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Italian Wine Festival - Friday March 20, 2015

Posted on March 27, 2015

Our Italian Wine Festival……the first of many.  We were all very excited to be a part of this sold out event.

We showed 85 wines from all regions of Italy! The aromas of red wine in the air and the excitement of 85 people, created quite a buzz. All the greats were there, everything from Sangiovese to Nebbiolo to Fruilano. Basically almost every wine in our Italian section was being poured.

Was there a favorite? No not at all! Everyone had favorites but there was not one clear winner. There were just too many delicious offerings to choose from.

We started with our very own exclusive, Andreola Prosecco, just to get the crowd going. Bubbles anytime!

People were moving through the rooms, asking questions, learning about the regions from our well prepared staff and agents.

To compliment the wine, Peasant Cheese Shop owner Crystal MacKenzie prepared an amazing array of treats. She had sliders, artichoke dip, pancetta wrapped figs with parmesan, charcuterie trays and of course plenty of Italian cheeses to hold up to the big bold Brunellos and Barolos.

Overall I would say this was a huge success and we will continue to offer our festivals regionally as well as our sold out Wine Festivals in spring and fall .

Our next session of tastings will be available soon, with two rare Italian vertical tastings from Poggio Altero and Masi Amarone.

We hope to see you there!

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Portugal, Much More than Port, Thursday March 19, 2015

Posted on March 26, 2015

Portugal… this is where I began my wine journey. I was in University when I was introduced to Portuguese wines by the original Wine Shop  on 17th. Since then my knowledge has increased, however my love for Portuguese still wines remains, so when Eric couldn’t conduct this tasting as planned, I was more than happy to jump in to have a chance to talk about Portugal.
My most difficult task was to narrow down what wines to taste.  I was looking for good scores, wines that had a story, regional differences and wines that I love. Portuguese wines are very true to themselves. The Portuguese still  use indigenous grape varietals which I find so intriguing. They have not bought into the idea of pulling out 80 year old Baga grapes in the vineyards  to plant international varietals. They stay true to their roots and vines.  I love that.
The value is here. The wines all showed beautifully and were all well accepted and enjoyed.

There was a good spread of favorites and not one wine was the clear winner.  We narrowed it down to the following:
1. Quinta do Crasto Douro Reserva 2010
2. Tied* Casa De Oleiros Vinho Verde NV with Fonseca Hexagon 2007 Touriga Nacional Setubal

And Miss Congeniality – Fonseca Moscatel De Setubal 20 Year Dessert Wine - there was not one person who didn’t enjoy and appreciate this wine. A very special treat.

The wines complemented the cheese and charcuterie boards from Peasant Cheese Shop.
Overall we learned about the regional differences as well as enjoying the experience. Everyone went home happy and full.  Thank You



Food pairings from Peasant Cheese Shop

The Wines:

1. Casa De Oleiros Vinho Verde NV Vinho Verde $20.99
A fresh, pretty white wine. This example of Portugal's famous Vinho Verde comes from a fifth-generation winery dedicated to preserving ancient traditions. According to the winery team, the label is inspired by Valentine handkerchiefs, embroidered by the region's young women. "These embroidered handkerchiefs depicted verse, drawings and some patterns symbolizing longing, absence and memory." A lovely story and a lovely white wine to share with someone special!

2. Carm Rosé 2013 Douro $19.99
A rosé that makes us blush with pleasure! Just look at that gorgeous color. This blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca is light pink, with wonderful fruity flavours of watermelon and strawberry. Super-easy to drink and so easy on the pocketbook!

3. Wine & Soul Guru Douro White 2011 $65.99
91 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate!  "The 2011 Guru is the winery’s old vines (50 years) Branco, a blend of Rabigato, Viosinho, Codega do Larinho and Gouveio. With modest and g...

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"The Irish are Coming" tasting March 17, 2015

Posted on March 25, 2015

Every year on March 17th, upwards of 10 different countries around the world celebrate the death of Saint Patrick. Known to some as, "Saint Patrick's Day", and to others as the, "Feast of Saint Patrick", the occasion aims to celebrate the life and death of the patron saint of Ireland, along with the coming of Christianity to the once pagan nation. Food and alcohol are heavily associated with the holiday because for those observing Lent, this day provides a day of relief for whatever you may be abstaining from. So about a dozen and a half of us decided to gather, abstain from abstaining, and have a little party while we're at it! The tasting was stand up format, so there was plenty of mingling, and everyone was in good cheer!

Although some of us are partial to beer while others to whiskey, we all enjoyed sampling some of the best Irish offerings from both persuasions, along with some excellent cheese and meat accompaniments from  the Peasant Cheese, our next door neighbor. Here is a brief outline of what we tasted!

Howling Gale Pale by Eight Degrees Brewing.
This American pale ale has lots of citrusy, floral hop aromas thanks to the generous amount of Chinook, Centenial and Amarillo hops used. A fresh, modern beer from a country that has exported primarily old and often mild beer styles! It's breweries like Eight Degrees that are taking Ireland into the craft beer revolution! ($19.99 for a 6-pack of bottles.)

Irish Red Ale by Porterhouse Brewing.
A complex and amusing (yet mild) profile featuring pale, crystal, wheat and chocolate malts. Low IBU's help this beer showcase this malt forward, slightly fudgy brew with light acidity and thin carbonation.($12.19 for a 4-pack of bottles.)

