deVine Thoughts

Author: Ed Fong

Save the date! Seventeen businesses on 104th-St. are coming together on Thursday, Dec 19 to say a collective “THANK YOU!” for your support throughout the year.

Please come visit us and enjoy the many special offers and activities provided by the following merchants and restaurants for your holiday festive season pleasure. We wish to say a collective Thank you to the residents and visitors to our street for your year round support. Without you, our valued customers, we would not be here!

Please contact the individual businesses below if you require further information.

Blue Plate Diner (4 PM to 10 PM), 10145-104th-St.
www.blueplatediner.ca or phone 780.429.0740
– 50% off on all bottles of wine

Blunt Salon (all day sale), Icon II Tower, 10142-104th-St.
www.bluntsaloninc.com or phone 780.498.1899
– 25% discount on all haircuts, styling and hair services (excludes hair products)

The Burg (all day promotion), 10190-104th-St.
www.theburg4st.ca/2013/ or phone 780.760.1780
– 50% off appetizers

Carbon Environmental Boutique (all day sale), 10184-104th-St.
www.carbonboutique.com or phone 780.498.1900
– A full day sale event
– In-store draw for a $50 gift certificate
– Free hot Christmas beverages

Cavern (all day sale during our 7 AM to 11 PM Extended Hours), #2, 10169-104th-St.
www.thecavern.ca or phone 780.455.1336
– 10% discount on your retail cheese purchase while quantities last

Coup (garment boutique) (all day sale), #101, 10137-104th-St.
www.coupboutique.com or phone 780.756.3032
– 20% discount on all clothing
– Free refreshments and light snacks while you shop and browse in the evening

Credo Coffee (all day promotion), Icon Tower I, 10134-104th-St.
www.credocoffee.ca or phone 780.935-5546
– Purchase or reload a gift card, and obtain an extra 10% of credit

Dauphine (all day sale), 10129-104th-St.
Phone 780.421-4410
– 10% discount on all packaged items

deVine Wines & Spirits (4 PM to 10 PM), 10111-104th-St.
www.devinewines.ca or phone 780.421.9463
– 10% discount on all regularly priced wines and spirits (excludes beer and specially prices mixed cases). No further discounts apply.
– Save up to 30% on a select group of wines
– Enjoy a free wine tasting while you shop and browse

– Enter your name for a chance to win a gift basket of wine

Evoolution (all day sale), Icon Tower I, 10130-104th-St.
www.evoolution.ca or phone 587.521.3445
– 10% discount on all purchases

Eye Care Group (all day sale from 9 AM to 9 PM), 10360-Jasper Ave.
www.eyecaregroup.ca or phone 780.437.2020
– All eyewear orders 25% off (frame & Rx lenses)

The Helm Clothing (all day sale), 10125-104th-St.
www.thehelmclothing.com or phone 780.425.4344
– Enjoy a 15% discount on our entire inventory of fine menswear
– Free refreshments while you shop and browse

Kelly’s Pub (all day promotion), 10156-104th-St.
www.kellyspubedmonton.com or phone 780.451.8825
– 25% discount on your food purchase
– 50% off on all bottles of wine

Mercer Tavern (all day promotion), 10363-104th-St.
www.mercertavern.com or phone 587.521.1911
– 25% discount on your food purchase

Roast Coffeehouse + Wine Bar (all day sale), 10359-104th-St.
www.roastcoffee.co or phone 587.521.1563
– 20% off on all food, beverages and gift cards

Tony the Tailor Ltd (all day chance to win), 10172-104th-St.
www.edmontontailor.com or phone 780.426.4654
– 5 In-store draws for a $15 Off Dry-cleaning Gift Certificate

Workhall Boutique (all day sale), #102, 10137-104th St.
www.workhallboutique.com or phone 780.224.3686
– 25% off clothing & accessories
– Enjoy sample of Pinocchio ice cream while you shop

Author: Dirk Chan

Since 1988, the popular American wine publication Wine Spectator has unveiled their Top 100 list of the most exciting wines of the past twelve months. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Top 100. Having reviewed 20,000 this year, the list came earlier this week with twelve countries represented (sorry Canada, none for you again).

