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New beers - October 20, 2016

Posted on October 20, 2016

Greetings!

It's my favourite time of the week (order day) and hopefully yours (new beer blog post day)! Once again I'm going to tempt and tantalize you with all the stuff I'm bringing in. I've got a number of wonderful beers ranging in style and profile, some great deals and some real treats!

First of all, if you'll excuse my repetition these past few weeks, The Craft Beer Advent Calendar is in the store right now, and I really want to make sure no one is going to miss them before they're gone.  $155 for 24 modern beer styles crafted by old world brewers. It's an exciting way to see the fusion of old and new. I get great pleasure in the morning when I open the little cardboard door and see what beer I'll have waiting for me at the end of the day, and I think you will too, so don't miss out! Call the shop (403-283-8000) or shoot me an e-mail beerguy@kensingtonwinemarket.com

In the meantime, here are the new arrivals for this week:



Disruption Black IPA by Category 12: Fresh and hoppy, and sturdy and roasted, the best of both worlds! Designed to make you forget everything you knew about dark beers. This high scoring black IPA is lightly fruity with great nutty and coffee notes.  ($8.82 for a 650mL bottle)

Sour Pumpkin Saison by Collective Arts: A fresh, unique take on a saison that'll make you think twice about pumpkin beers. The saison is soured for 24h, and made with fresh roasted pumpkin and pumpkin spice. The traditional saison yeast just adds to the spice, but not in an overwhelming way. It's lightly tart and refreshing, and comforting...don't forget comforting. ($3.49 for a 473mL tall can)

Saint of Circumstance by Collective Arts: A light, crisp and refreshing wheated blonde ale, that's made even more refreshing by the addition of Citra, Centennial and Amarillo hops and citrus zest. It's soft, and lively on the palate with tons of citrus, and finishes clean and crisp. ($3.49 for a 473mL tall can)

House of Pilsner by Coulee brewing: A modern Pilsner that doesn't forget about it's roots. An ode to the classic style, with all it's robust malty, spice and floral notes, but with the addition of more modern citrusy notes to brighten the whole thing up. ($15.79 for a 6-pack on cans)

Ode to Citra by Powell Street brewing: The name says it all, this west coast pale is all about Citra hops. Notes of Mango, orange, and other citrus fruits with great malty notes all over. Definitely a fantastic way to showcase this wonderful hop variety. ($9.29 for a 650mL bottle)

Finally: NEW KEG ALERT!! We're lucky enough to get a keg of Dandy's Julia Peach Cobbler sour! Peaches and vanilla on a malty base and a generous tartness. When Dandy did their last tap takeover, this one sold out right away. It's limited so make sure to bring your growler in for some!

Of course I'm also filling the shelves ...

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Canadian Harvest tasting - October 14, 2016

Posted on October 21, 2016

As Albertans, we have the privilege to live at a driving distance from –in my humble opinion- the most diverse and interesting wine region of the country: the Okanagan Valley. Mission Hill, Quail’s Gate, Jackson Triggs, Summerhill, for many people, these names are part of our wine buying habits. Albertans love to support our Canadian wine industry and have strong knowledge of the varietals and products that can be found here. As a Canadian wine enthusiast myself, I decided to conduct this tasting with a single objective in mind: exploring the small and/or not (yet!) well-known wineries and styles available in Alberta and present to our guest my own perspective on what is exciting on our market.

The wines from our tasting:



NV Bella Sparkling Gamay 100% Gamay, Okanagan Valley. BC $49.99

In 2011, Jay Drysdale and Wendy Rose launched Bella Wines, the first winery in British Columbia dedicated exclusively to sparkling wine. This 100 percent gamay bubbly is sourced from Oliver's highly regarded Secrest Mountain Vineyards. The wine is a beautiful barely-pink, stainless steel fermented and with no dosage (bone dry!). The result is fresh, crisp and pure fruit. Strawberry, red apple, rhubarb and a hint of orange peel and freshness from first whiff through to a juicy, herbal pink grapefruit finish. Sold out at the winery since the beginning of August, we are lucky enough to have a few bottles left in Alberta. Don’t miss on the opportunity to grab a few bottles for your holiday celebrations!

