deVine Thoughts

Author: Jim Phelan

Liquor taxes have been in the news recently, with the freshman Alberta NDP government introducing a new set of AGLC (Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission) mark-up rates on October 27th. To understand what that means for you, the consumer, we’d like to explain where these changes have come from and what has changed.

Alberta’s past couple years contained some dramatic political changes – ousting a conservative Premier in March of 2014 before the “Orange Crush” booted Alberta Conservatives out of office and brought Rachel Notley’s NDP into power on May 5th, 2015. During this time, many governance issues experienced some flip-flopping – including liquor mark-ups. The previous government introduced changes to the system in March – and new NDP government just released changes again with the new budget.

Overall, the changes are nothing too drastic and mostly affect the beer market. It’s worth keeping in mind that Alberta’s rates are reflected in real dollars per litre rather than a percentage and as such they need to be re-adjusted regularly. This year was a bit irregular because there were two incremental ‘inflationary’ increases within a year’s timeframe. On the face of things the most drastic changes are to the small brewer markup, which now only applies to brewers from Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan. Yet this protectionist system is not unprecedented – it is in fact a reversion back to the system in place prior to March of this year. Under the pre-March system, the low rates only applied to brewers within Alberta.

The biggest actual changes apply to smaller craft brewers from outside those three provinces. Before March of this year the mark-up for an American micro-brewery producing less than 20,000 hectoliters annually paid $0.98 per litre. At the same production rate the same brewery would have switched down to $0.20 per litre between March and October. As of the new budget, the current rate jumps to $1.25 per litre, a change which consumers will notice affect prices on the shelf.

Low ABV (alcohol per volume). High production beers experienced the least change – moving from $1.20 to $1.25 per litre. High ABV markups jumped about 20 cents per litre in each category, and ciders did the same, going from $1.57 to $1.81 for lower ABV and from $4.27 to $4.51 for higher ABV.

All in all, the changes give a significant advantage to local products, particularly those from BC and Saskatchewan, as Alberta producers were always taxed favourably, while imported and eastern Canadian craft products experience the most jumps. High ABV beer and all ciders are experiencing a more modest change.

Nevertheless, craft lovers, the revolution marches along!

Hope to see you all soon,

Your friends at deVine’s

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Author: Dirk Chan

We’ve arrived in Castilla y León in the Ribera del Duero wine region, and what a thrill it was for us to visit the famed Bodegas Vega-Sicilia. The huge estate is by a highway east of Valladolid. Tight security greeted us in the parking lot before Export Sales Manager Monica Bermejo came out to greet us. They only do trade visits and is not open to the public.

Founded in 1864, the current owners, the Alvarez family (members of the Primum Familiae Vini, a global (and very restricted) association of some of the world’s top winemaking families) purchased the estate in 1982. Their flagship “Unico” is the first growth of Spanish wines with an illustrious history and is considered one of the greatest wines in the world. The word Vega refers to the green vegetation that grows along the riverbank of the Duero River while Sicilia refers to Saint Cecilia, the patron saints of musicians, after whom several villages in Castile and León is named after.

We visited the cellars and these are the grandest, state of the art and cleanest facilities this writer has seen. The stainless steel tanks look brand new, they are so polished. You can eat off the floors. There is a full time cooper with support staff for constructing their barrels to exacting standards. There are no spills or leaks on any of their barrels! The solid concrete doors are 3 inches thick.

Many of Vega-Sicilia’s 250 acres are planted with old vines, some more than 100 years old, and thus usually produce a very low yield during harvest. In fact, many of the plantings that go into the flagship Unico wines are often harvested at less than one ton per acre and the vines are only replanted once they die. In the middle of the grounds, there is a gorgeous Japanese garden.

