deVine Thoughts

Author: Dirk Chan

Wow…Christmas is almost upon us, so here is our annual picks to accompany the classic turkey and/or ham dinner with all its fixings. Start your evening off with a sparkling wine,followed by whites, reds, a dessert wine and perhaps this year add a little meditation course for Amaro or Port.

Sparkling Wines

Sparkling wines are a great way to start any function whether its a greeting aperitif or to pair with appetizers. Lively and clean, these will get everyone ready for what’s to come next.

2013 Domaine Rosier Cuvee du Rosier (Languedoc-Roussillon, France) – $19.99

NV Cantina Colli del Soligo Prosecco (Veneto, Italy) – $22.99

NV Francois Lichtle Méthode Traditionelle Brut (Alsace, France) – $26.99

Champagne

Now if you serve Champagne, your audience will immediately know you’re here to do some serious partaking and celebrating.

NV A. Margaine Rose Premier Cru (Champagne, France) – $59.99

NV Taittinger Reserve Brut (Champagne, France) – $65.99

NV Egly-Ouriet Grand Cru VP Extra Brut (Champagne, France) – $159.99

2006 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut (Champagne, France) – $349.99

Whites & Pinks

Whites with a touch of sweetness is preferred because of the sweetness of some of the fixings – candied yams, cranberry sauce, and honey for the glazed ham. A completely dry white will seem more austere and void of fruit due to the sweetness of the food so I recommend Rieslings (dry or off-dry, both work), Gewurztraminers or other Germanic or Alsace varietals. Having said that, some will always go with a dry creamy Chardonnay or Chenon irregardless and that’s perfectly fine. Also, don’t forget that rosés work really well too!

2012 Joh. Haart Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Spatlese (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany) – $18.99

2015 Bellingham Bernard Old Vine Chenin Blanc (Coastal Region, South Africa) – $24.99

2014 Domaine Serge Dagueneau & Filles Les Montees Chardonnay (Loire Valley, France) – $27.99

2010 Domaine Lucien Jacob Savigny-Vergelesses Premiere Cru (Burgundy – Cote de Beaune, France) – $49.99

2011 Wine & Soul Guru (Douro, Portugal) – $64.99

2011 Ridge Monte Bello Chardonnay (California – Sonoma, United States) – $104.99

2015 Domaine Houchart Rosé (Provence, France) – $20.99

2014 Kranz Spatburgunder Rosé Trocken (Rheinfalz, Germany) – $22.99

Reds

For reds, try to avoid the big oaky tannic monsters. Oak and tannins are the enemies when pairing with slightly sweet food, try for a red with lots of up-front fruit, little oak and a soft tannins like a Beaujolais (served slightly chilled) or a Pinot Noir.

2014 Spinning Top Pinot Noir (Marlborough, New Zealand) – $21.99

2010 Julius Klein Rotwein Trocken St. Laurent (Austria) – $23.99

2014 Dominique Piron Chiroubles (Beaujolais, France) – $25.99

2014 Jean-Marc Burgaud Morgon Côte du Py (Beaujolais, France) – $28.99

2012 Domaine Pavelot Savigny les Beaune (Burgundy, France) – $39.99

2014 Trisaetum Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley, Oregon) – $44.99

2011 Best’s Great Western Pinot Meunier (Victoria, Australia) – $52.99

2014 Bodegas Colome Autentico Malbec (Calchaqui, Argentina) – $55.99

2013 Envy Wines Calistoga Estate (California – Napa Valley, United States) – $69.99

2012 J.L. Chave Saint-Joseph (Rhone Valley, France) – $94.99

2009 Vietti Barbaresco Masseria (Piedmont, Italy) – $119.99

2010 Ghislain Kohut Echezeaux Grand Cru (Burgundy – Cote de Nuits, France) – $149.99

2009 Château Belair-Monange (Bordeaux – St. Emilion, France) – $269.99

Dessert

As for dessert, remember dessert wine should be sweeter than the dessert itself.

