Follow Us:

Blog

Wine Gift Club Selections for September

Posted on September 22, 2017

Here are the bottle selections for September's Wine Gift Club:

Mayu Carmenere Gran Reserva 2014
Chile - Elqui Valley - Red
Originally from France's Medoc region, Carmenere has become Chile's flagship red wine grape. MAYU Carménère Gran Reserva, made from 100% Carmenere, is a stunning red with luscious black fruit on the palate. Notes of dried tobacco and espresso on the finish.  Best paired with hearty meat dishes and mature cheeses.  The word Mayu is an ancient Incan word that refers to the Milky Way.

Esser Cellars Cabernet 2013
USA - Monterey County - Red
Esser Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon emits deep aromas of black cherry, plum, dark chocolate and oak. Mouth-filling flavours of dark fruits, cocoa and vanilla are balanced with tannins and a lingering finish of sweet fruit and subtle spices. This can be paired with a broad range of food groups from burgers, to beef roasts, game and red pasta dishes.

Poggio al Sole Chiara Bianco Toscana 2015
Italy - White
A lovely blend of Chardonnay and Bianco di Sangiovese (yes, white Sangiovese!) from one of our favourite Tuscan producers. Production is very small with less than 10,000 bottles produced. Look for fresh lively flavours. Pair this one with goat cheese and arugula pizza, salads, or all by itself when you need a lift!
Azul Y Granza Vitis Blanca 2016
Spain - White
Viura and White Garnacha, varieties of native Iberian Peninsula white grapes, whose bunches are compact, middle-sized and with round, small, golden coloured grapes. Straw yellow, clean and bright. A concentration of varietal and mineral aromas. White fruit intermingled with hints of herbaceous type – notes of laurel, fennel and aromatic plants of low mount. Dry, balanced and tasty. Pairs well with fish, medium cheese and lighter pork dishes.

We pick a variety of unique bottles for our gift club members each month. More information about our Gift Club for both Wine and Beer take a look here....

Continue Reading →




A spirit worth drinking? Or the Eudaimonia of Spirits with Hunter

Posted on September 14, 2017

By Hunter

Over the last seven years of my spirit enthusiasm, I have been a devout follower of the whisky market. The choice to be a whisky enthusiast was not one of happenstance. Quite the opposite: it was a conscious decision I made to choose a hobby that seemed best at reflecting my newly minted adulthood. Whisky appeared as the defining class of liquor that would set one’s appreciation and knowledge above the rest. Naturally, I was drawn to single malt scotch whiskies; the old boys' club of long-held sophisticated pretensions. At the time I was eighteen, and for one of my age the market was daunting quickly consuming my interests and ultimately leading to my position at the Wine Market.

To my detriment though were the airs whisky puts on (or perhaps the airs we put on whisky). One may define it generally as a superb class of experience surpassing all other liquors, but why would this be a reasoned opinion? To put it simply, it isn’t; the concept of whisky being the spirits end game may be part of our social experience of which influence our perception of class. Media seems to portray success and the better things in life in the same basket, and why wouldn’t it. The problem in this sense is the perceived and arbitrary grandeur of whisky, usually scotch. An example might help illustrate this.

The financially well off business person has a decanter of some dark liquid and offers it to a client. “What’s in the bottle?” the client asks, “eighteen year old scotch whisky”. Of course the intrigue is palpable for what 18 year old scotch whisky is in the decanter, but the client doesn’t care and nor does the audience. The attention has been captivated and the ideas are now in place. This is one example, and perhaps a poor one, but I feel the notion is established. Who drinks scotch whisky? Successful people who experience nothing but the best. This has led to a tainted perspective regarding other spirits, a haughtiness that appears when one is already within the belly of the whisky beast.

The closed mindedness of whisky is sometimes entrancing, leading to generalized assertions regarding other spirits. I for one participated in them, finding other spirits tedious due to their mono-tonality. In imagining rum any more than two years ago I would have presumed that Demerara Distillers Limited was the extent of premium rums; the anomalous accounts in reference to DDL only redeeming themselves if they weren’t too far off my previously held standard of premium rum equalling sweet decadence. This palate shock has now only occurred to me two times, at least in regards to vast rethinking regarding entire spirits categories. Other slightly small epiphanies are always enjoyable and lead to numerous new experiences that I both cherish and also rue, if only for how long I turned my nose up at them.

