Cloud 9 Liquors

A recent business flight routed me through Calgary, where I noticed that the Cloud 9 Liquor & Wine Store has reopened. Now there is nothing novel about a Duty Free shop in an Airport, but Cloud 9 is not a Duty Free shop - it is a shop for Canadians to engage in a little "inter-provincial tax arbitrage".

You see Alberta is Canada's oil province, and its lower taxes (and no government-run liquor monopoly) are evident in lower wine and spirits prices, for the most part. Calgarians laugh at me, saying Cloud 9 is way more expensive than other local shops, but they miss the point - with prices for many products up to 20% lower than those at home, out-of-province travelers don't have time to drive around town for an extra 5%.

Cloud 9 used to exist just behind the check in (but before security) and proudly advertised its prices vs. those for BC Liquors and LCBO. But then the 2006 terrorist plot ended air travelers' ability to carry-on wine (which really pissed me off) and Cloud 9 closed.

Now I haven't been to Calgary in a long time, so I don't know when it reopened, but it has reopend behind security. That's right - check your bags, clear security, pick up a Starbucks and do a little liquor shopping. And since you are past security you can carry it onto the plane.

Does Cloud 9 have a dizzying array of wine? No, but it is pretty good. Is it always cheaper than SAQ or LCBO? No, not always. But there are many deals to be had (especially single-malt scotch).

I couldn't pick up a bottle this time as I was on an outbound flight with a short connection, but I do recommend that out-of-province travelers waiting for a flight in Calgary stop by and pick up a bargain.

Cheers!

Wine at Harrod's: 2004 Harrod's Cotes du Rhone Red

Our last evening in Europe found us once again avoiding rain indoors. We couldn't go to London without stopping at Harrod's, and I couldn't visit Harrod's without reviewing the store brand wine! After letting our kids run amok in the Harrod's toy department, it was time to turn them loose in one of Harrod's dining areas.

The Harrod's venue that was open and best suited for our group was Mo's Diner, an eatery inspired by an American 50s-era diner. Staring at the wine list, I realized my red wine choices were Harrod's Claret, Harrod's Bourgogne, and a Harrod's Cotes-du-Rhone. In my experience a bad Rhone wine is infinitely more palatable than a bad Bordeaux or Bourgogne, so with some apprehension I gave the Cotes du Rhone a nod and ordered a steak sandwich. After all, how bad could it be? It has Harrod's on the label...

From the expression on the waiter's face and the confusion in getting my wine order in, I gather the average Mo's Diner customer is not an oenophile. But he ultimately overcame the shock and brought me the right bottle with a hansome Harrod's label. The 2004 Harrod's Cotes-du-Rhone Red is bottled for Harrod's by Domaine de l'Espigouette, with the label describing the wine as a blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre. A classic Cotes du Rhone - dark cherry red with appealing scents of plums, pepper and spice, vanilla, and earthy aromas. On the palate it was also a solid wine - good tannins, juicy fruit and slightly nutty with good balance. Overall, a very competent wine. Obviously not available here in the Americas, but I have seen the Espigouette label - perhaps it could be worth a shot.
13.5% alcohol
Score: 16/20

Well, that's the end of my European Vacation. Next stop, Sonoma, Fall 2007. Cheers!

Bin 36 - Wine in the Windy City

I haven't been to the Windy City in years, so I was determined to duck into a local wine shop (or two...). A special thanks to Dr. Vino, whose Chicago wine shops page allowed me to quickly locate those shops nearest to my hotel, including Bin 36 and Binny's (a future post).


Bin 36, located right next door to Chicago's "House of Blues", was a rather modest wine shop, with a short (but carefully selected) list of unusual (i.e. no big names or standard Wine Spectator fare) items, but it was also a wine bar. Alone for the evening and in need of dinner, I figured I could grab a seat at the bar, have some dinner and try some unusual wines - now that's a Friday night!

While this sounds like place you would need wild horses to drag me out of, I was hesitant at first, as the "too-hip" atmosphere combined and no-name wine list was surely a recipe for disaster? Wrong.

My appetizer was an asparagus salad with honey goat cheese and a pink grapefruit dressing. Jimmy, the head of the wine bar, was an excellent host, and encouraged me to pair this with a gruner vetliner. The 2005 Laurenz V. "Sophie" Gruner Veltliner was an excellent choice for this dish - on the nose were toasty scents of apricot, banana and pineapple, followed by some white flowers. Almost white burgundy in style, with a crisp, minerally structure, this was a more full-bodied gruner vs. all my previous experiences with the grape. Nicely done at this price - great value!
Score: 16.5/20
Price: US$15 (Bin 36)

The main course was arctic char, and once again it was Jimmy to the rescue. In this case he even allowed me to sample a few of his wares before making my final selection. Now that's service! We decided on California for some new world chardonnay. The 2005 Foxglove Chardonnay was a rather simple affair, with classic buttered toast aromas but not much else going on. Rather one-dimensional, but very well balanced and a nice pairing for the meal.
Score: 15.5/20
Price: US$16 (Bin 36)

Other wines sampled this evening included an Austrian red, the 2004 Zantho Zweigelt, a modern styled red with aromas of fresh crushed blueberries. Rather uncomplex, but a very nice quaffer and cheap ($10.95). The 2005 Earth, Zin and Fire "Front Row Zin" was a terrific take on this grape. Pink cava, South African chard, and a strong finish with the 2005 Kracher Beerenauslese.

If you are ever in Chicago, stop by Bin 36 and tell Jimmy I sent you.

Cheers!