The Unico Gran Reserva is the signature wine of Vega-Sicilia that is usually released at least 10 years after vintage though some bottlings may not be released for up to 15 years or even longer. Taken from some of the oldest vines in the Ribera del Duero, the wine is mostly Tempranillo (approximately 80% but depending on vintage) and Cabernet Sauvignon (approximately 20%). In an average vintage, Unico will account for a little less than a third of Vega Sicilia’s production. This wines ages effortlessly and decades of patience is required even after you’re lucky enough to acquire a bottle or two (only around 7000 cases production for the world) – there is a reason why it is called the Latour of Spain. We tasted a 1991 Unico at a restaurant and it was a baby that needed another 15 years. Rumors has it there’s a 5000 person waiting list for allotment, and those that currently have allocations will certainly not let it go. In poor vintages, the winery will not produce any Unico (as in 1992, 1993, 1997, 2001).

Vega-Sicilia has founded its success on its meticulous wine-producing practices with no compromises and this visit shows that. In the vineyard it applies low yields, aided by green harvesting, and a painstaking grape selection. In the winery, wines undertake Unico sees a complicated and expensive series of rackings from huge barrels to new oak, to used American oak, back to new oak again, and on it goes. Despite the long barrel ageing, the wines are never dried out or overly oaky even when tasted years on, which is compelling evidence of the superb quality of its raw materials.

There is Especial Reserva, a limited release blend of various Unico vintages, and the second wine Valbuena, both of which we see very little of in Alberta.

The nearby Bodegas Alion estate is the innovative addition to Vega-Sicilia’s portfolio. It produces a high quality wine for drinking young. Vega-Sicilia also owns the Hungarian Tokay estate Oremus (we tasted the Oremus Dry Furmint Mandolas and it was extremely good) that produces the sweet Tokajis, as well the Toro based Bodegas Pintia (great value for money) that is excellent. Recently, a joint venture with Benjamin de Rothschild family in Rioja has come on line in a new winery called Macan that we look forward to tasting.

Available Vega-Sicilia products at deVines:

2010 Vega-Sicilia Pintia – $79.99

2011 Vega-Sicilia Alion – $109.99

2007 Vega-Sicilia Unico Gran Reserva – $549.99

2004 Vega-Sicilia Unico Gran Reserva – $549.99

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Author: Dirk Chan

Continuing our visits of Douro properties, we moved onto one of the store’s best selling producers,
the family owned Quinta do Portal, located in the heart of the Douro Valley.

Quinta do Portal was established only in 1994, but this property has been in the Douro for much longer before that (first references date back to 1477). The family Mansilha Branco was instrumental in the original demarcation of the region in the mid 1750’s. Today, owner Pedro Mansilha Branco runs the estate.

More than one hundred hectares are under vine, and the fruit is sourced from five high altitude ancient vineyards or quintas: Quinta da Abelheira, Quinta do Confradeiro, Quinta dos Muros (over a century old and escaped the Phylloxera carnage), Quinta do Portal and Quinta das Manuelas.

50% of the grapes of the production of the Quinta do Portal wines come from the company vineyards, the other half is purchased from growers in the Pinhao and Torto Valleys. Most of the vineyards lie at high altitudes for the Douro, so escaping the incessant summer heat, at least by night, and producing grapes that make their wines both fresh and elegant.

So in just a couple of decades, this estate has done incredible work fast-tracking them to success with world wide recognition for their ports and red wines. Our technical wine tasting consisted of:

Fine Tawny and Ruby Port (nice every day-er’s), Six Barrels Tawny Reserve (delicatedly balanced with fine length), Six Grapes Ruby (vibrant and not too sweet), 2009 Late Bottled Vintage (very nice indeed), 2012 Douro Colheita (very close to the Wine Spectator Top 100 2011), 2011 Reserva (very fine and very much looking forward to its arrival in the store), 2009 Grande Reserva (pretty darn good from a difficult vintage). Later at dinner, we tasted their two top reds – the 2009 Auru, world class red consisting of the best Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz grapes (remarkably rich and well balanced), followed by the ultra-rare and limited non DOC 2012 Black Pur (made primarily of Tinta Roriz with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec) – jaw dropping and one of the wines of the year for me!