We here in Alberta are lucky t...

Continue Reading →




Scotch Malt Whisky Society Outturn for September 2017

Posted on September 8, 2017



September is here and for many that will mean the end of summer. Holiday time is finished, the kids are back in school and we could all use a drink. But then again, when couldn't we use a drink? Something cask strength from a green bottle would be preferable so with that in mind let us dive into 7 of those green bottles with the September Outturn for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of Canada.

We held three tastings for this new lineup and all were well-attended, giving SMWS Canada members and non-members alike the opportunity to taste the new bounty. Small bites were provided by our wonderful neighbour Peasant Cheese.

Along with this new outturn we also have stock of past releases for tasting and purchasing in store. If there are bottles from previous Outturns that you are curious about please ask us - some may still be available or there may be something similar worth a try!

Cheers,
Evan
evan@kensingtonwinemarket.com
twitter: @sagelikefool
instagram: @kwmwhisky @sagelikefool

Here are the seven new releases for September:



48.84 - SEIZE THE MOMENT
This 12 year old Speysider was matured in a 1st fill barrel and comes in at 57.7%
Flavour profile: Juicy, oak & vanilla
Outturn: 216 bottles
Panel's tasting note: "We felt like before the first time meeting the girlfriend’s parents, a bouquet of white oriental lilies and roses in one hand and a bottle of Gewürztraminer in the other – we had a couple of glasses from a second bottle before we got as far as the door and knocked. The door opened and we were greeted with open arms, got offered crumpets with slightly burned edges with butter and strawberry jam and pretty strong espresso which packed a punch. Water brought out bonfire toffee and fruity strawberry fudge before we all relaxed with a Mai Tai in the conservatory."
Drinking tip: "Before a big moment or at any moment"
$120

54.45 - DRUNKEN CHERRY COCONUT ICE CREAM
Matured in a 1st fill barrel, this 9 year old Speysider is 58.9%
Flavour profile: Juicy, oak & vanilla
Outturn: 222 bottles
Panel's tasting note: "A fruity, slightly herbal note at first like an apple spritz cocktail using extracts of gentian and a little fresh muddled mint before sweeter notes of marzipan and green and red grapes covered in a fine layer of white chocolate appeared. Juicy fruity on the palate; a tropical fruit salad with chunks of pineapple, mango, kiwi and papaya, with the addition of a creamy coconut almond dip on the side – delicious! When we added water we imagined sitting under swaying palm trees eating rum soaked cherry coconut ice cream with dark chocolate and toasted pecans - no hurries … no worries."
Drinking tip: "Dreaming of sun, sea and sand"
$108

37.85 - EASTERN P...

Continue Reading →




New beers for early September

Posted on September 5, 2017

Brace yourselves, we've got a whole slew of new beers for you all. I've been carefully compiling this shelf full of tasty brews and I'm ready to unleash them onto the unsuspecting public. From big IIPAs to crazy funky sours, and even the appearance of the first (of many) Oktoberfest beers, we've got 'em all! Read on!
Dumb Funk Brett IPA by Parallel 49: The addition of Brett gives this IPA a light funk tone, and a noticeable yeastiness. Fluffy mango and muddled tropical fruit cup with nice malty notes and a good bitterness to finish it all off. ($7.59 for a 650mL bottle)
Oktoberfest by Sierra Nevada: Marzen is the quintessential Oktoberfest bier. Sierra Nevada's rendition is a robust malty beer with mild spice and grassy notes. Not too sweet, and the German hops provide a nice balance, making the beer incredibly comforting and pleasant. ($3.99 for a 350mL bottle)

EE Tah! IPA by Anderson Valley: Light, wheaty malt profile with layers and layers of Chinook, Citra and Amarillo hops. Huge citrus and tropical syrup, with light floral, juicy notes. Moderate alcohol stays in balance with the lightly sweet malts, and support the fruity tones nicely. ($3.69 for a 355mL can)

Old Stumpy Pine IPA by Fernie: Old Stumpy is a light bodied IPA with a pretty pronounced layer of pine sitting on top of hints of citrus and hoppy floral notes. 7 different hops keep the palate complex and in balance with the malt ($8.49 for a 650mL bottle)