Shopping Trip - New York

Source: Wikipedia

Following my recent detour through the wine shops of Winnipeg, my business travels recently took me to New York City. With just a few minutes between meetings, I managed to steal away and check out some shops recommended by none other than Decanter and Brooklynguy. I even dropped in on a shop near my hotel. Here are some thoughts on those stops:

Beekman Liquors (500 Lex, btw 47th/48th): Located in very close proximity to my hotel, this was a drop in. I saw a sign and it said "WINE", so I really didn't have a choice. Over the years I have dropped in on a number of Manhattan wine shops, and this one seemed very similar - crowded, and packed to the rafters with wine. While the shop was difficult to navigate, the wine consultant was helpful and very knowledgeable. Definitely worth a visit if in the neighbourhood.
Pros: Knowledgeable wine staff, broad/deep selection.
Cons: Crowded, a bit run down, good stuff standing up on a warm shelf.

Crush Wine & Spirits (57th at Lex): Following a complimentary comment in Decanter, I have been meaning to drop in on this shop. A prime retail location, this store is definitely going for a hip, trendy feel, with some Bjork goin' on in the background. No one will ever accuse me of being hip or trendy, but I liked the format. The wines were well organized by grape, but the prices were not always marked and it was hard to read the labels with the bottles on their sides, as esthetics trumped reason. The staff were knowledgeable and helpful, tolerating my detailed inspection of every bottle in the store. A nice range of inexpensive to hedonistic, with a proper cellar at the back for the good stuff. I especially liked that they stocked a number of vintages of the collector items, making it possible to build out a vertical in some cases. Worth a visit!
Pros: A good range of carefully selected wines - top selling labels beside unique selections.
Cons: Hard to read the labels with the bottles on their sides.

Burgundy Wine Co. (26th St. W. btw. 6th and 7th): On a mission for Oregon Pinot Noir, Brooklynguy recommended I stop here. Somewhat out of the way, this was (as you can imagine) a very focused collection of wine - Burgundies, Oregon, and Rhone wines (not sure I see that connection!). Anyway, the guy there made great suggestions and the layout was attractive, with lots of space. While they did not have a cellar per se, the store was dark and the temperature was cool, so they are doing the right thing. The Oregon Pinot selections were rather limited that day, but I managed to walk away with two bottles. Worth a visit!
Pros: Excellent if you like Burgundy, Oregon and Rhone wines.
Cons: Don't go here for wines from elsewhere!

A quick comment on pricing. I did not have a chance to comparison shop, so I cannot tell you who has the best prices. Check the web, or perhaps some New Yorkers will leave some tips for the best prices in Manhattan?

Overall, I would shop at all of these places again, and I was successful in obtaining two bottles of Oregon Pinot - 2004 Cristom Marjorie vineyard.

A notable miss: It was also suggested that I check out Chambers Street Wines, but I will be back in three weeks...

Cheers!

Shopping Trip - Winnipeg

For those of you who noticed my absence, 8 straight days of travel and/or 18-hour days seriously cuts into my blogging time (it took me a week to write this one...)!

In addition to its interference with the upkeep of my blog, business travel never affords me the opportunity for serious sightseeing, but I frequently have a small window of time to step into the local wine shop and look for hidden treasures.

As evidenced by the paucity of recent posts, I just returned from a visit to Winnipeg, Manitoba, and while there I took advantage of some down time to go with my father-in-law to see something 'novel' (for a Montrealer) - privately run liquor stores. For those of you residing in (or planning a visit to) Winnipeg, here are my general impressions from our tour of some private liquor stores. Note I did not have much time to discuss the selections with the employees, so I won't comment on the level of knowledge.

Fenton's Wine Merchants (at The Forks): Fenton's is centrally located in The Forks, and ideally situated next to a number of specialty food shops, so you can really plan a meal around your wine selections here. I noticed a wide selection of carefully selected (i.e. lots of labels I have never heard of) wines at reasonable prices. Given that the owners have clearly tried to stay away from mainstream labels, you will have to rely on the staff. Locals should go in and get some recommendations and to see if they can deliver.
Pros: Wide selection, nice location and atmosphere.
Cons: They had very little of the fancy stuff, and what they have sits standing up on a warm shelf under spotlights.

Pembina Fine Wines: While residing in a nondescript strip mall, it was a fine store, with an excellent geographic selection and depth in each region. Probably the best all around, with a selection of older vintages and off size bottles.
Pros: Best global variety and with some depth in each region.
Cons: Some wines in the sunny windows, older vintages not stored in a temperature controlled room.

Piazza De Nardi (La Boutique del Vino): This wine store at the Piazza de Nardi is located in a building with a Mediterranean food market. An excellent place to buy Italian. They also have the best set up for wine - no windows and a temperature controlled cellar for better wines.
Pros: Awesome selection of Italian, nice location and proper storage.
Cons: Perhaps a bit light on French wine.

Kenaston Wine Market: Located in a busy strip mall, this is one of my favourites from previous visits in Winnipeg. It has a wide selection, kind of a mix between Fenton's and Pembina. Great collection of staff picks.
Pros: Very wide selection, some store exclusives.
Cons: Storage - the fancy stuff sits next the regular stuff.

DeLuca's: A good, broad selection, if not deep. The only shop with an open bottle for sampling (some Aussie red and white) - for shame (to the others). A lot going on in a little store.
Pros: Nice atmosphere, sampling ongoing.
Cons: Limited selection.

So where would I go if I lived in the 'Peg? I would probably visit all of them on a frequent basis, with DeNardi and Pembina visited more frequently. It pays to watch the prices, as they can vary substantially from store to store, without and specific pattern that I could identify. Thanks to my father-in-law and A over at Wine in the 'Peg for some suggestions.

Notable miss: I hear that a new store, Banville and Jones, is pretty good. Next time...