mineral flavours. A touch of sweetness with firm acidity. Nicely composed and at half the price of most blanc de blancs Champagnes. LCBO 213983
Jackson-Triggs 2014 Entourage Grand Reserve
$29.95 | Niagara Peninsula | 89 points
Aged 12 months in the bottle, this dry bubbly has a mild nose of almond, lemon, vanilla and brioche. It is light-bodied and nicely lemony with a hint of sweetness, and a slightly pasty finish. Vintages 234161
Cavas Hill Cuvée 1887 Brut
$13.95 | Penedès, Spain | 88 points
This offers huge value: a very flavourful sparkler for under $15, with aromas of quince, green olive and almond. Some subtle breadiness as well. It’s light, firm and dry, with a slightly dusty finish. LCBO 370866
Chateau de Montguéret Crémant de Loire
$19.95 | Loire Valley, France | 88 points
This slim, well-balanced chenin blanc–based sparkler from the central Loire shows a touch of flintiness, with green apple, lemon and vague breadiness. It’s light, firm, dry and zesty. LCBO 217760
Segura Vidas Brut Reserva
$15.50 | Penedès, Spain | 88 points
This classic, perennially great-value Spanish cava displays olive, almond, green pear, light toast and lime aromas. It’s light, brisk and lively, with a slightly foamy mousse but a nervy centre, some softness and stony minerality. LCBO 216960
Sparr Crémant D’Alsace
$19.95 | Alsace, France | 88 points
This pinot blanc–based, traditional-method sparkler shows flint, subtle bready character and ripe peach and banana fruit. It’s a softer, off-dry sparkler with a foamy mousse, fresh acidity and a fairly long fruity finish. LCBO 388603
Tenuta Sant’Anna Prosecco Extra Dry
$17.60 | Veneto, Italy | 88 points
This has a bit more character than many proseccos, with generous flavours of green apple, lime blossom and almond. It’s light with a hint of sweetness, yet nicely linear with good acidity and a vaguely mineral finish. LCBO 388710
