Is Canadian fizz nearing its ‘Nirvana’ moment?

By Sarah Neish for The Drinks Business

During the 16th annual International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration (i4C), which took place in Niagara from 16 to 19 July, Canadian wine writer Christopher Waters argued that the nation’s sparkling wine offering is on the cusp of revolution.

“Sparkling wine is about to crest,” he said, comparing Canada’s fizz scene in 2026 to the defining moment when Nirvana released its renowned album Nevermind in September 1991. The record turned the underground act into global superstars overnight, with breakout single Smells Like Teen Spirit dominating MTV and radio airwaves for months.

According to Waters, “we’ve always had everything we need to make sparkling wine. We have the climate, we have the grapes in the ground. What we haven’t had up to now is that knowledge transfer.”

The Canadian wine industry as a whole, he added “is predicated on adopting best practices from around the world and adopting them to make sense here.”

That is now happening, with Canadian producers “starting to take the reins and steer it [sparkling wine] in the cellar more, building texture and style.”

Read on here, including Chris’ answer to the question, “Is Canada a great sparkling wine nation?”