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Happy Canada Day Long Weekend from Kensington Wine Market!

Posted on June 29, 2018

Celebrating 151 Years of Everything That Makes Canada Amazing!
In a world as big as it is with a population reaching towards the 8 billion mark and Canada only making up a minuscule almost 37 million I feel unbelievably lucky, almost like having won the lottery to have been born in this beautiful country! There are so many unbelievable things about Canada and I would love to share with you some of my favourites:

Having the freedom to travel to so many other countries without even having to apply first or ask if they will allow me into their country. If I ever got sick I never had to even think about if I had enough money to cover my medical expenses. There has always been untouched nature in very close proximity, all I have ever needed to do is go for a walk and experience it. I can't even remember the amount of times that I have come face to face with a bear. Shouting from the top of a mountain. Looking up to the skies and seeing the Northern lights that seemed to dance to their own music. Swimming in rivers so clear (and cold) that you can actually see the fish swimming beside you. Saying hello to your neighbour and even if you don't understand each other they are still so friendly. Trying to be inclusive to everyone and thinking about others. Saying sorry because someone stepped on your foot and they say sorry back. Driving down a highway and only seeing farmer's fields and blue sky from horizon to horizon. Going to the mountains and seeing more Canadian animals than in the zoo. Having days where the sunlight can literally last all day. Having well paved roads even in the middle of nowhere. Being able to try food from almost any other country in the world. Having an unbelievable and possibly some of the best selection of alcoholic beverages in the entire world (this could be more applicable mainly for Alberta, but still amazing).

Salud!
Dave Tyler

To celebrate the wonders of Canada we are going to be focusing on Canadian beverages this weekend and none of them have any extra NAFTA circumventing tariffs on them.
From Friday June 29 until Monday July 2:
All in stock Canadian wine will be 10% off!
All in stock Canadian beer growler refills will be 10% off!
All in stock Canadian Gin and Whisky will be 10% off!
To celebrate the wonder that is Canada we are going to also be tasting wines from a couple of our favourite Canadian wineries!

We will have a few wines open from Lock and Worth and Nichol wineries.
They are both small wineries from the Narramata Bench region in the Okanagan area. Matthew SherLOCK and Ross HackWORTH are the 2 driving forces behind both of these wineries. They are focused on making delicious wine that comes from small vineyards and minimal intervention to let the grapes express themselves at their best!



Come in this Saturday, June 30th, 2018 from 2 - 5PM to try these delicious wines...

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Gin Is In

Posted on June 22, 2018

by Comrade Hunter

After having our shelves loaded to buckling with new gins swarming the market, it was about time that we had another Gin class. The consumer has spoken and they are thirsty for white, juniper infused spirit; a demand distillers are happy to satisfy. The newest offerings available on the market are seemingly more impressive, each round of gins trumping the last. In my previous posts regarding the state of gin I forwarded a concern that the fidelity of the consumer to one specific gin may be short lived (lest it be from those old standard bearers of the gin industry) and that the gin market may be reaching its zenith. But perhaps what I failed to note was that if the market continues to spawn new and exciting spirits, distillers will be forced to reach for higher levels of quality and diversity. This forced evolution of a saturated market may see to the true reckoning of a gin “golden age.” All that one must hope for is that said distillers are willing to change, redirect course, and above all, take risks with the distilling medium they have at hand. My hope for the future of gin would be to see those bottles I first showcased years ago resurface as new, reborn expressions. If white spirit is to act as surrogate untouched canvas to the artist-distiller, the state of the industry will reduce down to these artists’ visions and their ability to enact them. But does Gin need such pomp? I’m sure my gin compatriots in attendance of the class Gin is In can attest to the contrary.



Here is what we tried that evening for Gin is In.