We stayed in their lovely hotel/guest house “Casa das Pipas” with stunning views and an lovely old world feel. The meals (dinner and lunch) were exquisite, we must praise Chef Milton Ferreira for Michelin quality dining. If you are ever in the Douro, you must stay here!

Winemaker Paulo Coutinho and owner Pedro Mansilha Branco has done a fine job raising the wines to a new level of quality with hard work and heavy monetary investment (a Siza Vieira designed warehouse) to upgrade the winery. We had a brief visit with Paulo who let us taste some Malbec and Touriga Nacional 2015 – this is a declared year in the making.

Available Portal wines at deVines:

Quinta do Portal Branco – $22.99

Quinta do Portal White Moscatel Galego – $29.99

2011 Quinta do Portal Malvis – $13.99

2012 Quinta do Portal Douro Colheita – $23.49

2010 Quinta do Portal Douro Reserva – $34.99

2009 Quinta do Portal Touriga Franca – $46.99

2007 Quinta do Portal Grande Reserva – $47.99

2009 Quinta do Portal Tinta Roriz – $49.99

2004 Quinta do Portal Reserva Moscatel – $34.99

1999 Quinta do Portal Vintage Port – $69.99

2011 Quinta do Portal Vintage Port – $69.99

Quinta do Portal 20 Year Old Tawny Port – $76.99

2003 Quinta do Portal Vintage Port – $76.99

1997 Quinta do Portal Vintage Port – $84.99

Quinta do Portal 30 Year Old Tawny Port – $104.99

Quinta do Portal 40 Year Old Tawny Port – $134.99

Before we left, we were treated with a boat ride on the Douro River (breathtaking way to see some of your favourite estates). Kudos to Tourism manager Manuel Januario – we were blown away with this visit, they treated us like kings and we are greatful for their time and hospitality.

Portal is fast becoming one of the giants of the Douro Valley for both Douro reds and Vintage Ports, and this visit confirms their continued ascendancy.

Pictured top to bottom:

1) In the cellars of Quinta do Portal
2) Technical tasting wines
3) A Chef Milton Ferreira salted cod creation
4) Tasting 2015’s with winemaker Paulo Coutinho
5) Boat ride on the Douro River

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Author: Dirk Chan

Today, we left Porto behind and proceeded to the Douro Valley to visit the vineyards. From Porto to Regua and then on to Pinhao. First, let me say this drive is breathtaking and one of the most dramatic drives anywhere, the winding twisty roads are steep and delightful for those seeking great views (not enough spots for turn offs and picture taking!) – the gardens, the terraced vineyards, beautiful old buildings, colorful walls and lots of trees (pine, oak and eucalptus) all stimulate the senses. The
car driver is stressed for any moment you can go over – there is no speeding here so give yourself plenty of time as patience will be required. It is a nightmare for anyone who suffers from car sickness – Gravol city. We remarked with laughing coincidence when the Beatles’ Long and Winding Road shuffled itself into play as we approached Fonseca’s Quinta do Panascal.

Some four km’s west of the town of Pinhao is where Fonseca’s Panascal produces some of the best ports in the region.
Panascal takes its name from the cocksfoot grass that proliferates across the hillside. Its west and southwest facing site means the entire area is exposed to sunlight. Different slopes produces grapes of different character that give the Fonseca ports is complexity and unique character. Similarly, different grapes are planted in different areas – Tinta Roriz are on a ridge, Touriga Nacional on high slopes and Touriga Francesa in low lying areas. The 70+ hectare estate is Fonseca’sflagship estate.

