Lovers of the grape in ecstasy at Alberta Spirits
by Shari Bishop Bowes
Oenophile: n : a connoisseur of fine wines; a grape nut [syn: oenophilist, wine lover]
Source: WordNet ® 2.0, © 2003 Princeton University
Why is it that the words used to describe experts in areas of passionate leisure only serve to intimidate?
Why would an amateur book collector want to start handing out business cards saying “Henry Phibbins — Bibliophile”?
And, more pertinent to the topic of this article, why would someone who loves wine, and knows a thing or two about it, want to be known as an oenophile?
The good people at Canmore’s fabulous wine and liquor shop, Alberta Spirits, couldn’t care less what you call yourself — oenophile, grape nut, vineyard vanderer — they are simply there to offer their impressive knowledge of wines to one and all.
“Wine can be fun, as well as enjoyable,” says Randy Dawson, the affable owner of the large, inviting wine and spirits boutique store that opened its doors here just over 10 years ago. “We want to make this as friendly and as fun as possible, and our goal is that, in wine and food, there are no rules. It’s what you like, it’s your taste…. We don’t follow the rules.”
When Alberta Spirits first threw open its doors in 1994, times were a changin’ in this province, and in the small but rapidly growing community of Canmore. The provincial government had just deregulated liquor sales in Alberta, opening wide a market that had been seriously underserved for decades.
Two moves, serious expansion in both square footage and product, and many valuable lessons learned later, Dawson is pleased with how far the business has come, and, in particular, how well it has been supported by local people, part-time residents and returning visitors. Located conveniently between the town’s two major grocery stores, this inviting retail space offers more than 2,000 wines at any one time, along with an impressive selection of liquors and imported and premium beer.
A busy volunteer locally, as well as on the national politics scene, Dawson buzzes with the kind of energy that, if bottled, would make a good energy drink. On this day he takes a moment out of checking the shop’s wine inventory to sit down with SolaraLife and talk a little wine. (Both subject and interviewer are regretful the interview takes place a little too early in the day to enjoy a glass together while having this chat.)
It was in Alberta Spirits’ first few years of business that Canmore residents and visitors began to notice a marked difference in what was now available to them, particularly in terms of the variety of wine.
“We really went through the selection and felt that it did not meet the needs of the population,” Dawson says of the first few months after the store opened. “We changed that mix dramatically, in terms of what was available.”
From the beginning, Dawson and his staff adopted a philosophy for the business that included three things: Lots of research and networking; lots for work and relationship-building with wine reps and agents and sommeliers at some of the area’s fine restaurants; and just as much work paying attention to — and acting on — customer feedback.
Wine appreciation is very much a part of the Canmore experience. New restaurants with impressive wine selections are complemented by a huge international selection available at Canmore’s wine boutique, Alberta Spirits.
“The objective we took was to always stay ahead of the curve,” says Dawson. “We’re very much a new world wine store,” he adds, “We very much opened the California, the Australia, the Chile markets, the Canadian market — we’re a very big seller of Canadian wine.”
The last decade has seen more than a few things improve, grow and change dramatically in Canmore, and in Alberta Spirits’ clientele. Customers who used to come in for the same bottle of wine week after week now found a knowledgeable staff offering new tastes and vintages at prices no more than their favourite old standards.
“We used to sell a lot of Piat D’or when we first opened,” Dawson says with a grin. “We don’t anymore, because there’s so much product out there, at the same price, that is so good that you don’t have to rely on what I consider to be the old standards of the 1970s and ’80s.”
As more people pass through its doors, Alberta Spirits has developed something of a dual personality. The shop caters just as easily to the people who have five minutes to find a delicious but inexpensive bottle of wine to go with dinner (customer A), as to the knowledgeable wine expert who has spent months in hot pursuit of a specific vintage (customer B).
Dawson and his staff enjoy educating that first type of customer, gradually introducing new selections at informal weekend wine tastings, over many repeat visits. In more than a few cases, customer A has turned into customer B, and the necessity of something to accompany a meal with a bottle of something nice has transformed into a full-blown passion.
