The defining factor in understanding the 2020 vintage
is indisputable: it witnessed the most heat units
recorded in history. In short, the late summer and fall
seasons resulted in three significant outcomes that
are byproducts of global warming: earlier harvest
dates, higher sugar, and lower acidity. If our local
microclimates and tidal ecosystems have traditionally
produced energetic wines blessed with more natural
acidity than their international references, the 2020
vintage presents a window into either our climatic
future or perhaps Nova Scotia’s ability to pursue
richer and rounder expressions of Chardonnay. This
Blanc de Blancs has a dual identity: part sparkling,
part still wine. If the effervescence itself is assertively
sparkling, it is the softer profile of the base wine that
reveals the record-breaking nature of the 2020
vintage. Adding to the natural opulence of the
growing season, the wine has undergone full oak
ageing and malolactic fermentations, both equally
accentuating the richness.