Available Fonseca ports at deVines:

Fonseca Bin 27 Vintage Character Port – $23.99

Fonseca 20 Year Old Tawny Port – $72.99

2007 Fonseca Vintage Port – $139.99

2011 Fonseca Vintage Port – $139.99

2000 Fonseca Vintage Port – $199.99

1983 Fonseca Vintage Port – $269.99

1985 Fonseca Vintage Port – $369.99

Next up, we visited the spectacular Quinta do Roêda, the only estate of Croft, who was purchased by the Taylor Fladgate group back in 2001. Located in the Cima Corgo a short distance up river from Pinhão, its sizeable 100+ hectare property is in a prime sun-drenched location, but a lot of work
has had to take place since the purchase to renovate the rather run-down vineyards who for the longest time produced only average ports given its
prime and desired location. There are 75 year old vines on this 300 year old estate. Croft hit the headlines with its innovative Croft Pink rose style of
port back in 2005, and is rapidly building a new reputation for high quality Vintage Ports
as its 2011 VP and 2012 Quinta do Roeda clearly shows.

2008 Croft Late Bottled Vintage Port – $25.99

Croft Pink Port – $26.49

2011 Croft Vintage Port – $114.99

The Douro Valley is enchanting and speaks of terroir from the get go, it displays its old heritage, sings of the hard work required
to cultivate and produce the delightful port wines we’ve come to enjoy from here. If you have vertigo you won’t be picking grapes here! I have read about
the Douro region, but seeing is believing and certainly makes you appreciate the end product that much more.

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Author: Dirk Chan

Annabelle, myself and our travelling companions Rob and Mary have arrived in Porto and our first visit today was at Taylor Fladgate & Yeatman in Vila Nova de Gaia where we were met by Ana Margarida Morgado in the
cellars of this venerable estate, founded in 1692.

In the cellars, we saw huge neutral vats storing the 2010 LBV, small barrels holding the reserves of
30 and 40 Year Old Tawnies and much more. Ana was most intriguing and knowledgeable, giving us a thorough view of the land, the history
and Taylor’s port making philosophy. The 2015 harvest was finished this past weekend just before the rains came on
Monday (how’s that for skirting danger). Some interesting tidbits – Taylor will continue to only
make port as it is the hundreds of years of port producing history that they want to preserve and
uphold – imagine the dilemma of choosing where to put your best grapes into port or table wine?

After the cellar tour, we tasted a great lineup of Chip Dry White Port, 10, 20, 30, 40 Year Old
Tawnies, the magnificent 1965 Very Old Single Harvest Port, finishing with the 2011
Vintage Port and 2012 Quinta de Vargellas Vintage Port.

It is intriguing to taste
the five tawnies together in a
single flight, the increasing complexity says volumes to Taylor’s mastery in blending and dedication
(each year having to clean out all barrels holding the tawniesand transferring the wines to cleaned barrels – imagine the labour and cost of doing this each and every year for 40 years for the 40 year old tawny).

The 1965 is astoundingly good, the caramel notes are so pure and the palate feel so smooth, it would be a very special present indeed for anyone turning 50 years old this year. As
for the vintage ports, the astounding
2011 VP is everything we thought it would be (buy all you can afford now as it is sold out at
the winery), a port for aging and improving for 4-5 decades easily. The 2012 Vargellas is
open for business now (enjoy before it closes down in the next 2 years), and excellent in its own
right and will age for two decades.

The fun continued with lunch at the Yeatman Gastronomic Restaurant – the extraordinary view of
the River Douro guaranteed the most spectacular scenery, and the food and service showcased why it
has a Michelin star award in the 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 Guides. We had a first class five course lunch, tasted a couple of producers we’ve not had before ending with a spectacular dessert paired with the Taylor 20 Year Old Tawny. BTW, the Yeatman Hotel is a dream, the views are out of this world – what a great day it has been!

Pictured – With Ana Margarida Morgado in the cellars, wines we had for lunch at
the Yeatman Restaurant, and a fabulous dessert!

Some of the wines tasted today currently available at deVines:

Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Old Tawny Port – $64.99

2012 Taylor Fladgate Quinta do Vargellas Vintage Port – $84.99

2011 Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port – $139.99

1965 Taylor Fladgate Very Old Single Harvest Port – $279.99

Tomorrow, we travel to the Douro Valley to visit Quinta do Panascal (Fonseca) and Quinta do Roeda (Croft)…

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Author: Ed Fong

Despite a two year hiatus and a short window to plan the event, Al Fresco 2015 was an extraordinary success in supporting our charity of choice, Edmonton’s Food Bank.