It has become very trendy to acquire the wines that made the grade. The average score on the wines on this list is 93 and the price per bottle this year being $51 (very high). Again this year, the list is American dominated.with no less than 37 wines from south of the boarder. Most people are surprised with #1 being a Spanish wine, alas I applaud that selection as Spain is a hotbed of great winemaking at reasonable prices.

The availability of Top 100 wines this year is better than last year, we have eighteen wines for you to choose from. However, most are limited, so grab them sooner or later for some will run out well before Christmas. See the available Top 100 wines here..

Please also consider our annual Wine Spectator Top 100 tasting in early January – more info and registration here..

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Author: Dirk Chan

As is tradition, on the 3rd thursday of November, the world awaits in anticipation the arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau. deVine’s shipment has just arrived. deVine will be receiving the 2013 Georges DuBoeuf Villages Beaujolais Nouveau – $22.99 this year.

For the price, the Villages is a much better bottling than the regular Nouveau. The Gamay grapes were picked just three weeks ago, and after a very short fermentation, it is bottled for its freshness while offerinig beautiful strawberry, black currant, bannana and some hints of cedar with a nice backbone that gives off bright, lively flavors of morello cherry confiture and finishing with hints of allspice and cloves. Nice smooth mouthfeel and virtually tannin free due to the short exposure to the skins. So, for your Beaujolais Nouveau party, serve this slightly chilled with some poultry or spicy meatballs and for something ambitious and over the top, a roast duck with a reduced cherry sauce.

Some interesting Nouveau tidbits:

1) The region of Beaujolais is 34 miles long from north to south and 7 to 9 miles wide north of Lyon in southeastern France

2) there are nearly 4000 growers in the region

3) Gamay is the only grape permitted for Beaujolais and only grapes grown in Beaujolais or Beaujolais Villages is permitted in Beaujolais Nouveau, there are no grapes from the Cru vineyards allowed

4) Beaujolais Nouveau must be drank sooner than later and served slightly cool at about 13C.

5) Beaujolais Nouveau is a marvel of modern day advertising, with the marketing engine in full force, arriving just in time for the American thanksgiving, and 70 million bottles overall. How they manage to ship everything in a timely manner boggles the mind.

Enjoy this with a large group of friends or family, and serve it slightly chilled.

Purchase your 2013 DuBeouf Beaujolais Nouveau online here..

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Author: Chad Gascho

It’s safe to say that Albertans are enjoying one of the best selections of craft beer in the country. Since the privatization of liquor in 1993 the ability to import brews from all over the world has become more simplified and has allowed for the incredible amount of variety that can be seen in retail liquor stores today. There are about 1500 different varieties available in the Alberta market, with craft beer making up around 2/3 of that selection, at least doubling what was available 10years ago. Brand loyalty for our domestic brands (Molson, Coors, Kokanee, etc.) still exists but has started to fade with the lure of something new and different. Why have we seen such a steady increase in craft beer consumption? My opinion is that in this era of information, a new generation of people are more open to and embracing the variety that life has to offer; in this case, fresh and innovative brews. After all, it is the third most consumed beverage in the world (water then tea being at the top of the list).

So what does ‘craft’ beer mean? Essentially, a craft beer has been defined as an independently owned brewery using fresh, natural, and quality ingredients that are made in relatively small batches (between 1,800,000 and 600,000,000 L year), where more focus is on creativity and distinguishing flavors throughout the brewing process. In comparison, the mass producing corporate breweries (which pump out several billion L year) target a generalized array of tastes, keeping costs down by sometimes substituting corn or rice for malted barley, which will create alcohol but sacrifices flavor. They also pasteurize to cut costs, which increases shelf life, again sacrificing some of the flavor. Some big brewers hasten fermentation with enzymes that make a kind of beer concentration, which they will later add water to. None of the above happens when a craft beer is produced with the exception of pasteurization, which is uncommon, but does seldom happen. Now, this doesn’t mean that a big brewer doesn’t manufacture a decent beer; it’s just generally limited stylistically. Nor does it mean that a crafted brew will always be a better product (I’ve had some duds in my time), but the diverse range of brews that can be ‘crafted’ are abundant and there is something for everyone; from a Czech style pilsner to an Imperial IPA to barrel aged stouts. There seems to be no shortage of fresh, new products rolling into the province on a weekly basis and there’s no sign of it slowing down any time soon, which is fantastic…keep it coming!

