deVine Thoughts

Author: Dirk Chan

Sour beer is the rage these days – it is essentially beer which has an intentionally acidic, tart or sour taste – popular styles include American Wild Ale, Berliner Weisse, Gose, Flanders Red Ale, Lambic and Oud Bruin – there will even be a $50 one we’ll be tasting!

The main flavor of a sour beer is tartness, like a strawberry or lemon. But many sours also have a “funky” taste that some say smells like a horse blanket or a barnyard but there is certainly some major pucker power here.

Because of the uncertainty involved in using wild yeast, the sour beer brewing process is extremely unpredictable. The beer takes months to ferment and can take years to mature.

The increasing popularity of sour beers, combined with the fact that they’re challenging to make, available only in limited quantities, and expensive, makes them desirable. And as more beer lovers learn about them, they are sharing their knowledge with other drinkers, further triggering the trend.

We are thrilled to have Jim Phelan of Untapped Craft Imports here to lead our Sour Power tasting – don’t miss this Thursday night stand-up event.

More info and to register for this event, click here

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Author: Dirk Chan

After the stupendous 2015 Red Burgundy tasting on the weekend, I said to myself I must write a blog. The hype is certainly well deserved, the 2015 Red Burgs are without a doubt the best since 2005 (with even less production) and probably as good as 1990, and some old vigneros comparing it to 1929 that they drank in their youth – high praise all around. We tasted eight wines and they were uniformly excellent yet very expressive o the terroir that they came from. From memory of a similar tasting of the 2005’s, I say the 2015’s are better at this same juncture in time. So elegant yet powerful.

An ‘extraordinary’ vintage throughout the Côte d’Or for the Pinot Noirs – truly great: rich, powerful and statuesque, full of finesse and class (even in the Bourgognes) but almost always underpinned by fine juicy acidity. The distinctive characters of the region’s diverse terroirs are readily expressed. Despite its richness and amplitude, the palates were all quite remarkably dense and complex. These are wines for the long haul, with serious reserves of ripe tannins hidden behind their generous fruit: they will likely shut down and re-imerge at some point with even greater nuances. Availability is extremely limited (in some cases only a few six packs came into the province) so don’t delay and don’t say I didn’ t tell you – “Buy, buy, buy”, all you can afford, you’ll thank me down the road. This is already a legendary vintage, so act quickly to secure your bottles!

Pictured left to right:

2015 Domaine Goisot Corps de Garde Bourgogne (Burgundy, France) – $35.99

2015 Château de Chamirey Mercurey Rouge (Burgundy, France) – $51.99

2015 Domaine Lucien Jacob Pernand-Vergelesses Premier Cru (Burgundy – Cote de Beaune, France) – $55.99

2015 Domaine Pavelot Savigny les Beaune Premier Cru La Dominode (Burgundy – Cote de Beaune, France) – $79.99

2015 La Pousse d’Or Volnay Premier Cru en Caillerets (Burgundy – Cote de Beaune, France) – $124.99

2015 Daniel Rion et Fils Vosne-Romanée Les Beaux-Monts Premier Cru (Burgundy – Cote de Nuits, France) – $129.99

2015 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue Chambolle Musigny Premiere Cru (Burgundy – Cote de Nuits, France) – $334.99

Other available 2015’s:

2015 Alain Geoffroy Bourgogne (Burgundy, France) – $27.99

2015 Domaine Roux Pere & Fils Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Beaune (Burgundy – Cote de Beaune, France) – $35.99

2015 Domaine Pavelot Savigny les Beaune (Burgundy – Cote de Beaune, France) – $44.99

2015 Paul Garaudet Cuvée Paul Monthelie (Burgundy – Cote de Beaune, France) – $46.99

2015 Domaine Pavelot Savigny les Beaune Premier Cru Aux Guettes (Burgundy – Cote de Beaune, France) – $69.99

2015 Domaine Roux Pere & Fils Aloxe Corton Les Boutieres (Burgundy – Cote de Beaune, France) – $77.99

2015 Daniel Rion et Fils Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Vignerondes Premier Cru (Burgundy – Cote de Nuits, France) – $109.99

2015 Domaine Pavelot Savigny les Beaune Premier Cru La Dominode (Burgundy – Cote de Beaune, France) – 1.5L – $159.99

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Author: Dirk Chan

Cavern is renowned for their expert knowledge and outstanding artisanal cheese selection – It’s been three years since we last co-hosted an event with them so we are thrilled to announce Tricia Bell will be here for this Wine & Cheese with Cavern tasting . So, Dirk will speak to the seven wines and Tricia will choose and speak to the matching cheese pairings. Fun facts and anecdotes will no doubt emerge in this sit-down at deVines! This would be a wonderful pre-Mother’s Day outing.

More info and to register for this special event, click here

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Author: Ed Fong

Last week, a customer asked me “How did you come up with the idea for the November 3, 2018 Great Whiskies of the World Fundraiser and Art Show?” Great question, long story, but I’ll keep it short.

Over the past few years, many people have asked me and the Team at deVine Wines “Why don’t you host a super-premium whiskey tasting that is out of this world?” Great idea! So I set out to assemble a collection of whiskies from around the world that would grab any whiskey lover’s attention.

In the late summer of 2017, I met a gentleman named Travis Watt. Travis worked for a spirits importer named Rare Drams, a company that we have worked with for a few years now. Travis is also the President of the Edmonton Scotch Club, and conducted numerous fundraisers in the past for Edmonton’s Food Bank. Travis and I shared a love for fine whiskey and a real desire to help those in need to obtain one of life’s greatest necessities, food. I asked Travis if he would consider hosting a high end whiskey tasting for us in support of the Food Bank and Neon Sign Museum, and he agreed. I would donate the whiskey, Travis would donate his time and expertise, and deVine Wines would donate the venue, resources and staff to run the event. Game on!

Shortly after I met Travis, I was approached by a local artist and customer named Nosheen Pervez to host a wine tasting and art show. Nosheen is a visual artist and some of her work can be found here on her website: http://www.nosheenp.com/

Then it hit me with crystal clear clarity. We should do the art show in conjunction with the Mother of all Whiskey Tastings! It made perfect sense! Guests attending the Mondo whiskey tasting will have an opportunity to support a local artist, have a great time and raise some money for two very worthy charities.

So that is how our Great Whiskies of the World Fundraiser and Art Show came to be. For more information on our two charities of choice, please visit the links below:

Edmonton Food Bank: https://www.edmontonsfoodbank.com/

Neon Sign Museum: https://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/edmonton_archives/neon-sign-museum.aspx

More info and to register for this special event, click here

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Author: Dirk Chan

New to the store are three new Austrian Riedel spirits stems, featuring (pictured left to right) Grappa, Tequila and Cognac/Hennessy

Riedel  (pronounced Ree-dle) is the industry standard for stemware and decanters for the wine connoisseurs, it has been an illustrious history – family owned in Bohemia since 1756 (the same year as Mozart’s birthyear – it’s been that long!). With expert craftsmanship and a creative design team, their stemware and decanters are in high end restaurants and regular homes alike. It’s claim to fame is that the stemware was specifically and scientifically design so the first hit on your tongue accentuates the qualities of the grape or spirit that the glass was designed for.

Enhance your experience with Grappa, Tequila and Cognac with these highly specialized machine-made crystal stems – it will be an eye opener!

Riedel Vinum Grappa Glass – $29.49

Riedel Bar Vinum Tequila Reposado Glass – $39.99

Riedel Bar Vinum Cognac/Hennessy Glass – $34.99

Salute!

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Author: Dirk Chan