Together, our community came together and collected over 900 kilograms of food, a figure which wildly exceeded all expectation. ATB Financial, one of our event sponsors, collected 185kg. Carson Integrated conducted a corporate food drive and collected 120kg. The balance of the food was collected from Shoppers Drug Market City Centre East, the residents living in the condominium buildings that line 104th-St and the businesses and merchants. Well done everybody!

Between the online silent auction hosted by deVine Wines and Spirits and various collection points on 104th-St., Al Fresco raised $15,000 for Edmonton’s Food Bank.

Doug Hunter, Resource Development & Community Relations for Edmonton’s Food Bank wrote “We are humbled by your generosity. Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!” A cheque presentation ceremony is being planned. We will invite everyone to come down and share this special moment after the final details have been arranged.

The online silent auction was an immense success, probably the most successful auction we have had to date. 91 individuals and businesses donated 107 items to the auction valued at $23,350. $19,450 in bids was made, representing an astounding 83% of retail value. Anyone who has ever been involved with organizing a silent auction will instantly recognize the generosity of the bidders who stepped up. Bravo to you all who bid and supported the auction!

Very special thanks to all the donors who provided such a vast selection of unique items to the auction. It was wonderful to receive so many items which provided experiences for bidders to enjoy, items such as the Dinosaur Dig, hot air balloon flights, dining experiences and hotel stays. Special thanks to Dirk Chan for administering the online auction, Kandice Little for packaging the items and Chris Arnold for reaching out to our many suppliers for support.

Residual auction proceeds of roughly $5,500 were turned over to the 104th-St. Action Committee. The monies will be used to plan future events and fund ongoing community development initiatives.

An event like Al Fresco can only take place when a dedicated individuals, groups and business come together to make it happen. We would like to acknowledge the follow champions for making our community drive to help Edmonton’s Food Bank a huge success.

Corporate Sponsors

ATB Financial – Ed Wong and his team of Downtown Branches
Downtown Business Association – Jim Taylor for his unwavering support
ZAG Creative – Alyson Hodson & Kara Paul for media input
Budget Printing – Zoeb Dungarwalla for print material

Planning & Development

Lixmila Serrano – Event Coordinator for knitting the pieces together
Myron Nebozuk – Event Chair for stick handling through all the permitting issues
Jon Hall – 104th-St. Action Committee Co-chair
John Williams – for his tireless work in organizing his fellow restaurateurs
Cheri Onusko – City of Edmonton, Community Recreation Coordinator for donating picnic tables, chairs & extra waste bins
Melcor Developments Ltd. – for allow us to use their parking lot for the Al Fresco Watering Hole
Ryan Mayer – Bluehaus Creative – for support in developing artwork, images and branding

Vendors who made financial contributions for hosting the event: Blue Plate Diner, Kelly’s Pub, Tzin Wine & Tapas, Credo Coffee, Cavern, Pampa Brazilian Steak House Food Truck and participating Farmers’ Market members.

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Author: Ed Fong

deVine Wines and Trialto Wine Group are pleased to present a wine tasting and fundraiser in support of community development. 104th-St. and surrounding environs are seeking to become the first Purple Flag accredited area in North America.

Please join us for a standup wine tasting on Saturday, September 26, 2015 that will feature seven wines from Vina Montes. Cost is $30 per person. All proceeds will be donated to support 104th-Street’s drive for Purple Flag accreditation.

The Purple Flag program aims to foster a safe, vibrant Downtown district for all visitors to enjoy, both at night time and during the day.

Please follow this link for more information on Purple Flag: https://www.atcm.org/programmes/purple_flag/WelcometoPurpleFlag

The tasting will be conducted by special guest Ryan Everitt of Trialto Wine Group. Ryan and Trialto have generously donated all of the wine in support of our community.