At deVine Wines our primary focus is on the wines we carry, but we’ve also always been passionate about the selection of beers that we stock – a majority portion of those being craft beer. I like to think that our selection of beer throughout the years has had some influence on how Edmontonians have diversified their taste for new and different brews, ultimately directing us towards the craft beer explosion we’re seeing today. When we first opened in 2005, we started with a stock of around a 100 or so different varieties and we’ve continuously grown our selection to the over 300 products on the shelves today. Not too bad for a little boutique store, eh? We are committed to keep continuously growing our selection, striving to provide a vast range of flavors and experiences for our customers. And keep your eye out in the future for upcoming beer related pouring’s, tastings and events. Stay Thirsty Edmonton!

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Author: Dirk Chan

Hot on the heels of the equally great 2009 vintage, 2010 is yet another legendary year which will be highly sought out throughout its lifetime. While the 2009 are fruity, flamboyant and California like, the 2010s are in the classic, ageworthy style – the comparison between these two vintages will parallel the ongoing debate between 1989 and 1990.

Our last Top Drops tasting of 2013 on Saturday, November 23 at 7pm will feature the Merlot dominant Right-bank wines from the famous and expensive appellations of St. Emilion and Pomerol. The growing season was near perfect in 2010, and the earlier ripening Merlot was in top shape for these two appellations. The other grapes, Cabernet Franc and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon also saw an ideal growing season.

Pomerol saw tiny yields due to small grape size, thus the fabulous concentration, the 2010’s compares favourably to other historic vintages like 2009, 2005, and 1998 while St. Emilion in 2010 may be even more consistent as an appellation than 2009, it can be spoken in the same breath as the legendary 2005 and 1998’s. Speaking of 1998, perhaps a surprise wine from that vintage is in store for those who attend to sample some of the greatest Merlot based wines made anywhere in the world.

Only 18 seats available for this event, so be sure to book early to avoid disappointment. Register online for the Top Drops: 2010 Right Bank Bordeaux tasting here..

For complete listing of all available 2010 Left Bank wines, click here..

For complete listing of all available 2010 Right Bank wines, click here..

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Author: Dirk Chan

deVine and Pacific Wines & Spirits are thrilled to have Jorge Ramos, Export Director of the Taylor Fladgate Partnership in the store for a sitdown Port tasting on Thursday, November 7th at 7pm.

Jorge (pronounced George) is in town to promote the newly arrived 2011 Vintage Ports from his houses of Taylor, Fonseca and Croft. The 2011’s are being hailed as the greatest Vintage Ports since 1994 and in the league of the legendary 1963’s. Come and listen to Jorge talk about his passion for his native Portugal, specifically the Douro Valley (a world heritage UNESCO site), the houses that he represents, the grapes (Tourigas Nacional, Francesa, Tintas Francesa, Roriz, Barroca, Cao and Amorola) and other interesting historic anecdotes and facts (did you know Taylor was founded in 1692?).

We’ll be sampling a wide range of port styles from Pink, white, tawny, Late Bottled Vintage, Single Quintas and a surprise Vintage Port as well. The weather is cooling off, and what better way to fend off the cold nights than a glass of port. Tickets are $40 and selling fast with only a few seats left, so please book online asap to avoid disappointment. This is not to be missed for those interested in learning about Portugal’s greatest export.

Book online for the Jorge Ramos port tasting here..

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Author: Ed Fong

It’s time to dig out those heels again, boys!

On October 24, the men of deVine will once again don their stilettos in support of the YWCA’s Walk a Mile in Her Shoes Campaign. All gross proceeds will be donated to the YWCA in support of their Family Violence Prevention and Recovery programs.

In the spirit of this fundraiser, Ed Fong will lead a team of “divine guys” who will serve you vino in their sexiest heels all evening long. We’re “man enough” to stand up against family violence. Are you? Please come out and show your support for a great cause.

Italy will be the theme of the evening, as Italians do produce the most fabulous, fashionable footwear in the world. Everyone is encouraged to come out in their finest Italian clothes, shoes and accessories! A selection of Italian cheeses and appetizers will be served. Can anyone say “Arancini” from Corso 32??

Seven fantastic Italian wines will be showcased at this stand-up event: a Prosecco to attenuate your taste buds and set the mood, two whites, three reds and a dessert wine. Tickets to this fundraiser are $30 each. If you would like to see the complete wine menu and/or register for this event, please register here.. Reservations can also be secured by calling the store at 780.421.9463.

