June 2009 Newsletter Corrected - sorry for the broken link in previous newsletter

July 2009

What a busy month July has been!

The month started off with a big In-Store 2nd Birthday Party. Every customer who came in to shop with us on Saturday July 4th had the chance to win one of many terrific prizes that were generously donated by our suppliers. From cocktail shakers and Margarita Rimmers to 1.5 litre bottles of wine, golf umbrellas and towels to a football shaped barbeque - everyone went away happy! We also threw in some discount coupons ranging from 10%-90% off to keep things hopping. A BIG Thank You to everyone who contributed to a fun and successful day.

We hope you have been enjoying all the activities around town this month. From Capital Ex and The Edmonton Indy to the biggest party downtown - The Taste of Edmonton. Aligra Wine & Spirits was involved in the Wine Tent on Churchill Square, where 60 different wines were poured over the course of 10 days introducing people to a vast array of great wines under $20.00 retail. If you attended and picked up the Taste of Edmonton Wine tasting booklet describing all 60 wines, be sure to hang on to it - there is a 10% off coupon located on the inside cover and it can be redeemed at time of purchase at our store. We have all the wines showcased at the event available for sale while quantities last. There are some really great value wines!

Great news! Exactly 3 months to the day that Mr. Stelmach raised taxes on wine, liquor and beer, he decided on July 7th to rescind it. While some prices will remain at the higher level for awhile (they were purchased at the higher taxed price), eventually all products will have prices reduced as new inventory is purchased. We did not raise our prices across the board when the increase came in in April - only as new inventory was purchased. Consequently, like many stores, prices will be undergoing changes for awhile and depending on how quickly items sell will determine how quickly prices drop. A nightmare for the retailer as inventory has to be re-priced, labels reprinted etc. But, it's all good in the long run as some liquor products will drop more $5.00 a bottle!

Enjoy the rest of your summer. Stay cool and drink responsibly.

What's New in
RUMS, VODKAS, WHISKIES, ETC.....

SPRINGBANK 450 SINGLE CASK
A Special Bottling
Distilled in 1991 & Bottled in 2007 46% alcohol

This is the first of several special offerings this year. We will only be getting a limited number (60) bottles of the Springbank Cask 450.
The colour of the whisky is amber with a bronze/red hue and a clear straw rim. The initial nose grips you with honey, followed by a emerging caramel (from the 16 years in a bourbon cask), vanilla and a smoky coastal peat. The moutfeel is"oily" with a deep and lingering warm spice finish. A thoroughly enjoyable single malt whisky!

Get your order soon in as these will not last long!

UV VODKA - Double Gold winner- San Francisco 2009 World Spirits Competition

Try the Pink Lemonade or Orange Flavoured varieties. Distilled 4 times and using only natural flavours, this is one vodka you won't want to miss. Drop by for a free tasting sample.

DIPLOMATICO EXCLUSIVE RESERVE RUM

A fabulous Venezuelan dark golden rum, distilled from molasses in a copper potstill before 12 years of ageing. Rich, sweet and fruity. Fantastic quality for the money, Diplomatico was awarded a Gold Medal at the 2007 Ministry of Rum Tasting Competition.

LAMB'S BLACK SHEEP SPICED RUM

Every family has a black sheep, and Corby Distilleries Limited wants you to meet theirs- Lamb's Black Sheep. The spiced rum, is the newest addition to their line of Lamb's rums.
"As the name suggests, this isn't your traditional spiced rum," says Tess Michelis, Marketing Manager of Lamb's Rum. "We've combined cinnamon, bourbon vanilla and lime for a fiery flavour that's unlike anything else." Or as one ad suggests, it's "A butcher. In a family of vegetarians."

PALM BAY COOLERS

Available in a six can format, perfect for outdoor activities, these refreshing vodka based coolers are a crowd pleaser. Try the Pineapple Mandarin flavour, refreshing and delicious without the heavy sweetness of other coolers and Ruby Red Grapefruit Sunrise- also delicious with lots of real, citrusy grapefruit goodness.

What about Beer?

Well....... Bud Light Lime continues it's popularity into the hot days of summer and we are one of the few stores around who has both cans and bottles in stock. Local brewery Big Rock has entered the "lime beer market" with their version of Big Rock Lime and later this week watch for "Lime Fusion" yet another seasonal citrus brew.

For our Celiac Friends, we have expanded our selection of Gluten-Free beer and now stock both Frio! and Bard's.

Frio! - a new barley-free light beer. Created by Winnipeg-based F James Specialty Beverage Company,Frio! is geared almost exclusively to celiacs, people with a hereditary auto-immune disease that prevents them from properly processing gluten, an ingredient in many common cereal grains, including barley and wheat.
Jim Venn, CEO of F James, said the market for gluten-free beer is about 250,000 hectolitres, or about one per cent of the total beer market. He said Frio! -- which is Spanish for "cold" -- is a light, lager-style of beer.
"One might compare it to a Coors Light. It's meant to be a cold summer drink as much as anything else," Venn said.