You will be able to sample the full range of Montes wines at the tasting. Great value, everyday wine like the Montes Sauvignon Blanc and Malbec, as well as their flagship Purple Angel Carmenere, will all be opened for your tasting pleasure. To see the lineup of wines and for registration to this event here..

Please save the date and bring your friends in support of 104th-St drive to become Purple Flag accredited.

You and 59 supporters who will help us raise $1,800 for community development!

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Author: Dirk Chan

Elio Altare has and continue to make one of the best Barolos in the Piedmont in northern Italy. Cut into the hills just below the town of La Morra and above the town of Annunziata, this is a lovely winery and their wines are highly sought after and celebrated by the prestigious Gambero Rosso as some of the best in all of Italy practically every year. The estate has won over 30 Gamberro Rosso Tre Bicchieri Awards.

deVine is thrilled to have winemaker Silvia Altare with us to do a vertical tasting of their Barolo. Silvia has been working besides Elio since 2000 and more and more now she runs the show while she continues her father’s innovative approach and relentless improvement in the horticulture and winemaking. While the wines of Altare remain faithful to the elegant and plush style of wine produced in the sand, marl and tufa soils , they contain a freshness and concentration that is a notch above the rest.

All this comes from a strict regime in the vineyards, adopting new vinification and aging techniques in the cellar. The Barolos are amazing and lovely, with an excellent balance of tannins and acid, their fragrance a haunting reminder of what it means to be Barolo – soil, perfume and elegance. The estate practices organic viticulture.

We will feature a vertical of the Elio Altare Barolo’s which are always exceptional and more cru than normale, including 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2005, 2004 and 2000.

Silvia is offering a very special treat to end our tasting, the rare L’Insieme, a wine that could be loosely termed “Super Piedmont”. The name means ‘together’ in Italian, and refers both to the friendship between eight producers that created this wine, and also to the marriage of traditional local grapes such as Barbera and Nebbiolo with international varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The L’Insieme is an
international superstar, extremely limited and especially brought in for this tasting as a great way to end the evening.

If you love Nebbiolo or would like to learn about this grape, this is a not-to-be missed event of the fall season. You will be thrilled by the arresting nose that changes continuously, and a sensual palate that matches with food brilliantly. There is a reason why Barolo is called the ‘King of Wines’ and the ‘Wine of Kings’. Only 18 spots available for this sit-down Winemaker’s event. You can sign up here..

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Author: Ed Fong

Al Fresco, the eagerly awaited 104th-St. community block party and fundraiser, is almost upon us. Please save the date and come visit us and our neighbors for a full day of fun and festivities.

Special thanks to ATB Financial – Downtown Edmonton Branches and the Downtown Business Association for sponsoring this great event. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Al Fresco at deVine Wines

deVine Wines is assisting the 104th-St. community by managing the popular online silent auction in support of Edmonton’s Food Bank and community development.

You can view and bid on items online by following this link:
http://devinewines.ca/eventAuctions/alfresco_auction.html

Bidding can also be done in person at deVine Wines until 9:00 PM, Saturday, August 22, 2015. To be fair to all bidders, online bids time stamped after 9:00 PM will not be accepted. Those who can’t come down can also submit their maximum reserved bids which must be sent to “info@devinewines.ca” by 9pm Friday night.

Items that are currently located at The Helm and at the Eye Care Group will be centralized at deVine Wines in the afternoon to facilitate bidding.

Free wine and beer samples will be offered to you while you shop and bid on your most coveted items. Please see our tasting schedule below for more information:

11:00 AM to 3:00 PM – Join Derek Jackson from International Cellars to sample wines from Glen Carlou, South Africa. The Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and “Quartz Stone” Chardonnay will be offered.

12:00 PM to 3:00 PM – Craft Beer Importers will be pouring a selection of fine beers.

4:00 PM to 7:00 PM – Join Ryan Everitt from Trialto Wine Group to sample wines from Vina Montes, Chile. The Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon from the “Classic” series, along with the “Alpha” Syrah, will be sampled.

