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The Hills are Alive - February 10, 2017

Posted on February 20, 2017

The Hills Are Alive...

At my last tasting on Friday, February 10th the hills were not alive with the sound of music but it was definitely alive with the taste of wine.  I did not want to subject everyone to me torturing them with my vocal talents.  I tried to convince my wife to let me use our drapes to make some play clothes, so I could at least dress the part, but she didn't like that idea either.  Why would I be singing the song from The Sound of Music? Because this tasting was all about Austrian wine!  The hills of Austria are definitely alive with amazing grapes and a wonderful industry for making fantastic wines!  Unfortunately it is an area where we still do not find many wines from them, here.  There are also a lot of wines made from grapes that people have never even heard of.  It was my job to familiarize everyone with a lot of these and share some of the wonderful wines that we have in store to help expand people’s horizons with these new and wonderful treats!

As a region Austria has been making wine for thousands of years!  They have traced grape production back to 700 BC, though the ancient Romans were the ones that really started making large wine quantities there around 1BC.  In the 10th-12th centuries Cistercian monks started using a lot of skills from France to make better wine and increase wine growing culture in the country.  During the 15th to 16th century Austria reached its Zenith for wine production, having more than 3 times the amount of country under vine than they do today.  Over the next few centuries’ production decreased due to wars, taxes, climate change and an increase in beer production.  In 1860 the first viticulture and oenological school is created. It has now been around for more than 150 years making the oldest viticulture school in the world.  The most influential recent event happened in 1985, when it was discovered that some people were adding diethylene glycol (antifreeze) to some wines as a sweetener.  This scandal practically destroyed the entire wine industry in Austria overnight. The following year a wine marketing board was established and subsequently quite a few more rules and standards were enacted regarding wine production quality.  This was a major turning point in wine production for Austria  and it has actually helped them to get to the point where we are today and they are making some amazing wines that wonderfully reflect Austria.  In 2002, in London, there was a blind tasting of Austrian wines against some of the best white wines from around the world.  Austria won the top 4 places and also placed 3 more times within the top 10.  A lot of the wines you come across from Austria now are so different than anything else you will find anywhere else, lots of producers are trying to use sustainable, organic methods, and they are also able to implement modern and traditional methods to make amazing d...

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Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada February 2017 Outturn

Posted on February 18, 2017



A little belated, but like they say, better late than never... We launched 6 new single cask, single malt Scotch whiskies at three sold out Kensington Wine Market SMWS Canada Outturn tastings at the beginning of the month. The range was well received, with two of the whiskies selling out immediately. It didn't hurt that one of them was an Ardbeg. Here is the range for February 2017:



30.81: A baker's delight - 56% - 23 Year - Refill Hogshead - Speyside - Flavour profile: Sweet, fruity & mellow - Outturn: 206 bottles - Panel's tasting note: "Our noses found golden syrup, tinned peaches, rhubarb and custard, apricot Danish, ‘Magdalenas in a sunny Spanish orchard’ and croissants with marmalade – a baker’s delight. The palate offered leather, spice, caramelized sugar, dried  mango, American Cream Soda, amaretti biscuits and coffee kisses. The mouth-feel, initially super silky, found pleasant fizzy spice working the tongue later. The nose became even more fragrant with water – Calvados, delicate ginger ale, redcurrants, citrus, peachy talc and ‘a respectable lady’s floral perfume’. The reduced palate had choux buns, butterscotch, melted marshmallows and sugar bubbling in a pot – big  sweetness tempered by mild tobacco and perfume bitterness." Drinking tip: "Might especially appeal to the sweet tooth, but we thought it could suit many palates" - $230 - SOLD OUT!
64.72: Fruitful joy - 58.2% - 9 Year - 1st Fill Barrel - Speyside - Flavour profile: Juicy, oak & vanilla - Outturn: 210 bottles - Panel's tasting note: "Fruity and sweet aromas on the nose neat of freshly made strawberry jam, alpine strawberry fruit wine, which apparently works as a remedy for “reviving the spirits and making the hart merrie”, Williams pear brandy and caramel coconut shortbread. The taste had the fruitiness of pastilles, black raspberry and gooseberry jelly, lemon curd and orange-infused water. A drop of water and we discovered aromas of banana bread, passion fruit, old-fashioned cloudy lemonade and orange hobnobs. Sweet and malty on the palate like white chocolate tiffin and in the finish a refreshing tangy strawberry and rose water gin fizz." Drinking tip: "Does that count towards my 'five a day'?"- $118
9.90: Spicy 'adult' sweetness - 55.1% - 26 Year - Refill Butt - Speyside - Flavour profile: Spicy & sweet - Outturn: 583 bottles - Panel's tasting note: "Lots of fine sweetness on the nose – we found caramel wafers, toffee, nougat and dulce de leche, but sweet tobacco, marmalade and sugary espresso dregs gave depth to that sweetness; we also got hints of pepper, Airfix glue, wicker and wax. That spicy, ‘adult’ sweetness characterized the palate too – Crunchie bars, honeycomb, pain au chocolat, coffee fondant and crystallized ginger, with one or two earthier notes (...