Jawbox
The most vibrant and lively spirit of the evening; Jawbox delivers something both enjoyably nouveau while holding true to classic gin stylizations. What does this mean? Well, I don't know, maybe that its dry, juniper-heavy nose is cut with a helping of off-dry white and tropical fruits. The floral character of this spirit is dashed by these vibrant and delicately sweet tones lending to a unique interpretation of London Dry Gin. One of my favourites for the evening. $58

Shortcross
A burlier version of the Jawbox, offering a richer spirit profile with more oily tones. The density of the palate creates a slightly more unctuous spirit, something likely the result of either the grain bill of the gin and/or the distillation method. I was similarly impressed by this spirit, the oily character of the palate showcasing some of the fatter, richer tones of the botanicals used to make this gin. $64

Drumshanbo Gunpowder Tea Infused
Another favourite of the night, a recurrent theme throughout the night. I was pleasantly surprised to find each of these gins to be of notable quality, something I can't say has been the case for past gin tastings. This bottling is the result of infusing gunpowder tea to the spirit, adding layers of savoury herbaceous tones without being entirely savoury. ...

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New Beers for the Month of June part 1 of 2

Posted on June 19, 2018

Hello to all! It's time again to give you the lowdown on what tasty new beers I've been able to acquire and make available to you all! Hand-picking my beer selection, and tailoring it to you beer geeks and casuals alike is a full-time job, heck, it's MY full-time job, and you just know I love it. I love it nearly as much as a shower beer, or a NEIPA so hazy, you'd think it was a glass of Metamucil. Alright, alright, I'll cut it out with the cheese ball stuff. You think of something to put in here twice a month and see how quickly you run out of ideas! Anyways, here are all those beers I mentioned arriving thus far in June, and stay tuned for more... maybe even the fabled Founders CBS?

Deep Cove Watershed Yuzu Wit $20.49 for a 6-pack of cans
Evil Twin I Always Felt Closer to IPAs Than I Have to People $7.19 for a 473mL tall can
Collective Arts Liquid Arts Fest IPA $6.19 for a 473mL tall can
Vancouver Island Ukidama Lychee Saison $2.79 for a 355mL can
Founders Rubaeus $18.79 for a 6-pack of cans
Ninkasi Prismatic IPA $21.19 for a 6-pack of cans

Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing $19.69 for a 6-pack of cans

Burdock Tuesday $6.19 for a 355mL can



Founders PC Pils $18.89 for a 6-pack of bottles

Four Winds Wildflower Saison $16.59 for a 750mL bottle

Belching Beaver Sour Series 5 $16.99 for a 375mL bottle

Innis & Gunn Mangoes on the Run $3.29 for a 350mL bottle

Ninkasi Pacific Rain Pale $22.09 for a 6-pack of bottles

Gigantic Massive! $19.49 for a 650mL bottle

Gigantic Massive! Barrel aged $26.99 for a 650mL bottle

Alright, so that's about it for now. On that last one, if you haven't tried the Burdock beers yet then I don't know what you're waiting for. Nearly all are gone except Tuesday and Three, so I would suggest not missing out, especially on the Brett apricot or Saison du Must.

Cheers for now, until next time!
Shawn
Beerguy@kensingtonwinemarket.com
Twitter: @ShawnsBrewsCGY...

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Rosé All Day!

Posted on June 19, 2018

by Dave

It is getting to be that time of year when can really enjoy the season, rosé season that is! If you have not tried any or have the idea that rosé wine is just sweet and syrupy then you haven't met the right wine. The right rosé can be the perfect wine for spring, summer, warm weather and patio days! The gorgeous pink colour and crisp freshness seems to be exactly what hits the spot on those warm days. If you want it as just a refreshing cool down after a long day or a great warm up to an even longer night it is hard to go wrong with these delicious wines.

There are 3 different ways for making a rosé; Maceration method, Saignée ("San-yay") or "bled" method and the blending method.

Leaving the juice of the grapes in contact with the skins is how the maceration method works and this is the most common way of producing rosé wines. This way they will extract a little colour and flavours from the skins themselves. All the wines that we tasted were made from this method.

