Niagara’s sparkling wines are on top of the world

By Jill Troyer for The St. Catharines Standard What does it look like when a wine category comes into its own? In Jill Troyer’s latest column for the St. Catharines Standard, the answer is in the glass. Drawing in part on this year’s i4C School of Cool, she explores why Canadian traditional-method sparkling wine may be […]

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Sparkling Conversation: a toast to Canadian sparkling wine

By Christopher Waters for Christopher Waters on Wine The School of Cool’s Pop Quiz: Sparkling Edition may have been structured as a tasting, but Christopher Waters’ opening notes posed a much bigger question: Is Canada a great sparkling wine nation? In reflecting on the session in his Christopher Waters on Wine (Substack), Chris does more than recap his […]

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The grape speaks volumes. Canadian chardonnay takes centre stage in Niagara

By John McTavish for The Standard Chardonnay may be one of the world’s most familiar grapes, but in Canada, it has something distinctive to say. Writing in the St. Catharines Standard, John McTavish looks at what this year’s i4C revealed about Chardonnay’s ability to express place – and at the growing confidence behind Canadian examples from […]

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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 […]

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i4C School of Cool 2026: Three Sessions, One Emerging Story

By John Szabo, MS for Wine Align Whether you joined us for the School of Cool or couldn’t be there in person, Master Sommelier John Szabo‘s reflections are well worth your time. Drawing on all three sessions, John goes beyond a recap to identify the bigger themes that emerged over the course of the day. […]

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