We did something fun and different at the store last week.  We invited skeptics and purists to attend our BC Bordeaux Wine tasting.  But it had a twist.... We did it blind and we included a French Bordeaux!
Twenty people sat down to 12 big BC Reds  ( 11 actually + 1 French).  Ken Bracke, our Sommelier led the tasting only revealing grape varieties for each wine.  The group sampled through all 12, leaving some wine in each glass to sample backwards before identifying favourites, and possibly the French Bordeaux hiding in the pack!
The result-  4 wines came out winners, two wines were thought to be the French Bordeaux and one person correctly guessed the real French Bordeaux.!   See the results below.
All in all a grand evening with many skeptics pleasantly surprised by the range and quality of these BC Red Blends.

From the 12 B.C. Reds tasted blind, the top 4 choices selected by the 25 tasters, in order of preference were: 1.  Mission Hill Oculus 2006   $94.99 2.  Laughing Stock Vineyards Portfolio  $47.99 3.  Aces Pocket King Red 2007  $42.99 4.  Painted Rock Red Icon  2008  $69.99 The two wines that everyone thought might have been the French Bordeaux were: Le Vieux Pin Apogee  $74.99 Dirty Laundry Bordello $53.99 Congratulations to Ken who picked the correct French Bordeaux - Chateau D'Arsac Cru Bourgeois AOC Margaux 2008.  Enjoy drinking this wonderful wine with your friends! Our next tasting event is on April 17, 2012.  We will be featuring a selection of Rose Wines from around the world to herald the spring/ summer sipping season.  Hope to see you there.

It is time for us to re-order the Aalborg Akvavit Taffel ---- and some more great news...

2 BRAND new products coming in from Denmark!!

Regular Prices:

Aalborg Taffel - $36.99

Gammel Dansk : $36.99

Aalborg Jubileums : $36.99

15% off on all pre-orders received by March 15th

10% on all case purchases once products arrive

Deadline: March 15th

"Tentative" Arrival Date: July 15th

Contact info@aligrawineandspirits.com to place your orders.  Take advantage of the pre-order discounts!
We sold out in record time last order.  Don't be disappointed.

Come with me to Burgundy!  This 7 day walking holiday of this famous French wine region can be part of your longer vacation in Europe this fall.  As a French Wine Scholar and experienced group leader, I look forward to sharing this fascinating, historic and cultural region with you.
With only 8 -10 people in our group, we will base ourselves in Beaune, the  wine capital of Burgundy for two nights.  From here, we do gentle walks into the Vougeot and Nuits Saint Georges estates. Food and wine is the highlight along with learning the history of the monks and the Middle Ages.  We will spend four nights in  the charming village of Puligny Montrachet.  In this area, we will explore on foot the famous Beaune Premier Cru vineyards, discover old stone walls and winemakers cabins, Pommard, Gamay, the Santenay Premier Cru, Chassagne Montrachet and Saint Roman.  Opportunities abound to taste some fine reds of the Pinot Noir and Gamay varieties along with the white Burgundy grape- Chardonnay.  Meet the vignerons, and interact with the local people, visit the ruins of the castle of the Dukes of Burgundy, sample local country fare.  Private wine tastings, including picnic lunches, some dinners and all breakfasts are included.  And..... all you carry is a day pack!  Luggage is transferred throughout the trip for your convenience.    
For the complete itinerary, price and booking information - visit www.aligrawineandspirits.com.
Or contact Maureen at Adventure Travel Center  780 439-0024 ext 401.
With only space for 8-10 people, book early to avoid disappointment.  Travel with your own friends or meet new ones, this is sure to be the wine adventure you have been looking for.
For a bio on Alison Phillips click here

Two things in life are sure to get your senses stirring:  Sipping a complex, ever evolving wine, and travelling to another country and culture.  Both excite your senses, stretch your imagination and feed the soul.     On January 31st, we are showcasing Wine Regions of the World with The Adventure Travel Center.  Like sipping wine, wine country is meant to be savoured and explored slowly.  That's why we are focusing on journeys that include bicycling or walking.  These soft adventure holidays are designed for the adventurous, the curious, the fit, and active traveller.  No arduous hikes or climbs, just daily walking through old villages, vinelands, history and culture.  Food and wine as well as comfortable local accommodations are highlighted.

