Moving the province to the forefront of global wine trends says owner
HALIFAX, May 15, 2014 /CNW/ - Jost Vineyards has launched Selkie, Atlantic Canada's premier frizzante-style wine. And it may, says Jost owner Carl Sparkes, "become the defining wine style of Nova Scotia."
Sparkes says it proves that Nova Scotia's wine industry is turning a corner in recognition and global relevance. Selkie received major plaudits from global wine professionals at this year's ProWein, one of the world's most important wine-and-spirit trade shows, held annually in Düsseldorf, Germany.
"People were incredulous," says Carl Sparkes. "They commented on how we were able to get these tropical notes in our cool climate, and really embraced it. Having those international palates confirming that this is a world-class frizzante was a real high note for us…we came away pretty pumped."
Selkie arrives just as the popularity of frizzante—a lightly effervescent style originating in Northern Europe—has started exploding internationally. A sophisticated, summery sipper, Selkie balances sweetness and delicate effervescence with tropical notes of kiwi, white peach, Bosc pear and Lily of the Valley, says Sparkes. "Most people consider sparkling wines to be celebratory, but in European culture, frizzantes and proseccos and other off-sparkling wines are consumed more often than anything else," he says.
Jost is launching Selkie with a tribute to women who are making a difference in Nova Scotia. The theme's toast, "Here's to making it in Nova Scotia," features four accomplished Nova Scotia women whose success runs the gamut: Lana Grant, a Halifax singer-songwriter; Tara MacDonald, the Dartmouth-based co-founder of Two if by Sea café; Julia Rivard, a Dartmouth Olympian and web developer; and Maggie Stewart, a Wellington-based entrepreneur.
"These women represent the spirit of Selkie—world-class accomplishments, right here at home," says Sparkes. "So it seemed wonderfully fitting to create a campaign that celebrates successful women who have made it in Nova Scotia," he says.
"Selkie is definitely a world-class accomplishment," says Peter Rockwell, Category Manager for Local Wines at the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation. "In fact, Nova Scotia's climate and unique terroir are ideal for producing subtle, refreshingly crisp wines - such as frizzantes - that more and more global wine consumers are drawn to nowadays," says Rockwell.
"Consider back 15 or 20 years ago," says Sparkes, "when over-oaked Aussie shirazes and big cabernets from California were emerging. That big bold American palate embraced it as an appropriate balance to the smoked and five chili peppered indulgence of the day. So enter the Asian trend of everything from Thai food to Kaiseki, and you have demand for a bright, crisp, aromatic white wines. We just happen to be extremely well positioned, and playing to our strengths as a region…and our strengths happen to be very on-trend."
Selkie is an artful blend of eight grapes, all of which grow abundantly in Nova Scotia—and Sparkes says this is a wine that couldn't have been produced anywhere but here. It took the talents of Jost's winemakers to see the value in these "unassigned" grapes. "Lo and behold," says Sparkes, "we discovered we can create this beautiful wine from grapes that flourish in our climate."
Of course, Jost needed a name that reflected the new frizzante's Atlantic origins, and the transformation of those common grapes into something extraordinary. Selkie—the name of a sea creature from Celtic mythology, which transforms from a seal into a beautiful seductress on land—was perfect.
"Selkie really represents the way we feel about this wine, "says Sparkes. "It reflects Atlantic Canada's cultural mix, our connection to the sea, and of course, the transformation of these grapes into something very beautiful, and a wine that can make an impact globally."
Image with caption: "Selkie Bottle (CNW Group/Jost Vineyards)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140515_C1200_PHOTO_EN_2165.jpg
Image with caption: "JOST LOGO (CNW Group/Jost Vineyards)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140515_C1200_PHOTO_EN_2166.jpg
SOURCE: Jost Vineyards
Deanna Sperry, Director of Sales and Marketing, Devonian Coast Wineries LTD. - Jost Vineyards and Gaspereau Vineyards, 48 Vintage Lane, Malagash, Nova Scotia, Phone: 902-401-4929, E-Mail: [email protected]
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