deVine Thoughts

Author: Dirk Chan

Another Easter is upon us, and we are flooded with Easter Dinner wine pairing requests. If you have an unique dinner planned other than the traditional turkey and ham, then by all means bring your menu into the store or drop us a line, and we would be happy to choose specific matches to enhance your special evening.

For those doing turkey and ham and all the cranberry fixings, here are a few favourites at deVine’s that will suit the bill nicely:

Bubbles:

NV Chai du Grand Vaudasniere Cremant de Vouvray (Loire Valley, France) – $23.99

NV Domaine Chandon Blanc de Noirs Brut (California) – $33.49

NV Henri Billiot et Fils Rose (Champagne, France) – $62.99

2005 Pierre Peters Brut Blanc de Blancs Les Chetillons Cuvee Speciale (Champagne, France) – $119.99

NV Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Rose Brut (Champagne, France) – $449.99

Whites:

2011 Lurton Pinot Gris (Mendoza, Argentina) – $14.99

2009 Maison Champy Bourgogne Chardonnay (Cote-de-Beaune, Burgundy) – $22.99

2010 Emrich-Schonleber Monzinger Fruhlingspatzchen Riesling Spatlese (Nahe, Germany) – $42.99

2010 Zind-Humbrecht Hengst Grand Cru Gewurztraminer (Alsace, France) – $85.99

Rosés:

2010 Protos Rosado (Ribera del Duero, Spain) – $17.99

2011 Il Feuduccio Cerasuolo Rose (Abruzzi, Italy) – $20.99

2010 Domaine Lafond Roc-Epine Tavel (Rhone Valley, France) – $21.99

Reds:

2010 Clos de Roilette Fleurie (Beaujolais, France) – $25.49

2009 Campolargo Pinot Noir (Bairrada, Portugal) – $30.99

2010 Chateau Haut Nadeau Bordeaux Superieur (Entre-Deux-Mers, Bordeaux) – $22.99

2006 Leonetti Merlot (Columbia Valley, Washington) – $99.99

1990 Ridge Monte Bello Santa Cruz Mountains (Central Valley, California) – $289.99

Denouement:

2012 La Spinetta Bricco Quagia Moscato d’Asti (Piedmonte, Italy) – $25.99

2001 Chateau de Fesles Bonnezeaux – 375mL (Loire Valley, France) – $54.99

2010 Knebel Winninger Uhlen Riesling Beerenauslese -375mL (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany) – $159.99

1977 Messias Colheita (Douro, Portugal) – $99.99

1983 Graham’s Vintage Port (Douro, Portugal) – $144.99

These are but just a few recommendations, there’s much more to choose from, but do shop early for the best selection.

Happy Easter everyone!

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Author: Ed Fong


This year marks the 10th annual Downtown Dining Week and deVine Wines is proud to donate a 50 bottle mini wine cellar to one lucky patron. Downtown Dining Week is presented by the Downtown Business Association to showcase many of the Edmonton’s finest restaurants in the heart of our city. This year’s event runs for ten days, from March 15-24, inclusive.

Diners will have a choice of 29 participating restaurants to choose from. Restaurants will offer special pricing on a two course lunch for $15 and/or a three course dinner for either $25 or $50. For a complete listing of participating restaurants and their menus, please follow this link – http://www.edmontondowntown.com/dining-week.php

Dining Week patrons can enter to win gift certificates to participating restaurants. One lucky patron will win the “10th Anniversary Grand Prize” – 50 bottles of wine donated by deVine Wines and a 35-bottle Whirlpool Wine Cooler. The 50 bottle wine cellar has a retail value of over $1,500! For a complete listing of the cellar contents, please click here..

Contest entries and rules will be available at all participating restaurants, four of which are deVine Wines partners. I can personally vouch for the Hardware Grill’s “Soup of Yesterday” and their “Open Face Alberta Lamb Burger” – check out their menu here..

Seafood lovers should pay a visit to Sabor Divino. Nobody in Edmonton handles seafood with the touch that Chef Lino Oliviera does. I love his “Piri Piri Prawns” and “Broiled Bacalhau”, their menu is here..

The Marc offers one of the best valued lunch menus found anywhere in Edmonton. If this doesn’t tempt you, then order the “Croque Madame” off the regular menu. I substitute the salad for an order of the best French Fries in Edmonton, perfect for dipping into the egg yolk that sits atop the slices of duck breast. Truly a TDF experience! The Marc is also offering a $25 Dining Week dinner special. Check out their menu
here..

Finally, our neighbor and partner down the street, the Blue Plate Diner, is offering “Pheasant Legs – Two Ways” that is intriguing the heck out of me. Check out their menu here..

So bring your appetite and dinner companions to check out the great lineup of restaurants who want to showcase the BEST of what Downtown has to offer. Reservations are highly recommended. I’ll join you in Downtown Dining Week, even if I can’t win that 50 bottle wine cellar!

Bon Appetite!

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Author: Dirk Chan

Spain is fashioning some incredible values these days, and our feature wines this week come from Hacienda Lopez de Haro in Rioja in North Central Spain. Both are home-runs for the bargain hunter, coming in at under $20 and both scoring outstanding (90+) scores from wine critic Neal Martin of The Wine Advocate magazine.

Located in the historic village of San Vicente de la Sonsierra, the winery is excavated into the side of the mountain, providing excellent year-round temperature control. The grapes enter the winery with the aid of gravity, this being the least harsh method of moving the grapes. The soils in this region are mostly calcareous clay delivering great acidity to the wine.

The two wines featured here have a modern twist, a fair amount of barrel treatment that gives them a creamy, vanilla character alongside the nice raspberry fruit. Even though they already having aging in the bottle, decanting prior to consumption will bring forth its best showing. Pair with a nice winter beef and tomato stew to balance out the acidity.

– 2008 Hacienda Lopez de Haro Crianza – $16.99 – this one is in our March Case of the Month.

– 2005 Hacienda Lopez de Haro Reserva – $18.49 – this one already flying out of the store and has limited availability, decanting for 2 hours recommended. Most Reserva’s sell in the $30 range so this is a great value.

Enjoy everyone!

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