Downtown Super Saturday

We are excited to share this exciting day with a host of other activities in our neighborhood. With so many things to do, we can’t help but call August 22 Super Saturday!

9:00 AM to 11:30 AM – Downtown Edmonton Community League Pancake Breakfast
Cost: $2
Location: 10042-103rd Street
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1457431034553858
Website: http://www.decl.org

9:00 AM to 3:00 PM – City Market Downtown
Come out and enjoy the best outdoor market in Edmonton!
Location: 104th-St. north of Jasper Avenue & 102nd-Avenue
Website:
http://city-market.ca/wp

Al Fresco on 104th-Street

Please note all times listed are approximate. Programming is subject to change.

Al Fresco festivities begin at 12:00 PM and run until 10:00 PM.

12:00 PM to 9:00 PM – Food Truck Heaven!
We are gathering members of the food truck community together for your enjoyment. The trucks will be located on 104th-St. between 100th-Avenue and Jasper Avenue. A few of the participants are listed below:

– Pampa
– Chipman ¼ Fries
– The Patty Wagon
– Moose on the Run

Please check out the Farmers’ Market as well for additional trucks to visit.

12:00 PM to 10:00 PM – Al Fresco Watering Hole
A great group of restaurants have teamed up to turn the Melcor parking lot into a fun place to meet for food, drinks and lots of fun. The Watering Hole is the parking lot located between the Armstrong Block and the Great West Saddlery Building. You can’t miss it. It’s the one with the arch over the entrance.
Admission is $2. Admission cost does not include food and drink.

– Beer by Alley Kat & Mercer Tavern
– Wines by Vendemmia International Wines
– Sangria by Sabor
– Food by Sabor
– Cold pressed coffee by Iconoclast
– DJ Entertainment: Mr. Kou, Polyesterday, Freshlan & Joses Martin

5:00 PM to 10:00 PM – Extended Patios
The following restaurants and bars will feature extended patios to bring festivities right onto 104th-St. A perfect way to enjoy a great summer evening with friends!

– Blue Plate Diner
– Tzin Wine & Tapas
– The Burg
– Kelly’s Pub
– Cask & Barrel (starts at 12:00 PM – located south of Jasper Ave at 10041-104th-St.) Come check out their stage for some great live music!
Music performances by Mayday and Beatcreeps

5:00 PM to 10:00 PM – Food, Snacks, Farmers’ Market Vendors & Street Merchants
A host of merchants and vendors will be offering food and wares for your eating, shopping and exploration pleasure!

– Evoolution – Product display until 8:00 PM
– Earth’s General Store – Open until 9:00 PM. Come check out their café!
– Workhall Boutique – Come check out their clothing rack
– Couleur du Vin Salon & Spa – Massage chairs on 104th-St.
– Holiday Inn Express – Wedding display
– Nikita Creamery – Hard ice cream, slush puppies & grilled cheese
– Scoop n Roll Catering – Hard ice cream
– Seoul Food – Korean food offerings
– Sweet & Spicy
– Head Waters Clothing
– Mr. Jerky Smokehouse
– Ada’s Soap Shop
– AIG Produce – Fresh fruit from BC
– The Bangle Box

Special Exhibitors – Please visit these fine businesses to learn more about their services:
– Edmonton’s Food Bank – Our charity of choice for Al Fresco 2015. Information booth and truck located south of Jasper Avenue.

– ATB Financial – Corporate sponsor for Al Fresco 2015. Apply for financial services and receive a Front of the Line Pass to the Al Fresco Watering Hole. Information booth located on the corner of Jasper Avenue and 104th-St in front of the old Sobeys entrance.
– Pogo Car Share

Restaurants Open to Serve You – The following restaurants will be open during Al Fresco:
– GoGo’s Bistro & Lounge
– Black Pearl
– Cavern
– Dauphine Bakery

Music in the Park – Enjoy live music in the newly reconstructed pocket park located next to the Icon I Tower.
– Six/Ten Jazz Band (5:00 PM to 6:00 PM / 6:15 PM to 7:15 PM)
– Delirious Band (will perform after Six/Ten)

Performing DJs – Various DJs will be pumping out the tunes at Al Fresco throughout the venue.

