deVine Thoughts

Author: Dirk Chan

Famed American wine critic Robert Parker calls the 2007 California vintage for Bordeaux varietals as the greatest since 2001 and 2002. Not as tannic as those vintages, the 2007’s have “intense fruit, charm and seductiveness with freshness, delineation and laser-like focus”. To support his claim, he promptly doled out twelve 100 point wines.

Paul Hobbs is one of the wine world’s top consultants whose own California projects are augmented by his superb work in Argentina (El Felino wines). deVine is offering a pre-sell only of the 2007 Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon – $209.99. Please submit your order ONLINE here before Tuesday, May 11 at noon. This special order is a one time offer and there will be no second chances to purchase more.

There are only 586 cases of this high scoring red (Wine Spectator 97, Robert Parker 96 points respectively).

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Author: Dirk Chan

They say time flies when you’re having fun! It’s hard to believe but deVine’s celebrates its 5th Anniversary with a huge drop-in festival style event this coming Saturday, May 1st from noon to 5pm. Featuring a multitude of premium wines, it will surely be a party atmosphere at the store, and as an added bonus, all wines tasted at this event will be 20% off. It is our way to saying thank you for your loyal patronage through another year. Tickets are $20 each and selling very quickly – you can check out some of the wines we’ll be pouring and also book in advance here.

All of the deVine staff will be on hand to greet you, it may be a good time to talk to one of us about the upcoming 2009 Bordeaux futures offering, or chat about 2007 Californians, 2007 Vintage Ports, 2006 Super Tuscans..

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Author: Ed Fong

Well, the long wait is finally over! deVine Wines and our neighbors on 104th-Street have been anxiously awaiting the opening of two new LRT stations. On Saturday, April 24, drop by the store and help us celebrate this proud civic achievement. We’ll pop some corks and offer everyone a glass of free sparkling wine between 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

LRT expansion means connecting more Edmontonians to the downtown core. To visit us on 104th-Street, you are less than a twenty minute ride from the new Century Park Station and thirteen minutes away from the new Southgate Station. To reach us, your ride ends at the Bay/Enterprise Square Station. If you want to know what downtown Edmonton has to offer, start by visiting the Downtown Business Association’s website at www.edmontondowntown.com.

To celebrate this event, ETS is hosting a Community Fair at both of the new stations. Please follow this link for complete details. Please note that the majority of events will take place at the Century Park Station. Free LRT service to the new stations does not begin until 11:00 AM.

The City Market Downtown on 104th-Street will be setting up a mini-market at Century Park on April 24. To give you a teaser of things to come, about ten vendors will set up and sell their produce and goods. We look forward to the reopening of the City Market on May 15th. For more information, please visit their website at www.city-market.ca

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Author: Dirk Chan

deVine welcomes Miguel Torres Brand Ambassadors Mr. Toni Batet and Mr. Cristian Castro on Monday, April 26 at 7pm for an evening of sampling of Torres’ Spainish and Chilean portfolio offerings. Here is a great opportunity to visit and taste with one of Spain’s original pioneers (over 300 years old) and Award Winning winery (Miguel Torres was named Decanter Magazine’s Man of the Year in 2002). This is a rare monday night sit-down tasting for us, so book early here…

The Torres family surname has been linked with wine for more than three centuries, during which time their ancestors have worked vineyards in Penedès, a land with a millenarian tradition of wine.
In 1979, further expansion into Curico in Chile was added to the portfolio and in 1989, the Marimar Torres Estate was started in Russian River featuring Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grape. Today, Torres exports to over 130 countries.

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Author: Dirk Chan

FOG Volleyball & the Golden Bears Volleyball Alumni present “PASTICHE 5”, the 5th Annual Golden Bears Art & Wine Auction. To be held at “Enterprise Square” (the Old Bay Building), the fundraiser is scheduled for Thursday, April 15th from 7-10:30pm.

Combining Art and sport since 2006, this year’s event will feature the premier unveiling of Steven Csorba’s 2010 Olympic Collection along with over eighty pieces of outstanding artwork for auction. Some of the artists represent include Real Fournier, Graham Peacock, Jane Ash-Poitras, Allan Sapp, Jerry Whitehead, Manola, along with some of this year’s graduating class of the Fine Arts faculty from the Universiy of Alberta. Works ranging from $25 to $4500 will be up for auction. Food, wine and drinks provided by generous sponsors. Musical entertainment will be provided by a variety of artists including former National Volleyball team member Rod Walsh.