The more experienced wine connoisseurs who find themselves in the cozy aisles of Alberta Spirits often find more than a few surprises.
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If you love wine — either as an experienced collector or a neophyte taster — you’ll want to visit Alberta Spirits in Canmore. Owner Randy Dawson and manager Marty Hjertaas offer up their impressive knowledge of wine to customers on both ends of that spectrum.
“One of the things we’ve been successful at is developing a sophisticated clientele,” Dawson says. “If there are five cases of a premium product in the province, it is almost guaranteed that I get one of them.”
In order to bring the best selection of wine to Alberta Spirits, Dawson and his store manager Marty Hjertaas commit themselves to research that begins with the vast amount of information now available on the Internet, through experienced wine reps and sommeliers, and in visits to the regions of the world where the best emerging vintages can be found. That has taken Dawson to Spain in the past few years, while Hjertass is planning a trip to Italy in the near future.
Closer to home, there are plenty of opportunities for oenophilic explorations without leaving the country. The nearby Okanagan wine region is but one option in a country whose taste for fine wine continues to grow.
The result of keeping ahead of that proverbial curve has been a growing clientele that comes from further and further afield, Dawson says.
“We’re attracted a national, and frankly international clientele,” he says. “We have Americans who come back up to shop in our store, and who say they have not seen our style of store, even down in the United States.”
The result of Alberta Spirits’ efforts in the wine market has been remarkable — the 4,000-plus square-foot store is ranked number one among premium wine stores in Alberta, based on volume sold.
With a significant demand for its unique array of products, Alberta Spirits plans to branch out into on-line retail marketing this fall. The store will also begin offering “case of the month” sales, including delivery.
A sign of the times in Canmore, with the second-home market constantly growing and wine collecting becoming ever-more popular, is Alberta Spirits’ latest offering: wine cellar management.
“The market wasn’t even there two to three years ago, and it’s just exploded,” Dawson says.
What’s New, What’s Next?
Dawson and his staff are only too happy to share the results of their considerable research on wine.
Asked for his predictions in what’s hot and what’s not, Dawson points to Spain as one important emerging market. (Alberta Spirits carried some 80 Spanish varieties, whereas most wine boutiques carry 20 or fewer.)
Chile has turned out some very nice wines in recent years, but now is the time to watch for some very interesting premium estate wines from that country, he says.
The 21st century has seen an explosion in diversity from Italy, “where it’s not just Chianti and Valpolicella anymore.” The South of France is another region to keep an eye on for some excellent wines.
Canadian wineries, to date, have been known for their excellent whites, but Dawson is now on the lookout for “some very interesting, well balanced Canadian reds.”
“It’s not a market frankly that I was a fan of five years ago.”
And how about trends on the downturn? Even the most popular wines wane in popularity over time, says Dawson, who has watched the huge Australian market taper off, “just because people get tired.”
A British Columbia Winery Tour Worth the Trip
The Okanagan wine region in nearby British Columbia offers a host of possibilities for those who love wine and have the time for an overnight trip. Kelowna, the centre of this region, is about a five-hour drive from Canmore.
Of all the options available, Dawson recommends a visit to the Mission Hill Winery near Kelowna, B.C.
“It is a winery in scope and size and design that would match many in the Old World and California,” he says.
See www.missionhillwinery.com for more information. Check out the long list of seminars and special events, including those offered during the Okanagan Wine Festival in early October.
How to Find Alberta Spirits
Alberta Spirits Liquor Store
#120, 1120 Railway Avenue
Canmore, Alberta
Ph. 403.678-2451
Or, visit their smaller satellite store in the Cougar Creek area: #102, 1001 Cougar Creek Drive
Wine Tastings
Try a new wine as you explore the world’s wine regions on the shelves at Alberta Spirits. Wine tastings are held in the shop Fridays and Saturdays between 3 and 8 p.m., and occasionally on Sundays as well.
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