Have you heard of Fracette (pronounced fra-SEHT), Ontario’s new VQA Sparkling Wine category? I’m excited to have sampled my very first bottle! You’ll find my full review and pairing suggestion at the bottom of this blog.
What sets Fracette apart from other VQA Sparkling Wine is that its second fermentation is initiated using tirage liqueur made from Icewine.
What’s tirage liqueur and secondary alcoholic fermentation? Let’s break it down:
Let’s start at the beginning. To make wine, you need fermentation. Without it, you’d essentially have grape juice. During the first fermentation, yeast consumes the grape sugars and converts them into alcohol and carbon dioxide (CO2). In this stage, the CO2 escapes which results in still wine.
The second fermentation is what creates sparkling wine. Quality sparkling wine bottles are made using a second fermentation to create the wine’s distinctive bubbles.
For sparkling wines made through a second fermentation, a mixture called tirage liqueur (liqueur de tirage) is added to the base wine. This mixture typically contains still wine, sugar, and yeast. Its addition initiates a second fermentation, which once again releases CO2. This time, however, the CO2 can’t escape because of how the wine is contained, either in bottles or in pressurized tanks depending on the method, creating the wine’s characteristic bubbles.
With Fracette, the tirage liqueur used for the second alcoholic fermentation must be derived exclusively from Icewine. This does not contribute sweetness to the finished sparkling wine as the Icewine undergoes complete fermentation.
In fact, under VQA regulations, the finished wine must contain no more than 15g/L of residual sugar, placing it within the Brut Nature to Brut category. The result is a dry sparkling wine, rather than the sweetness we associate with Icewine.
Other interesting information:
- Winemakers can choose whether they wish to make Fracette through the traditional method (Méthode Champenoise), where the second fermentation happens directly in the bottle, or through Cuvée Close (Méthode Charmat), where the second fermentation happens in a pressurized tank.
- Fracette must be made exclusively from VQA-approved Vitis vinifera grapes, with the exception of Vidal, a hybrid grape which may be used in Icewine production.
- Since winemakers can select from a range of VQA-approved grapes, each variety bringing its own qualities, Fracette wine may vary significantly depending on the winemaker’s choices. What you will perceive in each bottle, however, are distinguishable Icewine characteristics adding complexity to the wine.
My First Fracette Impression:
Wine Reviewed: Henry of Pelham Fracette Rosé
Alc.: 12%
Review: Crafted using the Cuvée Close method, this wine opens with an expressive nose of fresh field strawberries, clementine, lychee, candied pineapple, jasmine, and subtle hints of honey and almond.
Crisp and dry on the palate, with bright acidity, it reveals notes of pomelo and delicate red berries with mineral undertones which is complemented by a refined and lively effervescence.
Suggested Pairings: The wine’s bright acidity and bubbles cuts nicely through rich and salty food, making it a natural match for a charcuterie board featuring prosciutto, coppa di Parma, and other cured meats. I would also enjoy this with tempura-fried shrimp, or with seared ahi tuna salad in a light sesame-ginger dressing.
So what are my first Fracette impressions? Overall, I enjoyed this bottle. Although subtle, I could perceive the nuances of the Icewine, adding to the layered complexity of the finished product. I look forward to trying other bottles and to the possibilities that different VQA approved grape varieties and winemaking methods may bring.
Although I purchased this wine directly from the winery, be on the lookout for a variety of Fracette bottles, including the one featured here, arriving this month at the LCBO.
Source: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/000406