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New Beers - February 15, 2017

Posted on February 16, 2017

Hey everyone!

It's time for an update on my favourite day of the week!
A shelf full of new arrivals means a whole weeks worth of new things for me (and you I hope) to taste! I've got a plethora of things from light, to dark, to sour and from all (well, most) corners of the northern hemisphere (sorry southern hemisphere, I don't mean to ignore you).

Check out these tasty things.



Stoutella by Knee Deep Brewing: Stoutella is a milk stout made with nutella, who would have thought? Sweet milk chocolate and hazelnut flavours dominate this beer along with mocha, mild roasted barley, and darker chocolate notes, and a dry finish. ($13.59 for a 650mL bottle)

California Dream Pilsner by Mikkeller: One of the first beers from our favourite gypsy brewer brewed at his newly bought San Diego brewery! California dream is a hoppy pilsner featuring strong notes of floral grassy hops, along with citrus, and a dry maltiness. ($4.19 for a 350mL can)

Venatrix Raspberry Sour by Driftwood Brewing: An interesting release from Driftwood, heavy aromatics include phenols, and macerated raspberries left to ferment. A good sour character along with notes of raspberry tart and mild spice. This is a limited release and won't last long! ($15.69 for a 650mL bottle)

Sidecar Pale ale by Sierra Nevada Brewing: Sierra Nevada is taking the citrus side of hops to the next level! Orange and citrus explode from the bottle along with strong sappy notes and a wonderful malt foundation. The citrus heaviness comes from the Equinox, Cascade and Mandarina hops, PLUS the addition of citrus peel during the boil, and fermentation. ($21.89 for a 6-pack of bottles)

Andy's Wee Heavy Scotch ale by Common Crown Brewing: This is the very first seasonal offering from Common Crown. Rich, toffee-full malt with plenty of dried fruit on a moderate sweetness. ($ for a 4-pack of tall cans)


2 new Euro lagers have also hit the shelves. Urpiner light and dark lagers are easy drinking and approachable for anyone who just wants something to sip on after work or what have you. ($2.99 each for a 500mL can)

There are a couple of returning favourites in new formats as well! Mikkeller's Beer Geek Breakfast is back in can form, and is also one of the first beers to arrive from his newly acquired San Diego brewery. Stone's Arrogant Bastard is also back, and this time in tall can form! Aside from those, we're also being revisited by Iceland's Garun imperial stout, Phillip's Spacegoat oat pale, and the 2017 iteration of Deschutes' The Abyss.

That's about it for this week. Make sure to follow me on twitter (@ShawnsBrewsCGY) to see what I'm opening for visitors and guests (that way you can join us for a sip).
Until next week, Cheers!


Shawn
Beerguy@kensingtonwinemarket.com...

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New beers - February 8, 2017

Posted on February 14, 2017

Greetings once again all you beer lovers!

Just as I thought I was getting caught up with everything after the holidays, yet another few weeks of required duties and house keeping and all that stuff gets in the way. Between Robbie Burns day, cleaning all my beer shelves after the holidays, and year end sale and inventory count, there was so little time to get one of these out!

Fear not, for that has all settled down, and here is a heads up on all the sweet stuff you may not have seen the last time you were in, along with all the new stuff for this week!



