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January feels like the longest month of the year. The holidays are over, the decorations all packed up and the bank balance is hurting. We’ve been mired in a weeks-long deep freeze, having to layer up big time at the painful prospect of leaving the house. Perhaps you’ve also decided to partake in Dry January, making the month seem that much longer…
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January feels like the longest month of the year. The holidays are over, the decorations all packed up and the bank balance is hurting. We’ve been mired in a weeks-long deep freeze, having to layer up big time at the painful prospect of leaving the house. Perhaps you’ve also decided to partake in Dry January, making the month seem that much longer…
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 31/01/2026 (230 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
January feels like the longest month of the year. The holidays are over, the decorations all packed up and the bank balance is hurting. We’ve been mired in a weeks-long deep freeze, having to layer up big time at the painful prospect of leaving the house. Perhaps you’ve also decided to partake in Dry January, making the month seem that much longer…
Thankfully, the month is nearly over, the mercury is slated to tick up slightly and there are plenty of drinks-related events on the horizon to help you forget the slog that was January…
First up is Good Neighbour Brewing Co.’s Brûlée Fest, which takes place Jan. 31 from 3 to 10 p.m. at the brewery (110 Sherbrook St.). Essentially you buy a mug of beer (usually a stout or porter), and one of the folks at Good Neighbour stick a red-hot poker in your brew, which caramelizes the beer and gives it a richer, creamier texture. It’s a whole experience, well worth trying. In addition to a whole bunch of small-batch stouts and porters, the brewery will have non-alcoholic beers available for brûlée service (in the event you’re finishing up Dry January), while adjacent restaurant Next Door (116 Sherbrook St.) is serving up hot cocktails and featuring a fondue special.
The crew at Low Life Barrel House (398 Daly St. N) and Snack Häus, the brewery’s in-house eatery, are serving up slider-sized fat boy burgers Feb. 1 from 1 to 7 p.m. (or until they sell out) for the second volume of Häus Party. The party will feature special guest Richard Caron, also known as the guy behind the Instagram account @fortheloveofallfatboys, where he posts video reviews of fat boy burgers from all corners of the province. (He’s well worth a follow.)
If you’re already thinking ahead to Valentine’s Day, a number of drinks-related events are on offer, no matter what you’re looking to do with your sweetie (or solo). On Wednesday, Feb. 11, Jones & Company is teaming up with Forum & Bistro for a four-course dinner at the Southeast Event Centre (321 Elmdale St. in Steinbach). The Amore e Vino event gets underway at 6:30 p.m. — tickets are $135 (including tax and tip) and are available online.
On Valentine’s Day proper, Sookram’s Brewing Co. (479-B Warsaw Ave.) is hosting a Raw Bar Oyster Company pop-up, which runs from 2 to 5 p.m. and will see the brewery tapping some small-batch brews for the event. Then in the evening, Sookram’s hosts a ticketed three-course lobster dinner, with two seatings (6 p.m. and 8 p.m.). Tickets are $100 and are available online for the 6 p.m. slot or the 8 p.m. slot.
Up in Gimli, Interlake Brewing Co. (72-A 1 Ave.) has a special four-course Valentine’s Day menu featuring the culinary stylings of guest chef Brad Joyce and music by Steffa Fridfinnson from 7 to 9 p.m. Dinner is $70 per person; while there aren’t tickets for the event, reservations are encouraged by calling 204-642-8313.
If Valentine’s Day really isn’t your thing, Patent 5 Distillery (108 Alexander Ave.) is teaming up with jeweler Silver and Stone for the “Charms for the Un-Charmed” charm bracelet workshop on Feb. 14. The event runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the distillery, and includes supplies to make your own bracelet (with more than 400 charms to choose from), guidance on how to craft your bracelet, and a cocktail. Tickets are $84 (tax included) and are available online.
Later in February, Bordeaux winemaker Pierre-Charles Dartier returns to Winnipeg for a masterclass tasting of his Château Cailleteau Bergeron and Clos Mansio wines. The event takes place Friday, Feb. 20, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Piedmont Room at Piazza De Nardi (1360 Taylor Ave.). Tickets are $27, or $20 for members of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS). To get yours visit this website.
Last call: Saturday, Jan. 31, is the last day to get early-bird pricing for tickets to the Winnipeg Whisky Festival before prices go up. The fest takes place March 6 and 7 at the RBC Convention Centre (375 York Ave.), and this year is featuring Canadian craft spirits producers.
First call: Tickets for the annual (and always excellent) Beer Is Art tasting, which features most of the province’s breweries, are now on sale. The event takes place Thursday, April 2, from 7 to 10 p.m. at WAG-Qaumajuq (300 Memorial Blvd.). Tickets are $65 plus fees, include all samples (and access to galleries), and are available online.
Wines of the week
Miguel Torres 2024 Gran ViñaSol Chardonnay on Lees
(Catalunya, Spain —$17.99, Liquor Marts and beyond)
This organic, vegan Spanish Chardonnay is pale straw in appearance, with lush peach, red apple and melon notes along with lemon meringue, bread dough and chalky notes on the nose.