9:00 PM to 3:00 AM – Mercer Tavern After-Party (10363-104th Street)
The party continues at Mercer Tavern after the patios shut down.
Website:
www.mercertavern.com

We hope you can all come down Saturday for the festivities – and please remember to bring items for the Edmonton Food Bank.

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Author: Ed Fong

At deVine Wines, we been working feverishly to help bring back Al Fresco, the 104th-St. block party and fundraiser. This year, the event will take place on Saturday, August 22. Funds raised will benefit Edmonton’s Food Bank and community development initiatives.

Dirk Chan, shared a few of his thoughts with us. “With the downturn in the economy, more and more people are turning to food banks to sustain themselves. We wanted to help the 104th-St. community raise funds and awareness for the Edmonton Food Bank so they can keep doing the great work they are challenged with.”

Here is how you can help us help the Food Bank when you come down to enjoy Al Fresco:

Donate Food

Patrons coming down to Al Fresco can help by bringing food items with them. Food can be dropped off at any of the following locations below. Fresh food can be dropped off at the Farmers’ Market Information Tent located at the intersection of 104th-St. and 102nd-Avenue.

· deVine Wines & Spirits
· Earth’s General Store
· Mercer Tavern
· Shoppers Drug Mart – #62, Edmonton City Centre East
· Edmonton Downtown Farmers’ Market Information Tent

Food can also be dropped off at deVine Wines, Earth’s General Store, Mercer Tavern and Shoppers Drug Mart (Edmonton City Centre East) at any time before the event.

ATB Financial is also accepting food at the following three branches until August 29:

· Edmonton City Centre: D127, 10200-102nd Avenue
· Oliver Village: 11366-104th-Avenue
· ATB Place: #105, 10025-Jasper Avenue

Food Items in Most Need by Edmonton’s Food Bank include:

· Beans with or without pork
· Canned fish or meat
· Baby formula
· Peanut Butter
· Soup
· Pasta & pasta sauce
· Canned fruit or vegetables
· Macaroni & cheese dinners
· School snacks such as juice boxes, fruit cups and granola bar

Please Add to our Wall of Peanut Butter

Ed Fong thought it would be interesting to explore the concept of giving in different ways. When he saw the Food Bank’s “Most Wanted List” and a Shoppers Drug Mart flyer, Ed immediately connected the dots. “I said, why not use my Shopper’s loyalty points and redeem them for the Skippy Peanut Butter that was being advertised. So I walked myself over to Shoppers, cashed in all my points and ordered 100 jars. I’m sure that there are many other loyalty points out there that can be converted to food for those in need. We will have to look into this possibility when we plan the next food drive.”

Please add to our wall of peanut butter being assembled and built at deVine Wines. Bring your jar and let’s see how big and high of a pile we can build together!

Pictured here is Rhys Cordero, one of our young partners in the deVine family. Rhys happens to love peanut butter, as you can see by his enjoyment of his Reese’s Peanut Buttercup. Peanut butter makes Rhys smile. He’s hoping you can help us make a whole bunch of other little kids just a teeny bit happier too!

Quick Fact: According to the Food Bank about 850,000 Canadians use the Fook Bank every month. In Alberta, 43 per cent are children.

Supporting the Online Silent Auction

You can help support Edmonton’s Food Bank and community development by bidding in the online silent auction currently underway. To place a bid, please follow this link here..

If you would like to donate an item to the auction, please contact the store by phone at 780.421.9463 or by e-mail at info@devinewines.ca for more information.

Making a Monetary Donation

Monetary donations are welcome and can be made by following this secure link at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/edmontons-food-bank

Many of the merchants on 104th-St. will have donation boxes on their premises.

With your help, we can make a difference!

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