Benjamin Bridge: The Art of Anticipation

The sound of the top popping on a bottle of sparkling wine is synonymous with celebration and jubilation. No doubt it’s why we find ourselves holding our breath as a cork is being pulled out of a bottle and we await the universal sound of euphoria. That small moment, between when the wire cage comes off and the cork is released, is one of life’s greatest.

Maybe it’s the expectation of what’s to come, perhaps it’s past memories hazy with sparkling bliss, or maybe it’s the person you’re about to share the bottle with. Regardless the reason, the joy of sparkling wine is experienced before the bubbles ever hit your mouth, its beauty resting as much in the anticipation as the consumption.

With this in mind, my visit to Benjamin Bridge on a chilly November day was inarguably, poetic. As I sat down with general manager, Devon McConnell-Gordon and winemaker, Jean-Benoit Deslauriers, the sentiment of anticipation, of waiting for something special, routinely made an appearance during our visit.

Perhaps most obviously, anticipation is at the heart of actually making sparkling wine. Once bottled, sparklings can age in tirage bins for many years, awaiting their release until the moment is just right. For a new winery, this can be especially challenging; a good deal of money has been invested in capital and product development, only to have the main source of revenue on hold for five or more years.

This was precisely the challenge that faced Benjamin Bridge, a winery that was built with the primary focus of being a sparkling house. In an effort to find alternative means to support the business, while also raising local awareness and affection for the new winery, Benjamin Bridge released what has unofficially become Nova Scotia’s most beloved wine, Nova 7. Quickly embraced by wine neophytes and enthusiasts alike, Nova 7 established the winery as one to watch.

But while bottles of the effervescent beauty have consistently flown off the shelves since its release in 2008, the folks behind the scenes at Benjamin Bridge had been anticipating the first release of their Méthode Classique sparkling wine, something that took several years and a great deal of patience.

When the release day for its 2004 Brut Reserve finally came in 2010, Benjamin Bridge inarguably demonstrated that the wait was worth it. More than that, they instantaneously established that the terroir in the Gaspereau Valley is second only to Champagne, France. Doubting minds were converted and the wine world began to buzz about the potential of the region.

In listening to Devon and Jean-Benoit talk about the genuinely world-class sparkling wines of Benjamin Bridge and all the fanfare around them, I couldn’t help but wonder whether their affection for Nova 7, the wine that brought them initial recognition, would eventually wane. Surely producing wines that are giving the best of Champagne a run for their money would cause them to be dismissive of their eldest child? But I was wrong.

As Jean-Benoit poured me a glass of Nova 7, the sense of anticipation he demonstrated in waiting for me to try the wine was endearingly obvious. As many glasses of wine as he has poured, as many wine experts as he has clinked glasses with, and still he could hardly wait to see the reaction of someone whose wine sophistication is painfully low.

He was deeply proud of what had been created and, like a true artist, wanted nothing more than to share his work. The moment of anticipation between when I received the glass and took the first sip left me knowing that the wines of Benjamin Bridge are not only a reflection of the terroir, but the people who create them.

Now, three weeks later, I have a renewed sense of anticipation. So do many other Nova Scotians. That’s because on December 14, 2012, Benjamin Bridge will launch its new wine club. Open to 100 to 200 people, the club will give members access to exclusive wines that will not be available anywhere else. Every quarter they’ll receive three to four wines, including micro cuvées, which Jean-Benoit argues are some of the winery’s best efforts. Quarterly costs will range from $125 to $195, depending on what wines are being released.

Without hesitation, I signed up for the club and have been holding my breath awaiting my first box, ever since. In it, I’ll find a special bottle of sparkling wine. And when I open it over the holiday season, I’ll no doubt linger just a little bit longer before I pop the cork, knowing that the wait is absolutely worth it.

Interested in becoming a wine club member? Contact Benjamin Bridge at wines@benjaminbridge.com or 902.542.1560.