Join us for a sizzling mixer of Art, Sport and Food & Drink! Tickets are $100 each admits two guests – contact Terry Danyluk at 780-492-1015 or by email at Terry.danyluk@ualberta.ca (deadline for tickets is April 12).

Click here for the event pdf.

deVine has put up an online auction page in our Community Events & Auctions page here…
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Author: Dirk Chan

The 2010 California Wine Fair in support of the Citadel Theatre is fast upon us. Please join us again at the Shaw Conference Centre on Thursday, April 8, 2010 from 7pm to 9:30pm.

This is a grand tasting featuring over 350 wines from one hundred wineries in the California winemaking region. Paired with delectable appetizers, this is a must for any California wine lover.

As usual, a silent auction will be held, and for the first time this year, there will be a high-end silent auction table with many collectibles for bidding.

Location of Event: Shaw Conference Center, Hall D

Date of Event: Thursday, April 8, 2010

Time of Event: 7-9:30pm

Cost of Event: $60

Tickets: online here: http://www.citadeltheatre.com/events.php?eventid=749&cat=49

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Author: Dirk Chan

deVine will be hosting the American Wine Festival this coming saturday. Along with some of our agent friends, we will be pouring over thirty American wines for you to sample in this drop-in festival style event. Tickets are only $20 per person and all proceeds from this event will be donated to the Citadel Theatre.

What a wonderful way to spend a saturday afternoon as we get ramped up and generate some excitement about California wines. Simply drop in between noon and 5pm on saturday – you can see some of the wines we’ll be sampling and also purchase a ticket online here.

This is our annual prelude tasting to the official California Wine Fair to be held Thursday, April 8th in Hall D at the Shaw Convention Center in support of the Citadel Theatre – more information below and ticket information for that event here.

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Author: Dirk Chan

For what seems like an eternity, Vintage Port declarations from Portugal has been three per decade. The 2007 then follows the 2000 and 2003 vintages since the new millenium and has been well received by Port lovers despite the down turn in the economy. The 2007 is the largest declared year ever, with many new and tiny houses joining the established estates.

The style of the 2007’s though are not the tannic, warm weather brutish style of 2000 and 2003. It is more akin to the more fruit forward and legendary 1994’s with perhaps slightly less extraction than that spectacular vintage. It does have so much fruit though that the structure may be hidden from view right now. It is a very approachable vintage with tremendous elegance and lightness of being and a super velvety palate that makes it hard to judge its longevity, but I think it is all there for the long haul. Many – the Fonseca, Taylor and Vesuvio surprised us with its approachability, perhaps a shift in the style paradigm to make the ports more accessible sooner?

For those that love the lively, fruity blueberry and kirsh in their young ports, then by all means open these now and enjoy for the rest of this year before they close down. Restaurants will sell a lot of the 2007’s if they take advantage now. Try the Quinta do Noval Silval now, it is exquisite!

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Author: Dirk Chan

It is time for the 7th Annual Downtown Dining Week, which will run from March 5 to March 14. Organized by the Downtown Business Association, this year features the largest participation yet, 29 Edmonton restaurants are featured, all of which will offer special discounted rates and set menus. $15, $25 and $50 menu offerings (excluding beverages, tax and gratuity) give maximum choice to fit every budget. Experience
innovative menus for both lunch and dinner offerings at bargain-ish prices. The downtown core has been on the big upswing, and here is a great opportunity to experience high quality restaurants that you might not necessarily try out, have some fun and support local eateries at the same time. Best to call in advance and make a reservation as restaurants fill up quickly during this event.

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Author: Dirk Chan

deVine and David Gordon of Saverio Schiralli Agencies proudly present an evening of Quinta of Portal wines with export managers Pedro Almeida Santos and Paulo Marques on Tuesday, March 2 at 7pm.

Portal is one of the increasing number of family owned wineries (or quintas) spouting up in Portugal and in just a dozen years or so as shippers has been on a fast track to success with world wide recognition for their ports and red wines. We will sample a white, several reds and ports from this rapidly rising and award winning (Wine & Spirits Magazine’s Winery of the Year for 2009) Portuguese house located in the heart of the Douro Valley. Portuguese wines offer the best bang for the buck in the old world, and you will see why in this rare tuesday night sit-down tasting.

Much press has been heaped on this house: Forbes Magazine recented elected Portal as one of the ten great international wine destinations with its great guest house and beautiful views.

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