2015, Clos du Soleil Grower’s Serie Middle Bench Pinot Blanc 100% Pinot Blanc, Similkameen Valley, BC $25.99

The 2015 white is a pinot blanc that comes off the Middle Bench Vineyard in Keremeos, an area that has a well-deserved reputation for bearing fruit of exceptional quality. The nose is a delightful mix of perfumed floral notes with stony nectarine, Anjou pear and appeal notes. The palate is clean and juicy with creamy lees and stony, mineral, fruity flavours but all in a minimalist style. Quietly complex and food friendly from grilled halibut to a simple vegetable pasta with olive oil and freshly grated parmigiano.

2015, Synchromesh Drier Riesling 100% Riesling, Okanagan Valley, BC $29.99

Synchromesh Wines is a small, family run operation focused on producing terroir-driven, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. From vineyard to bottle they practice sustainable techniques, no-chemical farming, natural low cropping, extensive use of indigenous yeasts and no additives or manipulations in winemaking. With fruit selected from later picks of each property (4 vineyards located on Naramata Bench & Okanagan Falls), this wine showcases more gentle acidity with tropical and stone fruit and was fermented to a much drier profile than the other wines from their portfolio. The nose leads off with ripe apricot, nectarine, whi...

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Tight Wad Oenophile tasting - October 11, 2016

Posted on October 16, 2016

Yes, I love Italian wines. Chianti, Barolo, Brunello de Montalcino, Super-Tuscans, there is greatness in Italy. But to be perfectly honest, I never considered Italy as one of my go-to countries to find value wines… But maybe I need to reconsider that premise!

Once more the Italian wine was the favourite of the night. I had the privilege to direct our last five Tight Wad Oenophile tastings at KWM, and four times out of five, the Italian wine was the winner, often time by a large majority of votes. Umberto Cesari Moma Rosso , Cinghiale Governo , Fattori Gregoris Soave , and in our latest edition Giusti Merlot . The great thing is that this actually makes sense! These wines are all incredible and over deliver for the money, which is what our Tight Wad classes are all about. Italy may be famous for many very expensive wines but it is good to see that there are more and more outstanding values to be found. From many of Italy's wine regions this can be seen - from the warmer South to dynamic regions like Veneto.

Maybe our next edition of Tight Wad Oenophile will be 100% Italy! Make sure to sign up to receive our electronic Wineline on our website and stay posted for the release of the winter tasting schedule and in the meantime, visit us at the store and ask one of us to recommend a few Italian gems from our selection.

The wines from our tasting:



NV Pares Balta Cava Brut $19.99
Parellada, Macabeo, Xarel-lo
Cava DOC, Penedes, Spain

A delicious sparkling wine, aka Cava, from Spain! Penedes is Spain's Champagne region, a wine-growing region located in the northeast, close to Barcelona. The specialty here is sparkling wines. Pares Balta is a family-run business with more than 70 years in the industry. They are dedicated to quality and sustainable farming. Throughout the winter months, flocks of sheep graze the vineyards, naturally fertilizing the earth and eliminating any need for artificial fertilizers. It’s a lovely bubbly with aromas of fresh green apple and pear and a soft, moderate carbonation. Perfect Sunday morning brunch sparkling wine!

2014, Compañia Vinicola del Norte de España (CVNE) Monopole $18.99
Viura (Macabeo)
Rioja DOCa, Spain

CVNE remains one of Spain's best-kept secrets. It was one of the first established bodegas in Rioja and has cultivated a long-standing reputation for quality. The Monopole Blanco is the oldest white wine brand of Spain (produced since 1915) and is made from handpicked Viura grapes. 100% stainless steel fermented, so no oak, the result is a very fresh and flowery wine, with tropical fruits and a moderate acidity. One of our all-time best buys.

2015, Bodega Amalaya Blanco Altura Torrontes $17.49
85% Torrontés, 15% Riesling
Valle Calchaquí, Argentina

This Torrontes-Riesling blend comes from extremely high ...

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New beers - October 13th, 2016

Posted on October 13, 2016

Howdy beer geeks!

Another week goes by and another batch of sweet, sweet new beers. We got something from nearly all walks of life this week! From sour to fruity, to dark, to farmhousey!

Before I spill the beans, just another reminder that the Craft beer Advent Calendar is in store now and is shaping up to be a smash hit for the 4th year in a row. Make sure you don't miss out on it this year!

Alright, alright, I'll get to the good part. Here's all the new stuff this week!



