Cheers! Last night WineCollective had their first open house and what a way to kick it off. It was great to see everyone out, visit with our friends and get to know our neighbours. Thanks to all for coming out.
Also, we would like to say a big thanks to Anne and James from Crush. We couldn’t have pulled off this event without them. How amazing was their Gruen Riesling?
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Thanks again!
Ever wonder how many calories are in that appealing glass of wine? Glamour Magazine posted this image from Pinterest, showing a spiritied way to count calories.
Thankfully, unlike other happy hour bevies wine is one of the most waist-friendly libations you can choose. fitsugar summed up the calories of some of the most frequently consumed wines, helping us decide if what we are pouring is the best choice for the bikini body.
However, not all wines are created the same! A glass of wine can range from 73 calories to upwards of 200. Dessert wines, with alcohol close to 15%, can contain up to 237 calories, while a medium red or white varietal averages 120 calories. In comparison, your average 12-ounce beer can have more than 200 calories, and even your light beers can still have more calories than wine.
Additionally, wine is low in calories and free of cholesterol, sodium and fat. Also knowing that wine is full of antioxidants helps justify the “Who Cares?” attitude. So, while sitting on your patio maybe leave the beer behind and enjoy a bottle of bubbles, with under 100 calories!
Sip happy, because who cares!
Annually, since 2003, British Columbia’s Lieutenant Governor, has been announcing which BC wines, 100% grown and produced within the province, are winners of excellence.
Among the 347 wines submitted from 94 wineries this year, Poplar Grove‘s 2009 Cabernet Franc and Road 13 Vineyards’ 2011 Jackpot Viognier Rousanne Marsanne were chosen as achieving excellence along with the nine other exceptional wines selected, you can see the other chosen wines on Hired Belly’s Blog.
Poplar Grove was awarded excellence in 2010 and back in 2005. Road 13 also was honored in 2009.
Congrats to all who participated from everyone here at WineCollective!
Stampede is right around the corner and we are excited to celebrate 100 years of tradition in our fine city. Join us for a Stampede party with a twist; only wine will be served at this hoedown!
Hosted by BlackSquare, WineCollective and Tannic are holding their first ever open house, right in the middle of Stampede. We are very excited to welcome everyone into our office and get to know our friends, neighbours and fellow wine lovers!
We think it’s a great opportunity for people to turn in their Stampede drinks and enjoy the great wine we have to share.
Please feel free to stop by anytime on the 12th of July between 4-6.
We are right above the Keg, 303 605 – 11th Ave SW.
Can’t wait to meet you!
Have you heard the great news? WineCollective is now able to ship everywhere in Canada. We are super excited to be able to bring our wine experience to all Canadians! And for our current Alberta members, we can now ship all your wine gifts to family and friends in every province.
The Canadian orders have started coming in, so spread the word! Everyone has until midnight of Saturday, June 30th to place orders and receive July’s wine package.
You can learn more about the passing of Bill C-311 from BlackSquare‘s article, “How does Bill C-311 impact online direct-to-consumer winery sales?”
The previous law forbade individuals from bringing any type of liquor (including wine and beer) into another province. Only liquor control boards of each province and certain licensed bodies – such as distilleries – were allowed to import alcohol. Most of the act dated back to the anti-liquor laws of the 1920s prohibition era.
Brand new to wine tasting, I’ve become accustomed to a common phrase, “red with meat and white with fish or chicken.” What I want to know is – “what about us, vegetarians?!” Time to discover what there is for vegetarian pairings, so I matched a few of our June WineCollective wines with meat-less recipes!
The Vineland Semi-Dry Riesling is great to pair with almost everything. Usually people would pair this wine with chicken or salmon but because of its apple and citrus flavour, fresh green vegetables will go tastefully! A harmonious pairing for this Riesling is a recipe from the current issuse of The City Palate titled “Stir-Fried Asparagus with Chickpeas and Tahini Dressing.” Sit back on your deck and enjoy this union!
It seems that red wines are in a very long-term relationship with red meat. But there are alternatives! Why not try Chatelaine’s Modern Margherita Pizza, the ripe tomato taste and acidity will go gracefully with many different wines but especially the Feudo Maccari, a Nero d’Avola from Sicily. And best yet, its Vegetarian!
Thirdly, head over to Dinner with Julie‘s website to find among many options, the Orzo Salad With Spinach, Feta and Lemon. My mouth is watering imaging this pairing with Bodega Chakana, an Argentinian Torrentes. Love the way that rolls off the tongue. The strong acidity paired with this dish brings out the wonderful fruity flavours!
After, many searches and discoveries, I learned that maybe the vegetarians haven’t been forgotten. It just takes that extra step to find something to pair with your vino, so be innovative with it! Even go as far as, Mike Pierce in San Fran who had found the perfect pairing with… Fruit Loops! So yes, go out on a limb, vegetarian or not, step away from meat, fish and poultry and mix it up! The options are endless!