Fugli Fruit IPA by Oskar Blues: Fugli is a unique IPA featuring an infusion of Yuzu and Ugli fruits. A lighter style IPA with fruity mosaic hops on top of the interesting citrus tones of the featured fruits, and a firm bitter finish. ($21.99 for a 6-pack of cans)

Prairie Pride by Toolshed: An Alberta made beer through and through. Alberta grown barley and wheat, malted in Alberta, along with Alberta grown hops, our crisp, clear water, and a wild yeast captured right here in our beautiful province! Light, and mildly spicy. Saison-ish with a prominent estery finish. ($16.69 for a 6-pack of cans)

Real Peel Grapefruit IPA by Fernie: Grapefruit peel and the most citrusy of the hops, in a light, super quenching IPA. What do you think the outcome would be? Citrus, pine, sweet malt with an oily bitter finish. ($18.29 for a 6-pack of cans)

Vagabond Pilsner by Bad Tattoo: This is a light and super easy pilsner, not trying to be overly complex or challenging. Drinking it in context for me would be on a hot patio with the sun just about to turn the sky pink. Lightly floral with hints of spicy hops on a clean and slightly bready malt. ($7.89 for a 650mL bottle)

Lifted Embargo IPA by Latitude 33: A San Diego style through and through. Light and crisp malt with big citrus and sappy hop tones throughout. A decently dry beer for the most part with lovely floral tones and a hint of sweetness popping up here and there. ($10.59 for a 65...

Continue Reading →




Out of Their Comfort Zones with Abigail

Posted on September 5, 2017

Like any agricultural practice, not every crop can grow everywhere. Some are better suited to the brisk, damn weather along the Atlantic Coast, whilst others are better suited for the dry, desert-like conditions of the Mediterranean. Grapes and viticulture are no exception. It takes a lot of dedication to make sure a particular grape will grow in a region, but there are some lucky few who made it happen. For this tasting, we explored the unique few that have created wine where it technically shouldn’t belong.
The lineup:

Benjamin Bridge Brut Rose
Nova Scotia, Canada
I don’t know about you, but when I think of Canadian wine regions, Nova Scotia isn’t the first to come to mind. It’s a touch cooler than most growing regions, and with the brisk and sometimes fierce Atlantic winds, it doesn’t seem like it would work out. The masterminds behind Benjamin Bridge figured that they were a similar latitude to Champagne, and decided why not try. Since then, they have made a name for themselves as a Sparkling Wine House, and are producing some delicious traditional method bubbly. This Rose Brut is a blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay. It has delicate bubbles, with notes of raspberry, citrus and brioche. All of us decided it would be perfect with a simple, fresh scallop dish, or maybe just some fresh oysters. $56.99
Zocker Paragon Vineyard Gruner Veltliner
Edna Valley, California
Located in the heart of Edna Valley, just outside San Luis Obispo, this winery was created to go against the conventional idea of Californian Wine. 'Zocker' roughly translates to 'Gambler' from German so from the name alone you can tell that Jack Niven wanted to take some risks when he started to produce wine in the early 1970’s.  He started production with Gruner Veltliner, which isn’t seen all too much in this part of the world, but yet, created a produced that nicely represents the Austrian varietal. With a deeper lemon hue, this wine had notes of ripe citrus, blossom and melon. $29.99 KWM Exclusive
Montauto Gessia Sauvignon Blanc
Tuscany, Italy
The Lepri family started out producing only red wines that thought suited and showed their terroir of the coastal area of Maremma, the best. Eventually, Rochardo Lepri decided to challenge himself to grow some Sauvignon Blanc, something he didn’t have too much knowledge on. Evidentially, his Sauvignon Blanc became the family’s favourite, and for good reasons. It shows the true characteristics of their terroir, with notes of citrus, apple, minerality and slight herbal notes. $31.99 KWM Exclusive
Bassus Pinot Noir
Utiel-Requena, Spain
Pinot Noir is known as the ‘heart-break grape’, destroying the dreams of any wine maker trying to make this light red in climates either too cool or too warm. Utiel-Requena, just outside of Valencia, is a plac...

Continue Reading →




Newer Posts →

← Older Posts

Recent Posts
Archives

Categories