Calgary’s Most Notable Wine Shops and Clubs

Ever tire of the last-minute trips to the liquor store to get a bottle of vino? Need a hand in selecting a wine to pair with arctic char? We’ve rounded up a host of Calgary’s most notable wine shops, all of which are staffed with knowledgeable wine enthusiasts and (most of which) offer case of the month-type clubs so you have a backup for your backup bottle. Peruse the list, sign up for their newsletters and the tastings and events will pop-up faster than a champagne cork come September.

MetroVino (722 11th Ave SW)
MetroVino’s September tastings are already scheduled. If your order is more than $100 and you live within 5km of the shop, you’ll benefit from their complimentary delivery service. They’ve got fun classes, with previous topics including: Wine Basics, Wines for BBQs, The Art of Wine, and Patio Pinks! Signup for their newsletter here.

Vine Arts (1310 – 1st Street SW, pictured above) 
Calgary’s “most creative wine shop” hosts tons of cool tastings. Although they are on hiatus for the summer, sign up for their newsletter at www.vinearts.ca and stay tuned for upcoming ones. They really do have creative flair; one of their tastings this spring was a Sled Island edition where wines were paired with specific Sled bands. The staff are fun and come up with some descriptions for the wines that will have you scratching your head.

Kensington Wine Market (1257 Kensington Road NW)
The Wine Market has an educational tasting event coming up on July 30 and every Saturday they offer the opportunity to sample wine from 2-5pm. Sign up for their Wine Line newsletter to be the first to know about new happenings at the shop.

Side note: If there are any Whisky drinkers in your life, the Whisky Advent Calendar is also available for pre-order. It’s a hot item, so don’t wait.

Ferocious Grape (833 10 Avenue SW)
Ferocious Grape’s Wine Club is a selection of red and white wines (approx 75/25). They deliver on the first Wednesday or Saturday of each month and the options range from The Taster (4 bottles for $95) to The Entertainer (12 bottles for $260). If you get the Entertainer for three months in a row, you’re rewarded with a magnum of wine. Sign up for their witty Ferocious Friday newsletter and keep apprised of their weekly Ferocious features.

The Cellar (137 8th Ave SW)
A Cellar Club member receives case discounts and exclusive member emails not advertised to the public. The email also details fantastic offers on wine you might already know of and there are collector wine emails with short supply or exclusive offerings. You also get a heads up on their winemaker dinners hosted at their sister restaurants. The Cellar is a unique cavernous location for tasting events (also on hiatus for the summer), so sign up for their newsletter to keep on top of them.

Zyn (1543 17 Ave SE)
Zyn has a red case of the month ($207 for July) and a mixed case of the month ($185 for July) and you can check online what’s included here. They have a whole host of events at the Inglewood, Bankers Hall and Suncor Energy Centre locations. Subscribe to their newsletter at www.zyn.ca and never miss a deal or tasting.

Inglewood Wine Market (1139 9th Ave SE)
They’ve got a wine club with options ranging from The Wine Pair (2 bottles per month for $40) to The Wine Pot (12 bottles per month for $360). Sign up for their emails, with tastings and events at www.inglewoodwine.com.

Top photo courtesy Vine Arts