Charles Baker 'Cuvée du Boulanger' 2022

Charles Baker only makes wine from Riesling. That's it. That's the whole thing. He believes in the grape so completely that he's devoted his entire project to showing what it can do on the Niagara Escarpment. Minuscule amounts, intense wines, no distractions.

This one is his méthode traditionnelle sparkling, a version of his top Riesling from the Picone Vineyard that's been sitting on its lees for a year. The name Boulanger is a little wink because it means baker. Charles Baker making Cuvée de Boulanger. A little joke for anyone paying attention.

It smells like biting into a perfect peach and a crisp apple at the same time, with a little lemon-lime zest thrown in for good measure. Mouth wide open. It’s creamy underneath, and the bubbles are persistent but polite. Clean, fresh, yum.

Drink it with fried chicken. Drink it with a cheeseburger. Probably the sparkling wine to go with all your special summer celebrations.