Wild IPA by Category 12 brewing: This tropical fruity IPA is fermented with SaccTrois yeast for some heavy tropical aromas, and hopped with El Dorado and Azacca hops for that extra melony and fruity punch. Strong yeasty notes and a sturdy bitterness.  ($9.99 for a 650mL bottle)

Beersel Blonde by 3 Fonteinen: A zesty and spicy blonde with big vibrant carbonation, plenty of fruity esters and a generous malty sweetness. Despite the brewery, be aware this is not a sour beer! ($8.09 for a 330mL bottle)

Workhorse IPA by Laurelwood brewing: At this point, we could call this "old school" west coast IPA. Classic grapefruit and pine bomb with plenty of resinous bitterness and a generous malty sweetness for balance. ($8.89 for a 650mL bottle)

Our Finest Regards Barley Wine by Pretty Things Ale Project: A generously sweet and hearty barley wine, and not one to miss! These folks are no longer brewing, so this may be your last chance to try this interesting English inspired barely wine.($10.99 for a 650mL bottle)

East Kent Saison by Pretty Things Ale Project: This is an earthy, spicy and floral Saison with a slightly more English focus. Light and crisp with generous notes of the hops that give it's name. ($9.99 for a 650mL bottle)

Gluten Free Pale by Omission brewing: A Gluten-free American style pale ale made to showcase Cascade hops. Bright and citrusy with a surprising maltiness despite the lack of gluten. ($3.69 for a 330mL bottle)

Hubert MPA by Melvin brewing: An American pale ale that drinks like a crisp session ale. Citrusy hops that lean ever so slightly to the tropical end, along with a mild bitterness to round out the light, but caramely malt. ($24.99 for a 6-pack of cans)

DIPA by Melvin brewing: Big, robust, IIPA just how we want it. Big ripe oranges, herbal notes and a great but soft bitterness on a moderate malt backbone. Available in limited quantities! ($21.39 for a 4-pack of cans)

Cheeky Session ale by Powell Street brewing: A light, crisp session IPA with beautiful and lightly bready malt, and plenty of fruity hop notes such as mellow oranges and like zesty pine. ($9.19 doe a 650mL bottle)

Shady Character Dark Saison by Wild Rose brewing: Wild Rose brings you this new limited release, a dark saison! ...

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Port in Any Storm - February 7, 2017

Posted on February 14, 2017

On a snowy cold winters night (and it was brutal) what better to do than sit by the fire and have a glass of Port. Okay, so we didn’t have the fire or a fire sale in the store last night but we did have an evening with some fine Ports.

The class was sold out and all in attendance were certainly ready for the warmth and concentrated flavours provided by these wines.  Varied as these Ports were, the group voted four of the seven as their favorites.  It just goes to show that the many styles of Port are still appreciated.

The lineup was as follows:



Fonseca Late Bottle Vintage 2011, $29.99
Established in 1822, The Fonseca Guimaraens house style is one of richness and warmth, with a lush fruit intensity and a structure of both dimension and finesse. Late Bottled Vintage wines are aged in cask for between four to six years before bottling and are made every year. One of the top picks for the night.

Fonseca 2007 Vintage Port, $138.99
Dark black colour with purple highlights. The nose is dominated by dark fruits of blackcurrant and blackberry aromas. Subtle hints of coffee, wood and herbs with a soft velvety texture and jammy fruit. Average rating of 94 points.

KWM 25th Anniversary 1992 Vintage Port, $84.99
This 1992, 25th Anniversary vintage was produced by the house of Delaforce to celebrate KWM’s 25th.  The Fladgate Partnership acquired Delaforce approximately 10 years ago, mainly for their aged tawny stock.  Along with the purchase of this inventory came some very fine classic vintage ports, such as this 1992. The 1992 shows very dark opaque purple color, with a typically spicy nose and intense underlying aromas of blackberries and blackcurrants. On the palate enormous weight and structure with a marvelous balance of dense black fruit flavors and firm tannins. Another top pick by the group.

Warres 1985 Vintage Port, $135.99
Talk about finding an old friend that was a charmer and presented very well in spite of having some difficulty removing the cork.  A fine Port for aficionados and serious collectors — and 90 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate! The review: "The 1985 is the sweetest and richest of the recent Warre vintages. Extremely concentrated, rich, even luscious, this full-bodied, intense, opulent wine has layers of fruit, a full-blown bouquet, and impeccable balance. The soft tannins and precocious appeal of the 1985 suggest rapid maturation."

Our evening also included some very interesting and different Tawnies as well.

KWM 25th Anniversary 20 Year Tawny Port, $69.99
This 20 Year Tawny 25th Anniversary celebration Port comes from Taylor Fladgate's cellars in Vila Nova di Gaia.  The blend was created especially for KWM and the average age of the tawny in the blend is 20 years.  The color is bright and lively amber showing chara...

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