Our goal is to sell a minimum of 60 tickets to raise $1,800 for the YWCA to help women and their children take steps to walk away from family violence.

If you cannot attend the event but would still like to make a donation to the YWCA, please follow this link:
https://payment.csfm.com/events/ywca_edmonton/visitor/?action=profile&participant_id=721661541377282245..

To learn more about the Walk a Mile in her Shoes Campaign, please visit the YWCA’s webpage at:
http://payment.csfm.com/events/ywca_edmonton_pages/page.php?p=home..

If you want to help break the cycle of family violence and help keep women and children safe, you too can register for the walk at Churchill Square on September 10 from 11am-1pm

Lastly, I would like to challenge the men in my industry to take a stand against family violence. If you own a wine or liquor store, a licensed establishment or you are a liquor agent, please join me in this cause. I would love to see your male competitive spirit top my own fundraising goals. To you, I throw down the gauntlet! Are you man enough to stand up to me, in heels!

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Author: Kelsey Trites

Alas, the season of Fall is upon us and many, including myself, may be having a hard time accepting that summer is over. Even here at deVine Wines and Sprits, our lowly beer fridge observes as red wines and spirits fly off the shelves. But, my fellow beer enthusiasts, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. A reason to celebrate. Oktoberfest.

Back in 1810 an awesome guy by the name of Prince Ludwig I (soon to be King Ludwig I) and his classy lass, Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, were set to wed. Rather than keep the party to themselves, the King decided to hold a large celebration in the fields in front the of the city gates. Horse races were held for the entire public to view and signified the conclusion of the royal event. Fast-forward a couple hundred years and what was once a couple beer stands to quench the thirst of the festivals patrons, had become giant tents filled with people celebrating all things beer.

Now, nearly 180 years later, Oktoberfest is the largest festival in the world, grossing approximately 6.4 million people and 710,000 liters of beer every year. Beer featured at the festival must abide by the Reubgeutsgebit aka the “German Beer Purity Law”. According to this law, all the beer must be brewed within city limits and may only contain water, barley, hops, yeast and cane sugar. There are only a handful of breweries that are given this designation, making it extremely difficult to access their beer outside of Europe. This year Oktoberfest begins on September 21 and finishes October 6.

Oktoberfest is not only for the Germans, people worldwide travel to Munich to celebrate, and even here in North America mini Oktoberfest’s are held in commemoration. The Kitchen-Waterloo Oktoberfest hosts up to 1,000,000 patrons a year, making it the second largest festival in the world.

So, what does this mean for you as an Edmontonian mourning the loss of your summer and dreading the frosty months ahead? Well fellow beer drinkers, Oktoberfest is an ideal if not perfect way to celebrate the abundance of beer that has come into the market as a result of the fall harvest. Not only does autumn imply the return of the usual’s: porters, stouts, red ales. Fall reinstalls the reign of the famous pumpkin beer. Sweet nutty notes with brilliant spice and heart warming pumpkin, A seasonal best seller. September in the USA and Canada also means fresh hopped beers. N. American hop varietals like cascade, simcoe and citra are used fresh to create “wet hopped” IPA’s. This essentially means that only the fresh, not dried, hops are used to make beer.

And here is some even better news – deVine Wines and Spirits has made it extremely easy for you to get your hands on these unique and seasonal brews. Starting this week, we will have an entire display devoted to harvest beer. Porters, stouts, American IPA’s, Weissbiere and Pumpkin ale so come in and grab a few to try or host your own party. Need a traditional snack to go along with your beer? Well our display has a couple Oktoberfest recipes to entice all your friends. It’s our little way of saying “Happy Oktoberfest”.

Until next time,
Ein Proust! Here are a few current favourites..

Paulaner Octoberfest To Go – 1.0L Can (Germany) – $15.99

Beer Here Morke Pumpernickel Porter – 500mL Bottle (Denmark) – $8.99

Schneider Weisse Organic Wiesen Edel-Weisse – 500mL Bottle (Germany) – $4.49

Phillips Crooked Tooth Pumpkin Ale – 650mL Bottle (Canada) – $7.49

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Author: Ed Fong

It’s time to dig out those heels again, boys!