Baltus von Tassle cherry sour by The Dandy Brewing Company: The Dandy wizards are at it again with this American sour brown with cherries. A bold base with a bright crisp acidity that is accented with cherries. Fruity, full and super flavourful. ($9.99 for a 650mL bottle)

Lake City Farmhouse ale by Dageraad: This is a rustic saison produced with a partial sour mash, oats, wheat and spices. Surprising depth and complexity, yet also delicious and easy to drink. ($9.99 for a 650mL bottle)

Enigma Uncommon amber by Village brewing: Loaded up with malted and roasted barley, with a bright hop profile, but... gluten reduced? Village comes at you with a deep and flavourful beer that can appease both the gluten sensitive and those who aren't!  ($17.49 for a 6-pack of bottles)

Frucht Yumberry by The Bruery: If this is anything like their passionfruit berliner, this yumberry edition is a step away from a traditional berliner weisse. Namely, in terms of how sour they make their beers. Bold, but super tart with a generous fruitiness from the already tart yumberries. Not for the faint of heart, but for sour fans through and through! ($21.49 for a 750mL bottle)

Poterie anniversary ale by The Bruery: Poterie is French for “pottery”, the traditional eight-year anniversary gift. This is The Bruery's eighth anniversary ale. Poterie follows in the footsteps of the anniversary releases before it, which are loosely based on an English-style old ale, fermented with their house yeast strain and then blended using the solera method. This means that a portion of each anniversary ale is saved in oak barrels and blended in with the next year’s production. The result is layered in robust and complex flavours of toffee, caramel, dark fruit, vanilla and oak. Poterie will age gracefully for decades when cellared properly. ($49.99 for a 750ml bottle)

Oud Bruin by Vanderghinste: A new comer to the Alberta market! We don't get too many oud bruins around here, but I always jump at the chance to bring them in. This is on the richer side with lots of deep brown sugary notes, molasses and caramel. Hints of fruit all over, along with a mild tartness (not overly sour). Very tasty! ($5.09 for a 330mL bottle)



Not bad right? Along with all those, a few favourites are also back in stock, including Breakside's Passionfrui...

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Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada October 2016 Outturn

Posted on February 28, 2023



October 2016 is an exciting month as far as the Scotch Malt Whisky Society is concerned, the club was launched in Canada at the Kensington Wine Market five years ago in October. Since then we've launched more than 425 different single cask single malts, as well as some grains and a few other treats. This month we have just such an "other treat", C1: Nectar Celeste. It is the Scotch Malt Whisky Society's first ever bottling of Cognac, and was a big hit at the tastings. It is a fine, very elegant single cask cognac, and you don't see those very often.



The most popular malt at the tastings in Calgary was, 10.90: Muckle, Massive intensity of smoke , and sadly they are all sold out. While the smoke was intense I found the peat to be the most prominent characteristic, reminiscent of falling face first into a bog... not that I've ever done that! The Orcadian, 4.217: Nordic nosh was also very popular, nearly selling out. It is a lighter style malt than its Highland Island distillery is known for, but very elegant! The peated Highland Malt, 66.82: Girtty turned pretty, was also popular at the tastings, and also nearly sold out... very savoury and bacon-y, it is a monster for both its sherry notes and phenolic levels!



My personal favourite malt of the month was 9.88: A heart starter, a 25-year-old Speysider matured in a Refill Sherry Butt. I'm sipping some right now as a matter of fact, whilst preparing this post! Soft but very fruity, layered and spicy it is my kind of malt. It reminds me of some of the old vintage bottlings of the distillery (SMWS #9) Gordon & MacPhail is famous for. The final two malts had their fans as well, Hunter is in love with 55.24: Cherry pie moonshine and even though it is a beast 128.6: Rumbling, reverberating resonances was also popular. It was a stellar lineup for the Society's 5th Anniversary in Canada! Here are the details on the range:



 


55.24: Cherry pie moonshine - 52.7% - 20 Year - 2nd Fill Hogshead - Speyside - Flavour profile: Spicy & sweet - Outturn: 189 bottles - Panel's tasting note: "We are in a scene from chapter two of Mark Twain’s book ‘The Adventures of Tom Sawyer’ back in the 19th century in the Midwest. Tom has to whitewash a big wooden fence but convinces his friends to pay him to have a go themselves. Evocative aromas of late summer cornfields, pumpkin pie, corned beef hash sandwiches and homemade lemonade fill the air. The taste neat was like corn on the cob with salted butter or homemade blackcurrant jam on crusty bread. Water added to that autumn feeling; root beer, candied ginger snaps and to top it all ‘cherry pie moonshine’.&qu...

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