Tasting Note Released for Tawse’s 25th Anniversary, this is a complex, tightly wound and sophisticated bubbly. It pours brilliant medium gold with fine mousse. Two bottles presented a volatile/latex note on first pour but this recedes with aeration. The mature, very complex and classic aromatics included honey, pistachio nut, white mushroom, dried apple/pear and lemon. It is medium bodied, firm and taut without being austere or tart, but it is certainly dry and bracing. The length is outstanding. Tasted twice in spring 2026.

Backgrounder Spark is a clever branding of the Tawse range of sparkling wines that, generally and oddly, fly under the radar among Niagara traditional method wines. I have always found them firm, direct and classic, and well-priced at $30 or under. There are three staples in the portfolio that are currently available. Spark Blend 2021 is a blend of pinot noir, pinot gris and chardonnay aged 36 months on its lees. Spark Limestone Riesling 2022 is 100% riesling from the Limestone Ridge Vineyard aged 18 months on its lees. Spark Limestone Rose 2023 is 100% pinot noir, also aged 18 months on its lees. The Spark 25^th Anniversary, which to my knowledge is Tawse’s first long-aged sparkler, is made from a blend of 85% Laundry Vineyard pinot noir from the 2011 vintage and 15% David’s Block chardonnay from the 2013 vintage. It is the very first zero-dosage sparkler from Tawse. It was made in very limited quantity and is only available at the winery shop, not even online.