Bard's Tale is a fruity, dry beer made of sorghum mash, a gluten free grain popular in many African beers. Bard's Tale doesn't have the taste of a 'classic' beer. Bard's Tale has an extremely satisfying mouthfeel and a crisp aftertaste. It's just hoppy enough for a flowery bitterness, and there's a hint of honey as the beer slides down your throat. This brew is an interesting, summery beer, one that would be great guzzliing when cutting the lawn on a hot August day!
From a Celiac's point of view, Bard's Tale is a godsend; a charming brew that has all of the qualities of a good beer without the health effects of a gluten based brew.

Feature Article

.....

Ice Bucket

What's in Your Ice Bucket?

Here in Alberta, when it comes to wines, it has been our experience that the majority of people prefer to choose red wines over whites. Perhaps it is the long, cold dark winters that tend to make one want to cozy up inside with a simmering beef stew and bottle of red. Or, maybe the fact that Alberta beef and Bison, barbequed ribs and hamburgers seem to win out over succulent white fish, chicken or shimp during the short summer season here in our northern region. Whatever the excuse or reason, if you are one of those "I only drink red", types, PLEASE, go out on a limb this summer and let us recommend a nice white for a change!

Summer is the best time to experience that cool refreshing, thirst quenching pucker of a crisp chilled white wine while basking in the sunshine on a patio deck. Many can be enjoyed alone ( we mean without food, not friends!) not all of them are "bitter", lots can be paired with meat and some will utterly surprise you with their delicate flavours.

Here's some ways to lighten up this summer and experiment with a few delicious whites and introduce your guests to a whole new range of tastes at your next gathering!

First, you'll need an ice bucket. It can be anything from a proper one used for chilling champagne to a child's sand pail. Have fun and use something that works with the theme of your event.

Fill the bottom of the ice bucket with some cold water - just a couple of inches will do. Then top 2/3 the way to the rim with ice. Plunge the bottle of wine into the bucket so that the ice covers the majority of the bottle to keep it chilled.

A great way to start any party is with an aperitif - a beverage that will quench thirst, and get both the gastric juices and taste buds primed for the delicious dinner to follow without filling you up.

Sauvignon Blanc is a great choice as these wines contain high acidity and medium to high alcohol. Depending on where the wine comes from, it might be a tropical fruit style flavour from Chile or a grassy, gooseberry style from New Zealand for example. Either way they will waken up your mouth and tickle your tongue. Sample a couple to know which ones you prefer. We stock many great ones for excellent value.

For a fun change of pace, offer your guests a selection of whites in different coloured buckets - a crisp, acidic Sauvignon Blanc, a fragrant, floral, lychee-style Gewurztraminer ("Gewurtz" for short!) and a sweeter style apricot, honey, lemony Riesling, to name but a few.

Light appetizers ranging from salty chips to succulent shrimp and light cheeses would all work well with these wines.

Then, if your main course is steak or ribs or even burgers, you can still fall back on your favourite reds to go with the main meal knowing that you have at least tried to expand your wine repertoire!

Hint: Next time you are barbequing pork ribs, try pairing them with a crisp semi dry Riesling. It's amazing!

NEW on the website Want to taste and enjoy wines like a pro? Download our "Wine Tasting 101" and swirl, smell and sip your way through all the new wines you are tasting!

www.aligrawineandspirits.com

GADGETS & GIZMOS

With the continued success of the Vinturi Wine Aerator, we have brought in the White Wine Vinturi Aerator. While we would not recommend it for a $10.00 bottle of Pinot Grigio, a higher end, more complex Chardonnay, for example would benefit from aeration.

Go Vino stemless, acrylic wine glasses are selling like crazy! Perfect for picnics, poolsides, hot tubs and klutzes, these elegant recycleable glasses make a great gift for the summer wedding you have to attend.

NEW! Air pump wine bottle openers. Yet another innovative way to get a cork out of a bottle. Designed like a small bicycle pump, these cork extractors make getting into your bottle of wine very easy indeed.

Crazy Wine T Shirts - a few to choose from. Great for the wine lover on your gift list.

Watch this space....... for new and different accessories in the store in time for Christmas giving ----- only 5 months away!!! I will be away in early August sourcing interesting gadgets at an International Gourmet Housewares Show....

Did You Know?

It takes approximately 2 1/2 pounds (1 kilo) of grapes to produce 1 bottle of wine.

There are over 10,000 varieties of wine grapes in the world today!

Volume 2 Issue 6

July 2009