Sparkling Reinvented: New Fracette Launches as a Refreshing, Dry, Distinctively Canadian Sparkling Wine

NIAGARA, ON: Sparkling wine is being reinvented, and it is happening on Canadian terms. Today a coalition of Canada’s leading wineries unveils Fracette, a new sparkling category built for how people drink bubbles now: bright, modern, crisp & refreshing.

Fracette is a Brut-style sparkling with a contemporary edge. The name says it: frozen plus facet, Frozen, like the grapes on the vine, Facet like a complex, multi-facetted gem and the complexity it brings to the glass. Its signature comes from a single act of craft; Icewine, Canada’s most distinctive wine, is the only sugar source for the second fermentation, the step that creates the sparkle. The yeast consumes that sugar, so the wine finishes refreshingly dry, and what the Icewine leaves behind is complexity and depth: layers of citrus and orchard fruit, a subtle richness, and a fine mineral thread that carries the finish.

“We kept asking what a truly Canadian sparkling could be. Fracette is the answer, a uniquely flavourful, refreshing style only a country with Icewine could invent” said John Boyton, CEO of Arterra Wines.

The timing is deliberate. Prosecco now commands over a third of the sparkling occasion, and the category keeps climbing double digits. The momentum is generational. Consumers, especially younger, are seeking new experiences. More than half of younger sparkling drinkers would consider a new option, and 63% of drinkers from legal age to 26 say they enjoy trying new styles regularly, indexing well above the total market.

And Fracette delivers on a new drinking experience. Its uniqueness is grounded in how the product is created. “Initiating the secondary fermentation with Icewine is a delicate and unique winemaking choice. It creates a refreshing sparkling wine, with complexity of flavour, tension and vibrancy” said Katie Dickieson, Vice President of Operations at Andrew Peller Limited.

Fracette is built for the everyday, the 57% of sparkling moments that have nothing to do with a special date. It is the bottle you open on a Tuesday, the easy answer when friends arrive, a modern, distinctively Canadian choice for sparkling wine lovers. It asks for no occasion and no explanation, only a glass.

“This is where sparkling goes next. A dry, modern style with our Canadian signature Icewine adding complexity. Like Prosecco or Champagne Fracette is made to sit beside the world’s best and hold its own” said Paul Speck, President of Henry of Pelham.

What also makes Fracette remarkable is who built it. Three Canadian wine names united around a shared category moment, launching six wines at once. Together, they are establishing a new category for Ontario VQA wine and creating a foundation for future innovation. That is not a product. It is a movement, and it starts now.

“Fracette reflects what Ontario’s producers do best: bringing together innovation, craftsmanship and our cool-climate advantage to create something truly unique to Canada. We’re excited to introduce consumers to this new category and invite them to discover Ontario VQA sparkling wine in a whole new way.” said Anna Murre, the General Manager of Wines of Ontario.

Fracette launches in September with six wines, each a VQA Ontario sparkling:

Inniskillin Fracette Rosé
Peller Estates Private Reserve Fracette Brut Rosé Sparkling Wine
Henry of Pelham Fracette Sparkling Rosé
Thirty Bench Fracette Brut
Saintly Fracette
Kew Vineyards Fracette

Look for them this September at the LCBO, at the individual estates, at The Wine Shops and The Wine Rack, and other participating retailers across Ontario.

ABOUT ANDREW PELLER LIMITED

Andrew Peller Limited is one of Canada’s leading producers and marketers of quality wines and craft spirits. The Company’s award-winning premium and ultra-premium Vintners’ Quality Alliance (“VQA”) brands include Peller Estates, Trius, Thirty Bench, Wayne Gretzky, Sandhill, Red Rooster, Black Hills Estate, Tinhorn Creek and Gray Monk Estates. Complementing these premium brands are a number of popularly priced varietal offerings, wine based liqueurs, craft ciders, and craft spirits. The Company owns and operates 101 well-positioned independent retail locations in Ontario under The Wine Shop, Wine Country Vintners, and Wine Country Merchants store names. The Company also operates Andrew Peller Import Agency and The Small Winemaker’s Collection Inc., importers and marketing agents of premium wines from around the world. With a focus on serving the needs of all wine consumers, the Company produces and markets premium personal winemaking products through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Global Vintners Inc. (“GVI”), the recognized leader in personal winemaking products. More information about the Company can be found at andrewpeller.com.

ABOUT ARTERRA WINES

Arterra Wines Canada, Inc. is the country’s leading producer and marketer of award-winning, globally recognized Canadian and imported wines. Arterra is headquartered in Mississauga, ON, and operates eight wineries across the country, with over 1,700 acres of premium vineyards in Canada’s wine regions. For more information about Arterra Wines Canada, Inc., visit www.arterracanada.com.

ABOUT HENRY OF PELHAM

Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery is owned and operated by the Speck Brothers and located in the Short Hills Bench sub-appellation of the Niagara Peninsula. The winery produces handcrafted, award-winning wines that are available across Canada and around the world. Henry of Pelham is certified by Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario and is committed to minimizing its environmental footprint in the vineyard and winery. This is critical for the long term preservation of both Ontario’s Greenbelt, and the Niagara Escarpment, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.

ABOUT WINES OF ONTARIO

Wines of Ontario is dedicated to showcasing the unique VQA wines crafted exclusively from 100% Ontario-grown grapes. We celebrate not only our amazing winemakers and the distinct character of their authentic wines but also the rich experiences offered by Ontario’s diverse wine-growing regions. From local cuisine and year-round activities to the warm hospitality at each destination, we invite visitors to discover everything that makes Ontario’s wine country an absolute pleasure, just waiting to be experienced.