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Stampede Whisk(e)y Tasting Dinner at Chef's Table - July 14, 2016

Posted on July 1, 2016





Chef’s Table is teaming up with Kensington Wine Market to celebrate Stampede in style – pairing five worldly whisk(e)y’s with five courses of Chef’s Table’s exceptional cuisine, all with a western flare. The experts from Kensington Wine Market will take you through each whiskey/whisky selection, exploring tasting notes of each and experiencing their interaction with each dish. Chef’s Table Chef de Cuisine Sean Cutler will also be on hand to explain the cowboy-influence on this custom menu.



To start

Sazerac Rye Whiskey cocktail

Roasted BC Fruit

arugula, crispy shallot, cashew, fresh mozzarella, hay roasted beets, raspberry vinaigrette

Bernheim Original 7 Year Small Batch (Kensington Wine Market Select)

Alberta Trout Crudo

tobiko, radish, dill, cured egg yolk, watercress, cold pressed canola

Canadian Rockies 21 Year

Bourbon Sour Palate Cleanser with 1792 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon (Kensington Wine Market Single Barrel Select)

meringue, lemon sorbet

Smoked Alberta Short Ribs

apricot bbq sauce, charred onion puree, toasted corn bread, shaved cabbage salad

Lot 40 Single Copper Pot Still

Pecan Pie

bourbon vanilla ice cream, smoked salt caramel, marshmallow, pecan crumble

Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve

This nontraditional take on a pairing dinner will help you discover new whisk(e)y and explore the Canadian Contemporary flavours of Chef’s Table for a refreshing and unique Stampede event!




When Thursday, 14 July 2016 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM (MDT) - Add to Calendar Where Chef's Table - 1126 Memorial Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 3E3 - View Map Register online: at Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/stampede-whiskey-tasting-dinner-tickets-26248003485 

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Happy Canada Day! - ONE DAY SALE Friday July 1st.

Posted on July 1, 2016



Canadians have so much to be thankful for and we hope you will celebrate all that is Canadian this holiday weekend with friends and family. And, we certainly hope you celebrate Canada Day by drinking Canadian! On Friday July 1 we are offering a 10% discount on all of our in stock Canadian wine and Canadian whisky and a 5% discount on in stock Canadian beer.

See our sale page: https://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/products/on-sale/...

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Jean Baptistes Favourite Brews - June 23, 2016

Posted on July 4, 2016

This is the last beer tasting of the spring 2016 schedule, a celebration of Quebec beers, on the eve of the Saint Jean Baptiste festival. We have a lineup of sensational beers to taste tonight.



1.  Unibroue Éphémère Blueberry
The most recent of the Éphémère series by Chambly’s Unibroue, this Blueberry edition reveals a balanced bouquet of berries and citrus complemented by dominant flavours of blueberry and a subtle spicy crisp finish. This is a solidly made beer that is refreshing and a good start to the evening. However, it fails to wow anyone.

2. St. Ambroise Oak Aged Pale Ale
Brewed for St. Ambroise's 25th anniversary, it is brewed with Pale malt, Crystal malt, toasted wheat and chocolate malt. This unfiltered, strong pale ale is hopped with Nugget, Cascade, Hallertau and Golding. The beer is then aged with oak to give the beer greater complexity. The effect of the oak barrel is noticeable on the palate making this a markedly different ale than their flagship Pale. This beer gets several nods of approval.

3. Charlevoix La Vache Folle ESB
This “mad cow” is a generous red ale whose powerful perfume of flowery hops and sustained bitterness set it apart from mundane beers. Pours a dark brown colour with medium body; Aroma of sweet malt, yeast, dark fruit & spice; Flavour of roasted malt, yeast, caramel, dark fruit & spice. Well, now the everyone is really getting warmed up. This beer gets even more nods.

4. Le Castor Dark Farmhouse
Le Castor – the beaver – is a new entrant to the Alberta market. Although this brewery only opened in 2012, they have quickly built a great reputation. The Dark Farmhouse is brewed with malted barley and wheat and is fermented with a blend of Saccharomyces and Brettanomyces yeasts. Spicey and piney hop varieties complement subtle roast and tobacco character derived from dark specialty malts. This beer is well received, but not a enthusiastically as the previous. With the use of wild yeasts, one has to wonder how this will develop in six months to a year.

5. Dieu Du Ciel Petit Detour
Petit Detour is a Belgian style IPA. It is funkier than the North American IPA style and single hopped with Citra. Dieu Du Ciel is one of the writer’s favourite breweries. They seem to put out one fantastic ale after another. This one is no exception, getting nods from nearly everyone in the room.

6. Les Trois Mousquetaires Doppelbock
This Doppelbock, or "Double Bock", is a dark, extra full bodied lager after the best Bavarian tradition. Such beer was created by monks for the tough fasting period of Lent. They called it "liquid bread". Look for flavour notes of chocolate, candied fruit and roasted malt. LTM does many beers is German styles, like this doppelbock. An excellent effort, but if fails to pass some of the evenings e...

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Cheese Please tasting, Friday May 27, 2016

Posted on June 6, 2016

Cheese Please
Friday May 27, 2016
Don Conrad
There was a packed house at Kensington Wine Market as we continued the highly popular wine and cheese series with Crystal McKenzie from Peasant Cheese. The theme this past Friday was the high and lows of wines and cheese of Spain, France, Austria and Germany. The high and lows being the hills and valleys of Europe.