2015 Elderton Botrytis Semillon (Barossa Valley, Australia) – $22.99

2013 Chateau Prince Coteaux de l’Aubance (Penedes, Spain) – $32.99

2009 Zind-Humbrecht Clos Jebsal Vendange Tardive Pinot Gris – 375mL (Alsace, France) – $59.99

2004 Chateau d’Yquem – 375mL (Sauterne, France) – $319.99

Port & Amaro (Post Dinner)

Port is always good for the final touches of a meal, but the digestif Amaro from Italy is on fire.

Amaro Ramazzotti (Italy) – $27.99

Varnelli Amaro Sibilla (Italy) – $49.99

1967 Dalva Colheita Port (Douro, Portugal) – $249.99

2008 Fonseca Quinta do Panascal Vintage Port (Douro, Portugal) – $71.99

Messias 20 Year Old Tawny Port (Douro, Portugal) – $74.99

1983 Graham’s Vintage Port – $169.99

Finally, if you are pressed for time, try out our December Mixed Case – $231.13 where a lot of the wines would pair well with Christmas dinner.

Note our extended hours of operations leading up to Christmas and New Years.

Top of the Season to everyone!

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Author: Dirk Chan

As Christmas approaches, deVine Wines is running an online auction in support of the Edmonton Food Bank, who desperately need our help as supplies are extremely low due to the extra assistance required after the Fort McMurray fires displaced thousands of people this summer.

The auction is live as of now, and will end on deVine’s Customer Appreciation Day, Thursday, December 15th at midnight. Those so wishing may also email your final reserve bids to us at “info@devinewines.ca” and we’ll bid for you in $10 increments. All 100% of the proceeds generated by this auction will be donated to the Edmonton Food Bank to help with the seasonal rush, and prevent any families from going hungry during the holidays. We will be contacting winning bidders right away and ask that you pick up and pay (by cheque or cash only please) up by Tuesday, December 20th so there is enough time to use the moneys for the holiday season.

We’ve set up boxes at the store, so please bring in food item(s) on your next visit, or if you prefer, a box has also been set up to accept monetary donations. In this crazy world we live in, we have to think about those less fortunate than ourselves, we thank you in advance for participating in this worthwhile fundraiser.

Priority food items include the following:

beans with or without pork
canned meat
canned fish
canned fruit or vegetables
peanut butter
macaroni and cheese dinners
pasta and pasta sauce
cereal and oatmeal
school snack items such as juice boxes, fruit cups and granola bars

Please visit and bookmark our online auction page located https://devinewines.ca/eventAuctions/auction.html. We’ve reached out to our many agent friends and items will be coming fast and furious over the next several weeks so check back often and email us your bids..Thank You!

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Author: Dirk Chan

As usual, deVine offers three separate packages for the December festive Holiday Season:

1) Twelve Beers of Christmas Festive Case – $109.99 – every year, we do a specialty Christmas Festive Case for beer enthusiasts. This year was tremendous for the Craft beer scene in Edmonton, the enthusiasm and adventurous customer response enabled us to bring in many, many new products for you to try. This case epitomizes the year with both quality and excitement. Very limited edition – only 50 cases made.

Check it out here..

2) The deVine Wines Staff Picks Six Pack – $192.92 – every year, our favourite staff picks are packaged into a six pack box, for those who wants something a little extra special rather than the everyday drinker.

The wines represent great quality for price ratio, and also great food pairing wines. See which staff your palate matches up to.

Check it out here..

3) Our ongoing Case of the Month – $231.13 – for December’s case, we usually step it up slightly, but still manage to keep it in that affordable range.

There are wines here for the Turkey Dinner, with representation from numerous countries that represent varietally correct wines. Enjoy!

Check it out here..

Get yours early, these are limited editions and get snapped up pretty quick.

Seasons Greetings Everyone!

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