It’s dry and light-plus-bodied, with a lovely creamy texture (thanks to the aging on the lees, the spent yeast cells) that comes with the red apple, peach and lemon-lime component.
If there’s oak, it’s minimal, while the acidity is modest and the 13 per cent finish offers decent length. Offers impressive complexity for the price. 4/5
Allan Scott 2023 Pinot Noir
(Marlborough, New Zealand — $21.99, Liquor Marts and beyond)
Reddish brick in appearance, this New Zealand Pinot Noir brings earth, cherry, plum, forest floor and black tea aromas.
It’s light-plus-bodied and dry, with juicy cherry and raspberry flavours coming with red licorice, white pepper, black tea and earthy notes, a hint of cola, medium acidity and, at 13.5 per cent, a modest bit of warmth on the finish.
Another wine that offers both ripeness and complexity at a good price. 4/5
Amatria 2024 Despistao Garnacha
(around $23, private wine stores)
This sustainably produced Spanish red is medium garnet in appearance, with blueberry, plum, ripe cherry, strawberry and subtle herbal notes.
It’s a medium-bodied, juicy red, with a decent dollop of acidity that delivers vibrant, slightly tart red fruit and a blueberry component that comes with a black tea note, while hints of white pepper arrive with the soft tannins before the medium-length finish (it’s 13.5 per cent alcohol).
Chill this lively, fresh red for 10-15 minutes and try with charcuterie, olives and cheeses. Available at Calabria Market, Kenaston Wine Market, G.J. Andrews and The Pourium. 4/5
winnipegfreepress.com/bensigurdson
Ben Sigurdson Literary editor, drinks writer
Ben Sigurdson is the Free Press‘s literary editor and drinks writer. He graduated with a master of arts degree in English from the University of Manitoba in 2005, the same year he began writing Uncorked, the weekly Free Press drinks column. He joined the Free Press full time in 2013 as a copy editor before being appointed literary editor in 2014. Read more about Ben.
In addition to providing opinions and analysis on wine and drinks, Ben oversees a team of freelance book reviewers and produces content for the arts and life section, all of which is reviewed by the Free Press’s editing team before being posted online or published in print. It’s part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Ben Sigurdson Literary editor, drinks writer
Ben Sigurdson is the Free Press‘s literary editor and drinks writer. He graduated with a master of arts degree in English from the University of Manitoba in 2005, the same year he began writing Uncorked, the weekly Free Press drinks column. He joined the Free Press full time in 2013 as a copy editor before being appointed literary editor in 2014. Read more about Ben.
In addition to providing opinions and analysis on wine and drinks, Ben oversees a team of freelance book reviewers and produces content for the arts and life section, all of which is reviewed by the Free Press’s editing team before being posted online or published in print. It’s part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Premier Wab Kinew has decided to adopt permanent daylight savings time, which means a permanent end to the spring forward, fall back tradition of adjusting our clocks. And absolutely no one is surprised.
A 911 outage that lasted about 90 minutes in Manitoba and other provinces early Thursday morning was caused by a problem with Bell’s next-generation network amid concerns about recurring disruptions.
It’s not yet known how many 911 calls did not go through after Bell detected the outage at 2:13 a.m. Service was restored at 3:40 a.m., spokeswoman Elise von Scheel said.
“We continue to investigate the root cause of the issue,” von Scheel wrote in an email.
Backup systems kicked in. Von Scheel said the “vast majority” of calls from Bell customers were rerouted to 911 communications centres, or public safety answering points.
Nicole Buffie4 minute readYesterday at 5:45 PM CDT
Thousands of dollars have been raised to help cover the legal fees of a Manitoba man charged after he allegedly fired a gun at thieves during a theft on his farm in August.
Free Press staff2 minute readYesterday at 1:57 PM CDT
A North Dakota man faces a string of charges after police say he fled the Emerson border crossing, leading RCMP on a pursuit along Highway 75.
Emerson RCMP were notified just before 6:30 p.m. Saturday that a man entering Canada from North Dakota had sped away from the port of entry after Canada Border Services Agency officers flagged him for a secondary screening.
Officers from several RCMP detachments and the Integrated Border Enforcement Team were sent to Highway 75.
Police said Morris RCMP tried unsuccessfully to stop the vehicle south of the town. Police later blocked Highway 75 at Provincial Road 210, but said the driver went around police vehicles, drove through a ditch and narrowly missed an officer before continuing north toward Winnipeg.
Tessa Adamski4 minute readYesterday at 2:01 AM CDT
BRANDON — A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for sexually abusing and impregnating a 14-year-old girl in 2024.
“Sexual abuse of a child is inherently a grave violation of the child’s bodily integrity, dignity, and security, and in this case, the consequences were compounded by the victim’s pregnancy and the need to undergo a termination,” Brandon provincial court Judge Patrick Sullivan said on Tuesday.
The accused had pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual interference and two counts of breaching a court order banning him from contacting anyone under 18.
A publication ban prohibits the publication of information that could identify the 14-year-old, who is from a western Manitoba First Nation, and two other minors with whom he communicated.
Connor Hellebuyck and his family were subject to so much post-Olympic vitriol that both the Winnipeg Jets security team and even police had to get involved.
