If you are a wine connoisseur, you’ve probably already paid a visit to The Naughty Grape on Elizabeth Street. If you’ve ever wanted to become one, be sure to drop in next time you’re downtown.
“We have things you don’t see everywhere, like Japanese whiskeys and local beers,” said sommelier Ashton Phenix, who with her husband Mike opened the store in January of this year. “There are a lot of labels that you don’t typically see in the Okotoks market.
“We set up the store so that people can see products grouped by where they came from,” she added, “and we hold regular tasting events to help our customers learn about the different properties of the wines, beers and spirits we offer.”
Ashton and Mike moved to Okotoks in 2017. Both have backgrounds in hospitality and know how to work closely with importers and wineries so most of the products you see on their shelves are unique.
Many of The Naughty Grape’s patrons are already knowledgeable and just looking to try new kinds of wines. “But there are also lots who come in and ask me to recommend a good wine to serve with the dinner they’re making tonight,” Ashton said.
There is an underlying belief that if something is not something familiar, it’s expensive. However even a casual stroll through The Naughty Grape reveals that most of their wines are very moderately priced. There is, of course, a selection of rare and expensive vintages, but that’s not the majority. As a price-conscious casual observer, I was surprised by how competitive the prices are.
“We price our wines competitively so that you get exceptional juice at an acceptable price,” is how Ashton put it.
Their selection of beers is a fun combination of popular local breweries and classic quality imports, including Japanese, Belgian and German brews.
“We’ve also seen a really cool trend with Nova Scotia ciders,” she added. “Nova Scotia pumps out about 10 per cent of the entire country’s apples and they’re coming up with cool ideas, like Earl Grey, ciders that are unique, interesting and not something you see on the average shelf.”
Ashton earned her designation as a sommelier (or professional wine steward) in 2010. “The two biggest components of the sommelier program are viticulture, the study of grape cultivation, and vinification, the conversion of fruit juices into wine by fermentation,” she said.
The Naughty Grape also hosts several winetasting events every month. Tomorrow night, beginning at 6:30 p.m. for example, they will host “Wine 101 – Wine for Beginners,” the first in a mini-series of wine tastings.
Future classes will compare Cabernet Sauvignon wines from around the world, and provide an overview of all the wines that Burgundy has to offer.
And if someone invites you over for dinner, be sure to give Ashton a call. She’ll help you choose a memorable vintage to bring as a dinner gift to your host or hostess.
Their website is naughtygrape.ca.
