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Benjamin Bridge Small Lot Concrete Riesling 2020

Canada, Nova Scotia

In the glass, a luminous straw-green with gold accents. On the nose, ethereal aromas of sliced apple, stone fruits, green papaya, licorice, and lemon verbena. On the palate, quintessential Riesling mineral purity with aromas of chalk, lemon pith, stone fruit, sea salt, and wet river rocks. A tension-filled finish features lingering floral nuances and remarkable clarity.

Hand crafted with no chemical additions, naturally occurring wine tartrates, or affectionately known by industry professionals as “wine diamonds”, may be visible in some bottles.

Country Canada
Province Nova Scotia
Region Annapolis Valley
Producer Benjamin Bridge
Vintage 2020
Color White Wine
Varietal(s) Riesling
¥5,500  (incl. tax)

In the glass, a luminous straw-green with gold accents. On the nose, ethereal aromas of sliced apple, stone fruits, green papaya, licorice, and lemon verbena. On the palate, quintessential Riesling mineral purity with aromas of chalk, lemon pith, stone fruit, sea salt, and wet river rocks. A tension-filled finish features lingering floral nuances and remarkable clarity.

Hand crafted with no chemical additions, naturally occurring wine tartrates, or affectionately known by industry professionals as “wine diamonds”, may be visible in some bottles.

Country Canada
Province Nova Scotia
Region Annapolis Valley
Producer Benjamin Bridge
Vintage 2020
Color White Wine
Varietal(s) Riesling
Data
Closure Screw Cap
Volume 750ml
Alcohol 10%
Product Code D001W00420
UPC NA
Inventory In Stock (40)
Owning & Enjoying

Tasting notes

In the glass, a luminous straw-green with gold accents. On the nose, ethereal aromas of sliced apple, stone fruits, green papaya, licorice, and lemon verbena. On the palate, quintessential Riesling mineral purity with aromas of chalk, lemon pith, stone fruit, sea salt, and wet river rocks. A tension-filled finish features lingering floral nuances and remarkable clarity.

Pairing

Enjoyable on its own as a refreshing summertime white or paired with fresh seafood, cheese sauces, and green salads.

Cellaring

Recommended Drinking: 2022-2026

Production

Viticulture

Previously only released to our BB Club members, this small lot Riesling is truly a standout amongst our previous vintages. For just a limited time, it is now available for public sale.

This low intervention Riesling was wild fermented and the result of a natural and self-regulating process. To further enhance the connection to our tidal vineyards, we relied on the transparency provided by our concrete eggs, allowing for complex textural layers while remaining more neutral than oak, placing the focus exclusively on our maritime ecosystem and its signature aromatics.

This varietal was planted in Nova Scotia due in part to a traditional association with northern European regions, such as Alsace, The Danube Valley in Austria (Wachau), as well as the steep slopes on the banks of the Rhine and Mosel rivers in Germany. However, one lesser-known common denominator between these celebrated Riesling habitats is that they are also blessed with substantial continental heat units, necessary for the full aromatic development of the Riesling. With the warm 2020 vintage providing the closest emulation to these unique conditions in our short history, it should come as no surprise that the degree of aromatic achievement is like no vintage before.

Vinification

Hand crafted with no chemical additions, naturally occurring wine tartrates, or affectionately known by industry professionals as “wine diamonds”, may be visible in some bottles.
  • Alcohol: 10%
  • RS: 1 g/l
  • Brix (avg. at harvest): 18ºBx
  • Service Temp: 11°C
Producer

Producer Description

In just over two short decades, Benjamin Bridge has distinguished itself as Canada's premier sparkling wine house.
 

An ambitious and visionary project, in 1999, Gerry McConnell and, his late wife, Dara Gordon purchased land in the Gaspereau Valley with the bold vision to create a world-class winery that would reflect an unconditional commitment to producing spectacular wines. At that time, the Nova Scotia wine industry had only a few wineries with widely varied wine portfolios, so they sought expertise from outside the region to assess the potential for terroir-driven wines in Nova Scotia. In 2000, leading winery consultant and international winemaker, Peter J. Gamble, was engaged as wine consultant with his partner, winemaker Ann Sperling; that year, land was cleared, tiled and subsoil was fractured in preparation for the first plantings.

After significant research, they recommended Benjamin Bridge develop a specialized wine portfolio by exploring the potential to produce classic method sparkling wines and brisk, aromatic whites. Upon the recommendation of Peter Gamble and Tom Stevenson, the world’s foremost Champagne authority, Gerry and Dara contacted leading Champagne oenologist Raphaël Brisbois, former chef de cave for the legendary Piper Heidsieck. Raphaël agreed to tour and assess the vineyards and the region, and after tasting tremendous potential agreed to consult, until his recent passing in late summer 2013. In 2002, the first experimental sparkling wines were made; seven different cuvées in all, in order to better understand the terroir, the varieties, the structure and the aromatics. Subsequent cuvées followed in succession with the exception of 2006, when a devastating winter (minus 26.5 degrees Celsius) struck the Gaspereau Valley. In view of the minimal size of the traditional vinifera harvest, the company elected not to make a classic method sparkling wine in 2006. To date, approximately 40 acres have been planted to grape vines. Gerry and Dara wholeheartedly supported the organic approach advised by the Gamble/Sperling team, and from the outset, the vineyard advanced quickly to full organic certification. More than half of the plantings is devoted to vinifera grapes (primarily Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, but also some Sauvignon Blanc for still winemaking). After the purchase of an additional 60+ acres of farmland adjacent to the current estate in 2013, the estate will grow to 75 acres of vineyard by 2018. Since 2009 Benjamin Bridge has also worked with a select number of local grape growers who share its passion for and dedication to quality in the vineyard.

In 2008, Benjamin Bridge head winemaker, Jean-Benoit Deslauriers, joined the winery and, from there, began crafting its sparkling and still wine vintages, in consultation with Peter and Raphaël. These wines include Nova 7, an off-dry, slightly effervescent white wine that has become the top selling white wine in Nova Scotia, outpacing all domestic and international offerings. Nova 7 has been coined Nova Scotia’s “iconic wine”, becoming the first Nova Scotia wine to be listed in Ontario and available across Canada. In August 2012, Benjamin Bridge’s 2004 Brut Reserve and 2004 Blanc de Noirs were tasted in a comparative blind tasting with 2004 Cristal and 2005 David Léclapart L’Apôtre Blanc de Blanc with leading Canadian wine writers in Toronto, Ontario. Both Tony Aspler and Konrad Ejbich reported nationally that the majority of the attendees – themselves included - ranked the Benjamin Bridge sparkling ahead of the highly rated prestige Champagne. Regarding the excellent Benjamin Bridge showing, Ejbich further commented “A one point spread may not seem like a lot, but when you’re comparing the best of Old World wines with New World wines, it does matter. In some minds, it’s seismic.” Wine writer/participant Ed Finstein declared Benjamin Bridge sparkling as “Canada’s best bubbly” and “amazing sparkling wine that can rival any top cuvee of Champagne.” Sparkling wine production volumes, in the range of 1,200 bottles per annum during the company’s initial years, have grown slowly as the company’s vineyard plantings continue to expand; 10,000 bottles from the 2012 harvest were cellared for future release. In recent years, Oz Clarke, one of Britain’s most famous wine writers, declared: “Benjamin Bridge is the new Canadian sparkler star.” And John Szabo, Canada’s first and only Master Sommelier, declared, “I’m confident in stating that this [‘05 Brut Reserve] is very likely the finest sparkling wine to have yet been issued from Canadian soil”.

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