Last month WineCollective members received a Spanish wine, exclusive to only our members in Alberta. For July we have two exclusives that will be included in WineCollective packages! If you are not already a member, you have until June 30th to sign-up and receive both wines.
Be the first of your friends to have tried 2 wines brand new to the Alberta market. From a reputable and high-end Australian producer, we have their new brand’s Cabernet and only 2, 000 cases were produced! The other exclusive is a classic Cali Chardonnay, light and crisp Chard with citrus and floral notes sourced from premium vineyards, perfect for the BBQ.
P.S. We can now ship across Canada, so tell your friends about us!
Have you ever wondered where to get more of your favourite WineCollective wines? Find the wines from your packages for sale in our new online store! You can also see and purchase the wines that you have not received that were featured in other packages. You have to be a WineCollective member to access the store. So if you haven’t signed-up yet, what are you waiting for?
Access the store through your existing account and see what is available. All store orders must contain a minimum of 4 bottles, a flat $15 shipping fee will be applied, and your order will be delivered with your next months WineCollective package. All bottles are at a discounted price for wine club members. If you can’t find something you want, let us know and we will find it for you!
Not that you need another reason to join the largest monthly wine club in Alberta, but we’re going to give you a good one anyways! WineCollective has received an exclusive on an exciting Tinto Fino from Spain. WineCollective members will be the only lucky consumers in Alberta to receive this wine!
If you are already a member, don’t worry, you will have this exclusive wine in your June package. If you are not a member yet, why not join? You have until May 31st to join and ensure you receive this special selection.
Watch for further WineCollective exclusive wines over the summer!
WineCollective is proud to be a part of the 4th Annual Regier Memorial Golf Tournament. The Texas Scramble is being held at the Meadowlands Golf Club in Sylvan Lake on July 28, 2012. The Regier Memorial Tournament is held in honour of Stacy Regier in support of the Stacy Regier Legacy, with all funds being donated to the Calgary Health Trust. To date, the Stacy Regier Legacy has raised over $80,000 for the ICU of the Foothills Hospital.
WineCollective has helped contribute a 6 month Evolution package to be raffled along with an IPad and a $2000 travel voucher. There is still time to purchase a raffle ticket ($10 each), volunteer your time or donate an item to auction.
You have until July 20th to register yourself or a team in the tournament. WineCollective still needs to round out the team, so join us on the course!
There are a number of local eateries that allow you to bring your own bottle, and on certain nights you can bring your favourite wine for free! Free-corkage nights are beneficial for the restaurant as well as the diner, it is a great way to fill tables on slower nights (most BYOW nights are Sunday-Wednesdays), and the cost savings are an obvious advantage to the customer. However, BYOW isn’t about being a penny-pincher, it’s an opportunity for you to share a special bottle with your company and pair it with an elegant meal, and not be restricted to your own culinary abilities.
I brought a bottle of 2010 Poplar Grove Chardonnay to Farm last Monday. I was excited to share this bottle with a friend that I knew would appreciate it. I wanted to make sure the pairing was perfect, so we had asked our server to select our meal based on the tasting notes of the Chardonnay.
A richly textured Chardonnay, with aromas of honeyed cashew and toffee. Toasted nut and oak integrate nicely with clean, bright acidity on the palate. Soft hints of vanilla linger with the long finish on this voluptuous Reserve Chardonnay.
We made our own notes on the Chardonnay, and found toasted nuts and warm honey on the nose with baked apples. The palate was luscious with soft flavours of melon, apples and vanilla. There was surprising acidity that added a crisp and fresh component . Our server first brought us a charcuterie plate of P’tit Basque Sheep cheese from France, Coppa (like proscuitto but with less oily-ness) and air-dried strawberries. We had the steelhead trout with an herbed vinaigrette and almonds as our main.
The creamy cheese complemented the mouth feel of the oaked and full Chard, while the Coppa’s salt helped to enhance the fruit presence in the wine. The trout was a perfect fish pair to the wine, it had an almost sweet miso-glaze. I would hold off on the Asian slaw next time, too much acid for the wine can bring out an undesireable tart-ness. Post-Chardonnay, we indulged on an eccentric selection of truffles: goat cheese, vanilla bean, bacon and dark chocolate paired with Moscato.
A few tips if you are going to take advantage of a BYOW: give the restaurant a head-up that you will be bringing your own bottle, if you want the kitchen to pair with your wine, let them know what it is and any tasting notes you have. I gave the server the tasting card for the Poplar Chardonnay, your WineCollective tasting cards are perfect reference for the server or chef. Avenue Magazine has a list of corkage nights in both Calgary and Edmonton. Even if restaurants don’t promote BYOW, if you ask, most will accomodate you at a price.
WineCollective‘s tasting cards got a makeover! If you receive a monthly package of great wine from us, you probably have noticed that the tasting cards have been revamped. We hope you like them as much as we do!
The new design will be easier to store and catalogue. Also, the close-up image of the label will make it easier to find your new favourite bottle at the liquor store. The online version of the notes have undergone a refresh as well. We have made it easier to comment and rate the wines you receive, so make sure you tell us what you think!
