Follow Us:

Blog

$100 Plus Wine Festival - May 20, 2015

Posted on May 25, 2015

Lisa Zinck & Don Conrad
Peasant Cheese
Wednesday May 20, 2015


6 lucky people + 3 eager hosts + 15 wines = new friends + new experiences and a great event.

I have to remind myself that our wine festival started with 20 people and now we sell out at 80 with a waiting list 3 times a year. I am determined to make this tasting a semiannual event.

Thanks to Peasant Cheese Shop who creatively paired the wines. We managed to meander through all the wines in a timely fashion.



We began with Marie Courtin Champagne and ended up with Le Macchiole Scrio Syrah…

Fantastic!

Let’s just say that there wasn’t a bad wine in the line up. What a privilege to be able to taste and understand the quality of the wines presented.

Favorites! It evolved into the usual battle: Old World versus New World. But, they were all favorites!



The evening ended with hugs, which must be a good sign.

Thank you all for joining us and we hope to see more in the Fall session.

1.Marie Courtin Cuvee Concordance NV France  Champagne Pinot Noir $105.99
2.Carlisle Gruner Veltliner  2012 $ 48.99
3.Wine & Soul Guru Douro White 2011 Portugal  Douro $65.99
4.Albert Grivault Clos les Perrieres 2009 France  Burgundy Chardonnay $159.99
5.DuMol Ryan Pinot Noir '12 USA Pinot Noir $ 101.99
6.Pingus Flor De Pingus '11 Spain Tempranillo $125.99
7.Raymond Usseglio CNP La Parte des Anges '11 France  Mourvèdre $99.99
8.Poggio Antico Altero '08 Italy  Sangiovese $98.99
9.Aldo Conterno Barolo DOCG '10 Italy Nebbiolo $103.99
10.Jonata El Desafio Cabernet Sauvignon '10 USA Cabernet Sauvignon $190.99
11.Passenger Napa Cabernet '12 USA Cabernet Sauvignon $95.99
12.Philip Togni Cabernet '11 USA Cabernet Sauvignon $158.99
13.Reschke Empyrean 2004 Australia South Australia Cabernet Sauvignon $122.99
14.Tenuta Dell'Ornellaia 2011 Italy  Central Cabernet Sauvignon $221.99
15.Catena Zapata 2009 $121.99
16.Macchiole Scrio '09 Italy Syrah $185.99

...

Continue Reading →




World Whisky Day 2015

Posted on May 16, 2015



"World Whisky Day invites everyone to try a dram and celebrate the water of life. Events are taking place all over the globe. If you can’t find an event happening near you why not host your own World Whisky Day event? All you need is a bottle of whisky to share with your friends. World Whisky Day celebrates all types of whisky/whiskey and encourages everyone to enjoy whisky responsibly."
- See more at: http://worldwhiskyday.com/

On World Whisky Day a major theme can be felt throughout. Sharing and appreciating the water of life in it's natural social habitat. Here at the Kensington Wine Market we want to celebrate the day by featuring some of our premiere whiskies and staff favourites. Today only, you can come down and purchase any of these bottlings for a 10% discount. If that weren't enough to convince you, we have each and every one of the bottles open for sample so come share a wee spot with us and get your World Whisky Day rolling.



 ...

Continue Reading →




New beers May 13, 2015

Posted on May 15, 2015

Not every week can be packed full of 8 to10 new beers, right? Not to worry, we’ve got some amazing examples of some prime summery styles of a caliber that will enforce the “quality over quantity” frame of mind.

Summer styles ahoy! Session ales are on the map for the next few months and I for one welcome our new seasonal beer style overlords. Don’t get me wrong, I love me a hearty barley wine or a rich IIPA, but beer was always brewed in a seasonal appropriate way with climate very much in mind, and how can you go wrong with a crisp, balanced and refreshing ale on a hot day? If the alcohol is low, that just means I can have a few more of them!



On a funny note, did you know that porters were originally considered optimal for hot weather (maybe they still are to some)? It was the staple style for India before the pale ale (and later IPA) came around, plus it’s still brewed as a staple in hot places like Trinidad! Anyway,  you won’t find any of those here this week, but here’s what you WILL find.

Pinner Throwback IPA from Oskar Blues brewing.
One of my favorite sessional ales so far! Just crammed full of tropical, citrusy and spicy hops that beautifully balance the light, but tasty, biscuity malt. We opened this for a meal of BBQ meats for our staff meeting and it was a hit! ($18.49 for a 6-pack of cans)

Genius of Suburbia by Flying Monkeys brewing.
Will you ever get tired of hearing the terms “session ales” or “ISA”? I really don’t think I will, and I’ll be trying each and every one of them to boot! Don’t forget to give this funky Ontario brewed example a try! Light and bitter, with its fair share of citrusy resinous hops, just how you want it. A very clean drinking and refreshing session ale! ($16.99 for a 6-pack of cans)

Detective Saison by Central City Brewing.
One of our favorite BC brewers try their hand at a classic French Saison. Barley and wheat are brought together with traditional European hops and spicy yeast to produce this crisp, funky farmhouse ale with grass and straw notes and carbonation that’s practically alive! Truly perfect for cooling off after a day of hard work!  ($6.99 for a 650mL bottle)

Brooding Soldier Barrel Aged Dubbel by Brewsters Brewing.
One of Calgary’s oldest craft brewers have been breaking into modern day brewing for a little while now. This latest seasonal of theirs shows their dedication and creativity. A Belgian Dubbel that has been aged in wine casks. Not a ton of feedback has been given on this beer as of yet, but expect plenty of dried fruit along with those Belgian esters, oaky spice and a hint of wine tanni...