Join us at The Fantasyland Hotel on January 31st 7 pm.  To Register go to www.aligrawineandspirits.com

We had the honour of welcoming Tyler Galts, General Manager of Quail's Gate Winery in the Okanagan Valley of B.C. to our store last night.  He led Grant and I and 30 guests through a tasting of 10 wines, including  2010 Riesling, 2010 Gewurztraminer, Quail's Gate Chardonnay and Stewart Family Reserve Chardonnay, Quail's Gate Pinot Noir, and Stewart Family Reserve Pinot Noir, Merlot, Old Vines Foch and a Cabernet Sauvignon and then the surprise of the night -   the newest addition to the portfolio "Plume" a Cabernet Sauvignon produced in a joint venture with Napa, California.  Read more  Quail's Gate launches Plume with Napa Valley
Guests enjoyed an informal, "reception style" tasting at Aligra,with a selection of tasty appetizers to nibble on.  Everyone had the opportunity to meet and mingle with each other, as well as ask questions of Tyler and Dwayne Bayda, the representative from Appellation Wines who represents Quail's Gate in Alberta. The evening closed with a final tasting of Fortified Vintage Foch and Riesling Icewine. Congratulations to  Monica Velt,of No Germs Canada, the enviable winner of a basket of 6 Quail's Gate Wines valued at over $150.00.

Looking for some inspiration?  Check out our "Pick of the Day" on Aligra Wine & Spirits  Facebook page.  Our enthusiastic staff members are choosing a wine, or a beer, a whisky or a liqueur each day and posting the tasting notes for it.  Might get you thinking about trying something new.  With so many choices out there, no reason to be stuck in a rut for a beverage!   Drop by and pick something up.  We're conveniently located at West Edmonton Mall.

“Approachable, balanced, great now, but will continue to age well“  -  terms used to describe good wines.  Or, in this case,  modern, negotiant  winemaker Cameron Hughes.

 “I love good wine, but I’m basically cheap”, says the relaxed young man sitting across from me.  “I was brought up  with frugal, mid Western (US) family  values where I learned to look for bargains without compromising on quality.  I found a way to make it work for wines.”

 We had the pleasure of hosting Cameron at a VIP wine tasting at Aligra Wine & Spirits last week.  As fans of his wines and his unique concept for bringing great wines to market at good prices, Grant and I  were intrigued -  Who is the man that has developed a completely modern approach to selling wines?

After completing English and Philosophy degrees at university, Cameron worked with his father in a direct marketing campaign selling wine one summer.  He discovered he was very good at selling, and loved wine!  He then went on to work for a wine importer in France.  The company was blending and exporting wines to the US and eventually Cameron was asked to look after their California market.     No thanks!   Instead, he and Jessica (who is now his wife and business partner) decided to do their own thing and bought 500 cases of wine on speculation and tried selling them from out of the back of his car.  That was in 2001.  In short order, he self- admittedly ran the company into the ground.  However, the lesson was learned:  Investing in a product in advance of sales just doesn’t work.  You have to have it sold before you buy it.

He developed his idea further and together with a huge desire to bring good quality wines to market at great prices, his Lot Series was born.

“A bottle of wine doesn’t cost a lot to make.  It’s everything else about that wine that makes it expensive”.  Experience in the bulk wine market from his days with the French importer, opened up winery doors for him to interface with many growers and wineries where he concentrated on selecting the upper 1% of their quality juice for his bulk wine operation.  He incubated his sales distribution with Costco in California and Texas using a “here today and gone tomorrow, retailer within a retailer” philosophy.  Average consumers were now able to pick up quality bottles of wine from premium wineries at a fraction of the price.   The “virtual” wine company was born. The concept is about value and keeping overhead, distribution and sales costs at a minimum.  Cameron boasts that he has the overhead of a 10,000 case a year winery selling in excess of 30,000 cases annually. 

