A short drive from downtown Penticton and nestled at the start of the Naramata Bench is Evolve Sparkling House, a TIME Family of Wines venture dedicated to the art of bubbles.
The tasting room and lounge occupy a two-storey facility and held its grand opening as recently as July. The bright, chic and luxurious space opens up to an expansive patio with breathtaking views of Okanagan Lake.
Evolve offers three premium experiences. The Splash+Dash is a quick tasting of three wines at the bar or family room, while the Bubbles+Bites is a 60-minute experience featuring five wines paired with nibbles. In between is the Flight Mode, a seated tasting of either four sparkling wines, or a fun mix of two sparkling and two still wines.
My husband and I opted to share the two varieties of Flight Mode, so we could taste all six wines offered. We sat on the breezy and sunny patio, with peachy-pink umbrellas and retractable canopies providing shade.
Our visit began with the White Effervescence, a charmat-style sparkling made of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Blanc. It was a light and fresh start, leading us into the 2018 Brut Nature and the 2020 Brut Premiere.
Made in the traditional method, both bruts were exceptional. The Brut Nature has 50% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Blanc, and has been aged on lees for five years. With no added dosage, it is very dry but complex, offering apple, citrus and subtle floral notes.
The Brut Premiere has 67% Chardonnay and 33% Pinot Noir, and is the fullest of Evolve’s sparklings. Toasty brioche and butterscotch, combined with apple, soft citrus and a creamy texture, made for a truly enchanting sip and was my personal favourite.
Next up were the rosés. The 2018 Brut Rosé is balanced and refined. Similar to the Brut Nature in make-up, 1% Syrah has been added to achieve its pink hue. The 2023 Rosé is made with 100% Syrah from Osoyoos. With 1 RS/L, this rosé is dry and bright, with red berry notes.
Last was the 2022 Pinot Noir. The grapes, from a site in Naramata, were destemmed and fermented using the délestage technique, then aged 20% in new French oak for 12 months. This PN is low-tanin, light and fruit forward.
Evolve Sparkling House was a pleasure to visit and its wines an absolute delight. Add a sparkle to your Okanagan itinerary and at-home celebrations with Evolve.
Contributor for @MyVanCity.ca