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Lightfoot & Wolfville Blanc de Blancs Brut 2015

Canada, Nova Scotia
Organic
Biodynamic
93 JG 93 Points (Wineanorak (Jamie Goode))
92 WA 92 Points (WineAlign)
Country Canada
Province Nova Scotia
Region Annapolis Valley
Producer Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards
Vintage 2015
Color Sparkling Wine
Varietal(s) Chardonnay
¥5,940  (incl. tax)
Country Canada
Province Nova Scotia
Region Annapolis Valley
Producer Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards
Vintage 2015
Color Sparkling Wine
Varietal(s) Chardonnay
Data
Closure Cork
Volume 750ml
Alcohol 11.5%
Product Code D002S00115
UPC 628055615170
Inventory In Stock (19)
Owning & Enjoying

Tasting notes

Pale-gold with fine, lively bubbles that dance in the glass. Layered nose with crisp Granny Smith apple, white flower and toasted almond. Precise and focused on the palate. Flavours reminiscent of graphite and salty minerality with an elegant, refined mousse and impressive length.

Pairing

Pairing suggestions include lobster on brioche with green apple slaw, sweet vegetable terrine, oysters or creamed mushrooms on toast.

Cellaring

The structure and profile of this wine suggests it could be cellared, only gaining in complexity and depth over time (5+ years).

Press
93Wineanorak (Jamie Goode)
This Chardonnay Brut comes off their Lightfoot Home Farm, and was mostly fermented in stainless steel (85%), with the remainder in neutral French oak barrique. Once in bottle, this aged for 45 months on lees prior to disgorgement in spring 2021 with a dosage of 12 g/L. Tight and nimble, with green apple, red apple, ruling a lees-bedded, creamy palate, lit with a shimmering stony salinity that lingers long on the palate. Quite accomplished, drinking smartly now and in years ahead. 
92WineAlign
Michael Godel.  From all three blocks of the home vineyard, 100 per cent chardonnay, classic line, part tank and part barrel, an extra year in barrel. Disgorged in February 2020, still only at 15 per cent malolactic, soon to become near 100 per cent in 2017. In these early-ish sparkling wine program days there was worry about how high to go with malic conversions and with so much acidity to play with these things were not yet known. Less tension, more cream, 15 g/L in RS as compared to 4 g/L in the Extra Brut. Still a toasted element and at 50-plus months of lees contact this is just shy of that perfect window. Some tropical fruit joins tree peach and pure yellow citrus, all following the brushy herbs. Drink 2021-2028. Tasted September 2021.
Production

Vinification

Nova Scotia’s unique coastal-influenced growing environment provides the ideal conditions for the production of traditional method / Méthode Champenoise sparkling wines of great distinction. Our cool-climate and extended hang times creates full-flavoured sparkling grapes with beautiful natural acidities and retained freshness.

This is a single-vineyard, single varietal sparkling from 100% Lightfoot Home Farm Chardonnay. Primary fermentation was mostly in stainless steel (85%), with a small portion in used/neutral French oak barrique (15%). Extended aging of 45 months on lees provided complexity and layers of depth, prior to disgorgement in March of 2020.

Production Amount

1980
Producer

Producer Description

Lightfoot & Wolfville is owned and operated by the Lightfoot family who have been farming in the Annapolis Valley for eight generations. Originating in Northern England, the Lightfoot name referred to the swift-footedness of our forebears who traditionally worked as messengers. At Lightfoot & Wolfville we like to think we bring a light touch and enlightened approach to both the agricultural and artisanal parts of our work – working in harmony with nature and letting the land offer up its innate best, without subjecting it to aggressive inputs. We believe being present on our land means recognizing the living memory of its past inhabitants while keeping in tune, daily, with the life of our soil and vines. Our Home Farm has been in Michael’s family for four generations – working the land is in our blood. We’ve also found evidence of earlier history on both our sites, including Acadian and Planter artifacts and even an Acadian-era house foundation where our current winemaking facility stands.

OUR STORY

Lightfoot & Wolfville is owned and operated by the Lightfoot family who have been farming in the Annapolis Valley for eight generations. Originating in Northern England, the Lightfoot name referred to the swift-footedness of our forebears who traditionally worked as messengers. At Lightfoot & Wolfville we like to think we bring a light touch and enlightened approach to both the agricultural and artisanal parts of our work – working in harmony with nature and letting the land offer up its innate best, without subjecting it to aggressive inputs.

We believe being present on our land means recognizing the living memory of its past inhabitants while keeping in tune, daily, with the life of our soil and vines. Our Home Farm has been in Michael’s family for four generations – working the land is in our blood. We’ve also found evidence of earlier history on both our sites, including Acadian and Planter artifacts and even an Acadian-era house foundation where our current winemaking facility stands.

ETHOS

We believe that the best wines are the result of a deep connection between PEOPLE & PLACE, as reflected in our winery’s name - “LIGHTFOOT & WOLFVILLE” - “Lightfoot” is our family name and “Wolfville” is the name of the town we call home.

We believe great wine is grown by farmers and viticulturists respectful of the land’s particular gifts and energies. That management of a vineyard in harmony with nature allows for maximum expression of its unique individuality. Our commitment to regenerative agriculture practices is driven by a duty to protect and promote the vitality of our soils for future generations, and has led us to successfully pursue organic certification through Ecocert Canada and biodynamic certification by Demeter Canada.

Minimal-intervention vinification from healthy, balanced fruit allows us to produce distinct wines that faithfully convey the purest sense of time and spirit of place.

THE PLACE

GROWN ON THE SHORES OF THE MINAS BASIN

The Annapolis Valley is a long, relatively narrow valley located on the western edge of Nova Scotia, situated between two parallel mountain ranges, along the shores of the Bay of Fundy. Close proximity to the Bay of Fundy and the world’s highest tides creates an incredibly unique growing environment with tremendous potential for the production of distinctive cool-climate wines.

Our 40 acres of vines are planted on two distinct sites along the shores of the Minas Basin, an inlet of the Bay of Fundy, where hilly slopes extend the frost free period and provide excellent exposure. Natural airflow and incessant saltwater breezes off the basin provide an important moderating effect, especially critical during the winter months when temperatures dip below freezing. Throughout the growing season, these same cool breezes slow ripening, extending the hang times of our fruit. This microclimate creates balanced, full-flavored grapes that tend to have relatively low sugar content, yet full phenolic maturity and beautifully retained natural acidities. The ultimate result is wines that are firmly rooted in a distinct sense of place, characterized by vibrancy, freshness, finesse, and a brilliance and clarity of flavor that can only be achieved in very cool climate regions.

THE VINES

We farm 40 acres of vines on two distinct sites, one on the edge of the Town of Wolfville and the other in nearby Avonport. Both vineyards have breathtaking views of Cape Blomidon, and benefit from the Minas Basin's moderating impact on climate.

Another shared aspect of the terroir at both sites is the rare Wolfville Formation Soil that makes up a mere 3 percent of our province's soil spectrum. The upper root horizon consists of glacial till with coarse sandy loam, while the deep root horizon’s clay content provides ideal moisture retention.

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