Continue Reading →




Holy Smoke & Beer tasting, May 12 2015

Posted on May 14, 2015

Tuesday May 12, 2015
Marty Rozon

Tonight we get to work our way through six beer styles and see how they match up with some excellent barbeque from Calgary’s Holy Smoke.


Village Brewery Triplet
Triplet makes a grand entrance. Announced by the crisp fragrance of Belma hops, it swans in with pure pilsen malts gleaming like sun-bleached straw, parading a violet flourish of blueberries, blackberries and succulent saskatoons.  This Kölsch style beer has the lean crisp core of the style, but the addition of fruit rounds it out nicely. An excellent patio beer to warm up your palate before you dig into the barbeque. It placed fourth in tonight’s voting. $16.59 6-pack



[caption id="attachment_3060" align="alignright" width="220" caption="Favourites"][/caption]

Burnside Spring Rye
Burnside's spring seasonal is brewed with 45% Roggenmalz (German Rye), coriander and Ultra hops from the Willamette Valley. Slight nuttiness from the rye is balanced with undertones of fresh spice, berries, nuts and tropical fruit flavours created by the heavy additions of Ultra hops and coriander.  The rye malt really helps this beer dig through the barbeque meat and sauce flavours on the palate. A great match for what’s on the grill. It placed first. $6.49

Rogue Fresh Roast
Rogue Fresh Roast is made with Rogue Farms barley fresh roasted at the brewery. The barley is taken directly out of the roaster and rushed 273 feet over to the brew kettle. Fresh roast can't get much fresher than that, and you’ll taste the difference it makes. The fresh roast coffee tones are clear. This is an almost-porter style brown ale. Great for the slightly charred portions of your barbeque meats. It placed third on the evening. $9.59
Black Market Aftermath
Black Market introduced “Aftermath” looking to produce a drinkable Pale Ale that wasn’t just a reproduction of everyone else’s Pale Ale. They succeeded by creating theirs with a unique blend of 5 hop varieties to produce a pale with HUGE hop aroma and flavour, without the bitterness of an IPA. The hops used are Amarillo, Cascade, Centennial, Columbus and Mosaic. A really quaffable pale with a beautiful hop aroma. It placed second on the evening. $8.59

Maui Big Swell
Big Swell IPA is a fresh handcrafted India Pale Ale brewed with huge amounts of American hops and malted barley dry hopped to perfection! Excellent hop nose and a strong bittering touch, but not apparently the best match for the food tonight. It placed fifth. $17.49

Rogue Sriracha Hot Stout
Rogue Sriracha Hot Stout Beer is made from Huy Fong’s original hot chili sauce and sun ripened Rogue Farms ingredients. It’s ready to...

Continue Reading →




Chinook Rosé tasting, May 8 2015

Posted on May 13, 2015

Friday May 8
Riley Fisher
On Friday May 8 we hosted our first tasting dedicated to the love of all things pink which brought together our best selection of Rosé wines and Rosé wine lovers! It’s officially Rosé season everyone! Dust off your patio chairs and head straight down for your supply of delicious Rose refreshments to welcome in the warmer weather!



We began our night with Dumangin Brut Rosé! As staple in our store, it’s no wonder why it was the overwhelming favorite of the night. This non-vintage blend is made up of 54% Chardonnay, 36% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Meunier. Very pale pink color, it has a soft and delicate bouquet of wild strawberries and beautifully subtle red florals. Full bodied on the palate but still with plenty of finesse. Bring this to your next brunch or dinner get-together and you’ll be the life of the party! $48.99

2014 CVNE Rosé was next up. This beautiful wine is made from Tempranillo grapes and shows bright strawberry and floral notes. Nice and light, its perfect acidity makes your mouth water for more. It was one of my favorites of the night. $18.99

Shortly after pouring the 2014 Pegau Pink, our third choice for the evening, I had to top some guests for more! This is an incredibly refreshing Rosé from France's Southern Rhone and a close favourite of the night! Showing pale pink ballet slipper in color with peach, floral and red fruit aromas. Dry, with a crisp, mouth-watering acidity leading to a long, spicy, mineral finish. One of the guests called this her 2PM wine! I think we could all imagine sipping this before, during and after lunch on a hot day! $26.99

Half way through the evening we had a special surprise appearance from the lovely Kathrin Davaz visiting from Chianti Classico’s darling estate, Poggio Al Sole. Kathrin showcased her freshest Rosé (2014) made from Sangiovese, and it was an absolute hit! Fresh and fruity, this makes the perfect pairing for chicken or salmon and was the second favourite of the night! Make sure you get your order in soon as we are expecting arrival in 6-8 weeks and bottles are pre-selling fast! Planning a trip to Tuscany? Check out their estate, they have guest rooms! http://www.poggioalsole.com/en/about-us/

Although this wine had the least votes, I absolutely adored this next rose! The 2013 CARM Rosé is made from a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) and Touriga Franca, this unique Portuguese rose was delightful. It’s mouth filling flavours of watermelon and strawberry balanced perfectly with it’s acidity and structure. Lovely price too! $19.99

The third favorite of the night was the 2012 Barra Pinot Noir Rosé. It’s a new addition for us and we are not disappointed!...

Continue Reading →




Newer Posts →

← Older Posts

Recent Posts
Archives

Categories