The evening started with a Kensington Wine Market favourite,
Domaine des Aubuisieres Vouvray Brut $25.99. This is a sensational sparkling Chenin Blanc out of the Loire Valley. The wine is full of wonderful energy with delicate hints of ripe apple. A fantastic way to start the evening. Wish we had magnums! The wine really soared with the cheese pairing of St Marcellin. A cow's milk, bloomy rind cheese from France. The cheese was creamy and mushroomy and was served in little terra cotta pots. This gem was a great match to the vibrant delicious Domaine des Aubuisieres Brut.

Our second wine offering was the 2011 Gobelsburg Gruner Veltliner Renner $40.99.  From an estate with a wine history going back to the 12 century. Wow, this is an intense wine. The Gruner was rich, full and spicy. A great example of the fine Guners coming out of Austria. The cheese match was once again out of France: Grand Paccard, a cow's mild, natural rind cheese from France wrapped in spruce this cheese had a slightly resinous flavour. Delicious.  It provided a very tasty contrast to the Gruner's intense complex flavours.

The 2009 Chateau d'Arlay Cotes du Jura Corail $40.99 was our first venture into the reds. This supple, pretty and very gulpable Jura is a blend of Pinot Noir, Trousseau, Pulsard, Chardonnay and Savagnin. The wine had a pale garnet hue, the palette was full of red cherry and spice notes. So unpretentious and so very tasty.  The cheese pairing was the Tomme de Tenne, a cow's milk, natural rind in a rustic wheel. The cheese had a vegetal undertone and a supple easy texture. A lovely complement to Chateau d"Arlay.

Crystal also offered a Comte cheese pairing. The Comte is a cow's milk natural rind cheese from Jura France. The cheese comes in a grand wheel and is full of nutty floral flavours.

For our next red we go to the high elevation of LaMancha. Here you find the wines of Altolandon. This organic producer simply produces delicious value wines.  The offering for this tasting was the 2010 Altolandon L'Ame Malbec $31.99. A unique offering out of Spain, this Malbec was rich and ripe, and full of blackberry notes. Big but not too heavy, this wine has tremendous balance. Crystal created a sensational Marechael and Comte fondue for this pairing. It doesn't get any better than this!

We stay in Spain for our next red, 2010 Coca i Fito Aloja Mare Rosso $28.99 from the high terraces of the Montsant in Catalonia. This is a blend of Grenache, Carignan and Syrah. It is a big ...

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Scotch Malt Whisky Society June 2016 Outturn

Posted on June 5, 2016



The Scotch Malt Whisky Society's June Outturn of delectable whiskies is out, and it is another stellar lineup. The Canadian arm of the world's largest whisky club has just released 6 new single cask, single malt whiskies and re-released a 7th. We saw strong demand for all new releases as well as the re-release, 73.69: Dark side eclipsed by sweet joys, a bold bu balanced 22 year old sherried Speysider! Curiously over looked before, in new light it was a sensation.



Of the new releases, the Lowland 50.69: Summer's night in Lovers' lane was a standout hit, not many bottles remain of this delicate, layered and tropical whisky. 44.69: Tantalizing tannins was a revalation, and shockingly complex for an 11 year old whisky. In my humble opinion the name does not do it just, I'd have called it Tantalizingly complex! On the Islay side 3.255: Genie in a bottle was also very well received. The other Ileach 29.164: A ballerina at the barbecue was also a surprise, with few recognizing this wolf in sheep's clothing as being from the westernmost active Kildalton distillery. And 35.133: A Mediterranean Maharajah goes American was also a curiosity, matured in a 1st Fill Toasted Oak Hogshead, many felt it could have been confused with a fine old grain whisky. Overall the lineup was without disappointment. The bottles are all open in the shop for sampling while supplies last!

44.69: Tantalizing tannins - 11 Year - Flavour profile: Juicy, oak & vanilla - Outturn: 235 bottles - Panel's tasting note: "We uncovered brand new chamois leather, opened a jar of set honey and released the tempting aromas from opening a tin of Shanghai rose tea leaves or lifting the lid off an assorted chocolate praline box. On the taste it turned into a well brewed Rooibos Chai tea with spicy cinnamon, cardamom husk, ginger and lemongrass with a good balance of soft tannins as one often finds in a ‘Super Tuscan’. Diluted, fresh lemon juice and orange barley water was released alongside antique leather bound books. On the palate, now like a Caribbean fruit punch, juicy and very tasty." - Drinking tip: "Whilst engrossed in a novel" - $135
28.28: Lay your head on my pillow - 60% - 10 Year - Refill Barrel - Southern Highland - Flavour profile: Sweet, fruity & mellow - Outturn: 223 bottles - Panel's tasting note: "A crisp, clean, fresh and white array of aromas greeted the Panel first; freshly sawn pine, white pepper, white fleshed peaches and laying one’s head on a brand new pillow. Deeper notes appeared with time; lemon curd, malt loaves and warm wood embers. The taste had a good chili, gingery heat with the syrupy viscosity of Chinese sweet and sour sauce, and the finish was that of tangy sharp oranges. Diluted, the oranges became zingy buttercream in a chocolate orange cake and the taste was now soft and buttery, like a carrot cake topped with a cinnamon frosting." Drinkin...

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