Whisky every which way

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/02/2025 (400 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If ticket prices for next week’s Winnipeg Whisky Festival don’t quite fit into your budget, fear not — a range of smaller, more focused (and less expensive) events are taking place at venues throughout the city, and will be led by some of the same brand ambassadors and distillers in town for the big fest.

On Wednesday, Canada and the United States square off at the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame (145 Pacific Ave.) at 7 p.m. in an official Winnipeg Whisky Festival ancillary event dubbed Sips in the Hall. Don Livermore, master blender for Hiram Walker & Sons, will be talking about and pouring Canadian whiskies, while Corby Spirit & Wine bourbon brand ambassador Matt Uden will handle all things bourbon. Products from J.P. Wiser’s, Rabbit Hole and Jefferson’s Bourbon will be poured; tickets are $40 at wfp.to/W4o.

Also on Wednesday, the Thomas Hinds Sampling Room (185 Carlton St.) hosts Jamie Johnson of Glenfiddich, who will lead guests through a tasting of five whiskies (including Glenfiddich’s 14 Bourbon Barrel Reserve and the Grand Cru 23 year-old single malt). Entry is $50; there are no physical tickets, but people can reserve a spot at thsamplingroom.com.

On Thursday, the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame hosts another official ancillary event, this time with Micah Dew of Maker’s Mark distillery, along with Andrew (Hustler) Paterson of Winnipeg Sports Talk. The evening, dubbed Maker’s Mark Master, combines bourbon and hockey, with five Maker’s products being poured as those in attendance watch the Winnipeg Jets take on the Nashville Predators. The event is from 5 to 10 p.m.; tickets are $50 at wfp.to/W4S.

Also on Thursday at 7 p.m., a Glenmorangie and Ardbeg masterclass led by national brand ambassador Bryan Simpson kicks off at 7 p.m. at Hy’s Steakhouse and Cocktail Bar (1 Lombard Ave.). The tasting will feature seven whiskies from the two Scottish distilleries; tickets are $20 plus fees at wfp.to/W4Q.

Proceeds from the two official Winnipeg Whisky Festival ancillary events and the big public tastings at the RBC Convention Centre on Feb. 28 and March 1, support the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.

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Craft beer lovers, rejoice: tickets are now available for Beer is Art, Thursday, April 17, at WAG-Qaumajuq (300 Memorial Blvd.) from 7 to 10 p.m. Like last year’s inaugural event, most of Manitoba’s craft breweries (and a handful of other local drinks producers) will be pouring core products and special brews, with live music throughout the building. Tickets are $65 and include access to all the galleries; they’re available from participating breweries (either in tap rooms or via their respective websites).

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Hockey wasn’t the only place where Canada made a big splash on the international stage this past week.

The same day Canada won the 4 Nations Face-Off in Boston, Montreal’s Joris Gutierrez Garcia took top spot at the Best Sommelier of the Americas competition of the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI) in Sonoma, Calif.

A series of exams, including in service and blind tasting, whittled down the competition from 14 competitors to the final three, with Garcia besting Mark Guillaudeu of the U.S. and Nicolas Reines from Colombia, who came in second and third, respectively.

Garcia will compete at the next ASI Best Sommelier of the World competition in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2026.

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Wines of the week

Campo Viejo NV Cava Brut Reserva (Penedes, Spain — $19.49, Liquor Marts and beyond)

This Xarel-lo/Macabeo/Parellada blend is pale straw in appearance, with lemon-lime, green apple, herbal and chalky aromas. It’s light-bodied and with just a hint of sweetness that comes with the ripe citrus, green apple, herbal and chalky flavours, with vibrant effervescence and, at 11.5 per cent alcohol, a modest finish. Made in the traditional method used in Champagne (secondary fermentation in the bottle) and aged for a minimum of nine months. A very good value. 4/5

Bodegas Bianchi 2023 Finca Los Primos Chardonnay (Mendoza, Argentina — $11.24, Liquor Marts and beyond)

Sourced from vineyards planted about 750 metres above sea level, this Argentine Chardonnay is pale straw in colour and aromatically brings ripe red apple, peach and pear notes with a hint of tropical fruit. It’s light-plus bodied and dry, with up-front fresh fruit — particularly red apple and peach — as well as subtle chalky notes and no discernible oak influence. This wine has been delisted by Liquor Marts, so stock up on this fun, easy-going Chardonnay while you can at this reduced price (it’s regular $14.99) before it’s gone. 3/5

Beni di Batasiolo 2022 Barbera d’Alba (Piedmont, Italy — around $16, private wine stores)

This Piedmontese red from the Alba region brings plum, sour cherry, earth, menthol and ash notes on the nose. It’s dry and medium-plus-bodied, with good concentration of dark berry, cherry and plum flavours, light but grippy tannins and, at 14 per cent alcohol, a warm, slightly peppery finish. It’s not overly oaky, with the juice split between large Slavonian oak casks and stainless steel tanks before bottling. Available at The Winehouse and Calabria Market. 3.5/5

 

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