Saignée method is done by taking off some of the first juice produced when a red wine is being made. This can be done in places where they are producing higher-end wines and want to have a richer concentrated red wine and they are also able to get a lovely rosé wine out of it as well.

Finally, the blending method is done by mixing red wine with white wine. This is generally done in Champagne and because red wine can be quite dark it doesn't need that much to add to change the colour of the wine. If you haven't tried a rosé champagne then you should definitely put it on your to-do list.



I am going to go over the wines that we tried in the order that we tried them.

Andreola Bolle Prosecco Rose Extra Dry
A Kensington Wine Market exclusive! This delicious Prosecco is made from a blend of 80% Cabernet and 20% Merlot grapes. We have been representing Andreola for many years and are excited to welcome their first Rose to our family of sparkling wines! Prosecco is an excellent wine to serve as an aperitif as it cleanses the palate and gets it ready for the main course. Rich and robust, with broad shoulders and plenty of hearty earth tones, this cherry and currant driven sparkler finishes with gorgeous notes of natural musk and chalky minerals. $23.99

Pol Cochet Brut Rose
A Kensington Wine Market exclusive, and a great price for a gorgeous rosé Champagne! "This champagne, synonymous with pleasure, is composed only of Pinot Noir. The nose is dominated by subtle notes of small red berries (raspberries, candied currants), complemented by floral shades of pink. The palate is lively and refreshing, combining intensity and roundness. Ideal to accompany a summer aperitif, a meal, yes with red meat! Pairs beautifully with wild salmon or with fresh fruit desserts," according to the winery. $62.99

La...

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Women in Wine

Posted on July 14, 2018

by Abi

‘[My father] thought [with me] being a girl, I would not keep the estate going for the next generation’
- Anne Gros

Women in the world of wine are fierce. They work hard night and day to produce wines that will blow your socks off, yet, they still face unnecessary judgement due to them being off the “lesser sex”. Being a feminist myself, I could ramble on and on about why women need to be seen as equals in any aspect of today’s world, but, today we will show you why they deserve more respect than is given.

Winemaking is not an easy feat. It is agriculture, and agriculture takes time, it takes patience and it takes elbow grease. It isn't all about trying wine, they need to tend to the vines, figure out what needs to be done to create their wine, execute that, age it if need be, fix any problems that may come along, and then pray to whichever entity that consumers will buy your wine. Not only that but women winemakers also have to go against the herd (especially in very traditional areas in Europe) and prove to men that they know what they are doing. This is an evening of celebrating a few of these fierce individuals that have made sure they get their respect.

Marie Courtin Resonance Extra Brut 2013
Dominique Moreau of Marie Courtin is as fierce as it gets in Champagne. Located in the Cote de Bar, she already has to face the insufferable ramblings of the North, and how “the south shouldn’t make champagne”, but add in the fact she’s a female too, she has a lot to deal with. But don’t worry, since she founded Marie Courtin in the early 2000’s, she’s allowed her hard work, dedication and love for Champagne come through in her wines. Her wines are considered the quintessential artisanal champagne, where terroir is the main focus, along with minimal intervention practices. The Resonance Extra Brut is 100% Pinot Noir, with zero dosage, and pays a beautiful ode to the terroir of her vineyards. It’s crisp, clean, with delicate bubbles, notes of lemon, lime, mineral and a touch of yeasty characteristics. For the price point, we would argue you can’t find a better champagne. $72.99

Sybille Kuntz Riesling Trocken 2015
Sybille Kuntz grew up learning the ways of German Riesling. Raised in a family of wine markers, she at first thought it wasn't the career she wanted and moved north to study Business. After graduating, she came to realise that she was in fact missing the wine world, and opened up her own store. The challenge she faced was that she knew she had to sell a range of wines, but all she wanted to sell was her parents high end Mosel Riesling, and once realising that, she knew what she had to do. She started her own project, named after herself, to produce the finest of Mosel Rieslings, showing the range of wines that can be produced from the beautiful lands...

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