On October 24, the men of deVine will once again don their stilettos in support of the YWCA’s Walk a Mile in Her Shoes Campaign. All gross proceeds will be donated to the YWCA in support of their Family Violence Prevention and Recovery programs.

In the spirit of this fundraiser, Ed Fong will lead a team of “divine guys” who will serve you vino in their sexiest heels all evening long. We’re “man enough” to stand up against family violence. Are you? Please come out and show your support for a great cause.

Italy will be the theme of the evening, as Italians do produce the most fabulous, fashionable footwear in the world. Everyone is encouraged to come out in their finest Italian clothes, shoes and accessories! A selection of Italian cheeses and appetizers will be served. Can anyone say “Arancini” from Corso 32??

Seven fantastic Italian wines will be showcased at this stand-up event: a Prosecco to attenuate your taste buds and set the mood, two whites, three reds and a dessert wine. Tickets to this fundraiser are $30 each. If you would like to see the complete wine menu and/or register for this event, please register here.. Reservations can also be secured by calling the store at 780.421.9463.

Our goal is to sell a minimum of 60 tickets to raise $1,800 for the YWCA to help women and their children take steps to walk away from family violence.

If you cannot attend the event but would still like to make a donation to the YWCA, please follow this link:
https://payment.csfm.com/events/ywca_edmonton/visitor/?action=profile&participant_id=721661541377282245..

To learn more about the Walk a Mile in her Shoes Campaign, please visit the YWCA’s webpage at:
http://payment.csfm.com/events/ywca_edmonton_pages/page.php?p=home..

If you want to help break the cycle of family violence and help keep women and children safe, you too can register for the walk at Churchill Square on September 10 from 11am-1pm

Lastly, I would like to challenge the men in my industry to take a stand against family violence. If you own a wine or liquor store, a licensed establishment or you are a liquor agent, please join me in this cause. I would love to see your male competitive spirit top my own fundraising goals. To you, I throw down the gauntlet! Are you man enough to stand up to me, in heels!

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Author: Kelsey Trites

Summer is coming to an end, and for all you beer enthusiasts that means that the season of summer beers is also wrapping up. No more citrus. No more hefeweisens. No more 4.5% alcohol. Soon the season of porters and ales will be upon us; a grueling six months of boots, Netflix and talking about the weather.

The good news is deVine’s still has a healthy stock of summer goodness. Fire up your BBQ’s, put ice in your coolers, and come down to deVine Wines and Spirits to pick up a 6-pack (or two) of summer beer. Here are a few suggestions to make it even easier for you to enjoy the seasonal bliss.

1. Tree Brewing Mellow Moon Pineapple Hefeweisen (6 bottles) -$14.49

This quirky beer comes from Kelowna, BC and may be the most adventurous of the bunch. It’s hazy, golden hue promises true hefeweisen style with citrus, cloves and a pleasant, dry mild hop finish. A pronounced pineapple flavor humours peculiar pairings such as ham and pineapple pizza, lemon meringue pie and any spicy Indian food.

2. Granville Island False Creek Raspberry Ale (6 bottles) – $15.49

As the saying goes “Real men drink pink”, and so can you as this summer brew has a fabulous raspberry pink hue. The brewery uses Fraser creek raspberries which give the beer a refreshingly tart flavor without a sugary sweet quality. Granville recommends a perfect pairing of summer salads, fresh air and sunny afternoons.

3. Whistler Paradise Valley Grapefruit Ale (6 bottles) – $14.49

Grapefruit beer has been the popular kid of the summer with brands like Alley Kat and Stiegl Radler leading the pack. Whistler brewing has done their version of this citrus beer with dried grapefruit rind and two kinds of hops. This summer bevy promises to be a refreshing pairing for curries, Asian dishes and all the hippest parties.

A couple other summer seasonal beers that you can find at deVine Wines and Spirits are:

Gahan Blueberry Ale (4 bottles) – $15.99

Alley Kat Summer Squeeze Grapefruit Ale (6 bottles) – $15.99

and Parallel 49 Hay Fever (6 bottles) – $15.99

So whether it’s your last trip to the lake, a special treat after the Saturday market, or just a refreshing drink after mowing the lawn, get your hands on some summer beer. Unlike the mosquitos and road construction, these seasonal sippers will be missed.

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