Oyster Stout by Porterhouse Brewing
An interesting take on a classic beer style, Porterhouse brewing shucks oysters right into the conditioning tank, though you'd never guess just by tasting it! The oysters give it this unique soft sweetness that compliments the roasted malts wonderfully. It paired quite well with some of the harder cheeses, yet wasn't heavy enough to mask any of the further samples. ($13.69 for a 4 pack of bottles)

Knockmealdown Porter by Eight Degrees Brewing.
Wonderful chocolate and roasted grains are all over the nose of this dry Irish stout. It smells soft, doughy, floral and full. The chocolate is accompanied by fresh espresso, and slightly singed toast on the palate with a creamy mouth feel and a hearty, semi-fluffy and persistent head. ($19.99 for a 6-pack of bottles.)

Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey
From one of Ireland's oldest distilleries, this blended whiskey is matured purely in ex-bourbon oak. The nose shows notes of sweet caramel, vanilla and toasty wood aromas. On the palate, we get a very soft feel, with flavors of golden raisins, caramel, and slight spice that lead into a toasty finish with yet more vanilla. An e...

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New beers March 18, 2015

Posted on March 21, 2015

So something quite new has happened at Kensington Wine Market this week. We didn't get a whole plethora of new beers! Now don't worry, keep calm and don't flip the table just yet, we still received a few interesting things, including a new gluten free IPA and two ciders. However, the brief lull in new product is merely the calm before the storm. Over the next 2 months the province is going to be just pummeled with new and old beers from some very prolific breweries like Brewdog, Smuttynose and Boulevard, and then some more from Oude Beersel and Cantillon. We took this opportunity to bring back some favorites to beef up our shelves. The new products that made it through the doors are as follows.



I Wish gluten free IPA by Mikkeller.  Everyone's favorite gypsy brewer tries his hand at a gluten free beer, and an IPA no less! Made as a traditional beer, the gluten is then destroyed/removed. Lightly tropical with citrus and pine notes, and a slightly rich body with a fairly bitter finish. This is definitely suitable for those who miss drinking a good IPA, but tasty enough for the gluten tolerant as well! $5.89 for a 350mL bottle.

The Muse by Angry Orchard. This is the first Angry Orchard product to grace our shelves, and we have to say, we love it! Made with influences of demi-sec wines and sparkling wines, this medium dry cider is aged in French oak which imparts some lovely spice notes. The cider has a wonderfully fruity with good acidity and a slightly drying finish. $17.99 for a 750mL bottle.

Perry by Sea Cider. A seasonal pear cider from their heirloom collection, this Perry is made from fruit of a secret orchard, and is quite a rarity.  Made in a dry style, it truly shows off the unique qualities of the French originating perry pears. Fantastic for food pairing or just sipping on the warm days we've been so lucky to have lately! ($22.99 for a 750mL bottle).

Along with these, a couple of notable restocked products are the Mikkeller/3Floyds Bla Spogelse blueberry lambic, and Nickelbrook's Uber Berliner weisse.

See, it's not so bad. Those three are still pretty exciting.

Now the orders for Cantillon have been flooding in and we're getting more and more excited to see what we can get our hands on. It's important to mention, however, that we still have one of the biggest sour selections around (regardless of the presence of Cantillon). As an example, I've put together this photo of all of our current sours. There really is something for everyone! On top of all of that, there are also a few more items coming in from Oude Beersel over the next few weeks including the Horal's 2015 Megablend! Stop in and ask for some recommendations on these increasingly popular styles!



One last quick mention is that Parallel 49's Jerkface 9000 is back in stock for anyone who missed it. Nearly all of the staff has been ra...

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Revolutionary Gin tasting - Thursday March 12, 2015

Posted on March 21, 2015

The cocktail scene is taking off with astounding interest. This rediscovered culture is teeming with enthusiasts eagerly seeking out new prospects of exciting experiences, ranging from bourbons to ryes, gins to vodkas to name only a few of the many spirits involved in this growing society! All this new interest has caused a massive shift in the industry, a revolution one might say, with the focus being put less on alcohol content and more on the craft of distillation. For a distiller, this artistic rendition of spirit must start somewhere, and where better to start than gin. On Thursday evening, our tasting dove headlong into the drink, and I could think of no better way to become acquainted with the beast than through immersion therapy, ahem, all in the pursuit of knowledge of course.

Originally a medicinal to cure ailments such as gout, upset stomachs, a miscellany of aches, pains and arthritis of which we were all surely afflicted and in need of treatment. The people of England were doomed from the start once gin came abroad from Holland on the behest of William of Orange. The thin veil of "medicinal use only" was shed and the people discovered their new drink of choice. As illicit "bathtub" gin operations cropped up all over the country, debauchery and discord bred. Some say this wild time in history birthed the first anti-drinking advertisement in William Hogarth's "Beer Street and Gin Lane" depicting the dehumanizing nature of gin. Being intelligent folk, we were all able to agree that we could overcome the vices of old, and delve into the samples in front of us objectively.



Our journey started with Hayman's Old Tom. This one’s origins are based in gin's dark days, when taxation was high for any gin distiller. To circumvent high taxes, secret distillers would set about making little “hole in the walls”, usually with lead pipe slot for the purchaser to slide in their money and the producer to slide out the shot of gin. These hole in the walls were usually denoted by a black cat or black paw above the said pipe, eventually garnering the nickname of "Old Tom". This particular denotation of "Old Tom" Gin has now been affiliated with a slightly heavier gin, one with sweeter botanicals and a richer feel. One can imagine slinking around in dark back alleys, tapping on the Old Tom eagerly awaiting this delightful treat. Easy to see why this came in third for the favourites of the night.  -  $32.49

Eau Claire's Parlour Gin was next, coming from Alberta's first craft distiller. With a denser feel from the barley used in the grain bill, this one seemed to go with the flow of the Old Tom in terms of density. The botanicals seem driven to balance the body of the gin, edging up with big bitterness and a withering floral nature. The Parlour gin is  made to embody the social nature of gin and on a hot summer day, a chilly glass...

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