He continues to be actively involved in sourcing, blending and selling the wines.  His Lot Series contains juice from some of the best vineyards and wineries in the world.  You won’t know from which brand name winery the various Lot wines hail from as that’s part of the deal; to protect the integrity of the wine sold under its true brand name.   Lot Series wines are often $10.00 - $30.00 (and often a lot more) cheaper than these branded bottles, but contain the same wine! 

When selecting wines, Cameron, who  admits to having no formal wine education and learned about wines by tasting them,  insists that his wines reflect a true expression of their terroir and place.  He is open to trying different blending styles, but really wants the wine itself to find its own voice.

He finds current trends in US wine making “disturbing”.  To sell more wine, sweet style reds are being developed where sugar is added to make it more palatable for new wine drinkers.  “Red wines by their nature are not meant to be sweet.”  Certainly sourcing riper fruit and creative blending can produce what may taste sweeter on the palate, but adding sugar is simply not the profile he’s going for.  His personal style and taste leans toward many great Spanish varietals and the cool climate wines from Chile.

In terms of the Canadian market, he is really enthusiastic about how well the wine industry is faring here and says that Alberta is his biggest market.  He likes the dynamic and innovative ways that Alberta gets the wines in front of consumers through both retail and restaurant distribution.  He travels here from his home outside San Francisco two to three times a year.

“There’s a lot of diversity with wine right now.  Great opportunities for consumers who are generally a lot more educated about their tastes and choices than even ten years ago.”

When not on the road selling and promoting his wines, Cameron enjoys relaxing and entertaining at his home with his wife and business partner Jessica, or skiing or playing on the beach with their two young daughters and their chocolate labs.  I’m told that wine is usually involved.

 For a selection of Cameron Hughes Lot Series Wines visit Aligra Wine & Spirits, Entrance 58, West Edmonton Mall.

For tasting notes on the wines tasted on June 30th, visit www.aligrawineandspirits.com   Media page

We're celebrating on July 1st.
It's Canada Day,  it's our 4th Anniversary at the store, it's summer, it's Friday of a long weekend!
There will be lots of wonderful wines to taste that have been generously  donated by our  suppliers - sip something you've never tried and be amazed!
All our B.C. Wines are on sale too!  Save 10% on your purchase.  We have more that 245 labels to choose from. Who doesn't love a delicious Okanagan wine for savouring and sharing at a Canada Day Barbeque?
And cake!  Yes we will have a big anniversary cake too. 
Come on down to Entrance 58  West Edmonton Mall  -  Aligra Wine & Spirits -        "Not your average liquor store"

Yes!  We've counted them!  Over 220 labels of incredible, delicious Canadian wines from beautiful British Columbia!
Albertans love to visit the Okanagan.  There's great weather, beautiful golf courses, wonderful wineries and places to dine.  Enjoy your experience there, taste some wine and when you come home, pick up your favourites  from us.  We ship anywhere in Alberta too. 
Drop into our store at Entrance 58 West Edmonton Mall for the "Great Canadian Wine Sale" from June 13 - July 3, 2011 and get 10% off all B.C. Wines!  Our way of celebrating Canada Day - starting early!
 

As in everything in life, it is ever changing.  One of our good staff members is moving on and has created an opening at the store.  So, we are actively looking for someone to work with us starting June 1st  2011.
If you or anyone you know enjoys wines, has taken some wine courses and wants to work in a friendly and attractive environment interacting with great people (our Customers and each other) we want to hear about them.  The position involves customer service, cashier, stocking, and person must be organized  with attention to detail.  We take pride in our employees and our place of work so we are seeking a mature, well presented person . Shifts include some evenings and weekends (nature of the business) but no shift starts before 11 am or finishes after 10 pm.
Send us a resume or give us a call and we'll set up an interview.  Salary is commensurate with experience.
Pro Serve Certificate required but can be easily obtained.    We look forward to meeting you!