Calgary Wine Tasting: Mikko Alkio of Clos Alkio at Vine Arts

February 23, 2025April 30, 2026 Hitting the Sauce2 Comments

On Wednesday, Divine Offering and I went to a wine tasting at Vine Arts – Meet the Maker – Mikko Alkio of Clos Alkio. For this post, let’s listen to Caminito a Motel.

We checked out Sound Bar before the tasting. It’s a cozy, dimly lit space reminiscent of a chic basement. I was early and walked up to someone I thought was Divine Offering. After the woman told me she was not Divine Offering, I noticed she wasn’t even of the same ethnicity. This isn’t the first time I’ve made an error like this. Face blindness is a real thing.

Divine Offering texted me and asked me if I was inside. Yes, of course, I responded. Why would I wait outside in -25 weather? It turned out that someone had locked the door, and she couldn’t get in. When I went to open the door, another customer next to her yelled at me for locking him out. I responded indignantly that I didn’t lock him out. I was letting him in! He apologized.

I’m a big fan of the hard iced tea ($7) —it’s bubbly, full of rich black tea notes, and perfectly sweet without overpowering the tea flavour. Divine Offering tried a blood orange beer ($5), and for her second drink, she went for the non-alcoholic Bees Knees cocktail, which she loved. Divine Offering liked that the music was at just the right volume—not too loud. She also mentioned wanting to come back to try their snacks.

Right on time, we walked across the street to Vine Arts. Mikko, the winemaker, is from Finland. We learned that he’s familiar with Calgary. As a youth, he did a homestay in Calgary, where the hosts became like a second family.

His passion for wine became a business when he and his family moved to Barcelona so his three kids could immerse themselves in the city’s tennis scene. As there were no iPhones at the time to distract him, he developed a deep appreciation for Spanish wines. Despite being a partner at a law firm in Finland, he also chose to create a side hustle as the proprietor of a world-class winery in Priorat, Spain.

The first wine we tried in his line-up was Fam de Vida Chenin Blanc 2022 ($60.54). I found this wine fresh and clean, with a non-typical sweetness. Mikko noted that 14% of the wine was produced in high-quality inox tanks, with no oak aging, producing 900 bottles. Mikko said to wait eight to 10 years for the wine to mature. Divine Offering loved this wine so much that she purchased a bottle.

The second wine was a 2021 Fam de Vida Ull de Liebre ($64.50). I marvelled at the pretty purple hue and its smooth flavour. Mikko mentioned he was pleased this wine was well-received at one of Spain’s biggest festivals, which showcased thousands of Spanish wines. He shared that, much like law, the devil’s in the details regarding winemaking. He’s all about precision. His grapes use significantly less water than other wineries and have about five times less sulphur than other winemakers.

The third wine was my favourite – Fam de Vida Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 ($85.70). The fragrance was so lovely, reminding me of something very pretty and floral. It tasted clean and vibrant. I loved it so much that I stopped eating the cheese and charcuterie before me and sipped as slowly as possible. Mikko recommended aging this wine for ten years, but there’s no way I will wait a decade. I liked this one so much I bought two bottles. I asked Mikko what he would pair with this wine. He looked surprised as if the answer was so obvious, and apparently, it was to everyone except me. Cheese! Divine Offering also bought a bottle.

Mikko clearly favoured the fourth tasting – Fam de Vida Syrah 2022 ($88.70). This wine is aged in French oak for 14 months. He recommends tasting the difference after ten hours and then again the next day. I’m an impatient drinker, so this bottle was a no-go for me to purchase.

You can tell by listening to Mikko that he is obsessed with grapes, which is reflected in his wine quality. He’s all about letting his grapes speak for themselves, making wines that authentically reflect the land and the fruit.

The fifth wine was Caminito a Motel 2021 ($36.85). The wine is named after a song his son recommended, Caminito a Motel. Mikko would often listen to this song while searching for property.

Carminito a Motel is a blend of 35% Garnatxa, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 30% Carinyena, with a 15% alcohol content. Aged in French oak for eight months, Mikko recommended opening this wine in five, 10 and 15 years. I bought three bottles for friends of mine who like to age their wines.

The last wine of the evening was Clos Alkio 2021 ($108.24), a top blend Mikko is so proud of he put his name on it. Plucked from aged vines, the grapes blend 30% Garnatxa Negra, 30% Carinyena, 20% Syrah, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Divine Offering and I had a blast. The wine importer who set up the event was a great host, ensuring we had everything to be comfortable. Thank you, Mikko, for braving the cold Canadian prairie and sharing your wines. Hitting the Sauce gives this wine tasting two phat thumbs up.

Want more wine tastings? I keep a running list of Calgary wine tastings and events.

Supper Club Calgary: With Francine’s Chef Garret Martin & Bar Manager Nate Wry

November 22, 2024April 29, 2026 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

Town Hospitality organized an event. The lineup included Chef Garret Martin and Bar Manager Nate Wry of Francine’s, Sugar Water Events, and Kyo-Jean Chung from Crush Imports. Garret previously ran Major Tom and later, Francine’s, where I ate one of the best steaks in my life.

Set from 6:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. dinner included five courses paired with cocktails and wine ($243 per person). I asked Divine Offering if she was interested in attending with me. Lucky for me, she’s always up for fun! Let’s listen to “Sing, Sing, Sing” by Benny Goodman for this post.

The dinner was at The Garret Loft, above FinePrint on Stephen Avenue. We climbed the stairs and stepped into a long, lofty room. At one end, the kitchen welcomed us; at the other, a view of downtown’s ever-changing nature unfolded. A table stretched through most of the space, adorned with fresh blue delphinium flowers and burning candles.

This was my first time meeting Garret and Nate in person. I’ve only seen their photos in the Herald and was surprised by how fresh-faced they looked. With their resumes, I expected them to appear older, or at least more weathered.

The welcome drink was a French 75, created by Nate. The macadamia syrup added a nutty element, while the lemon provided an element of tartness. Delicious! We took our drinks, sat by a nook near the piano, and observed the scurry of activity before we sat for dinner.

We sat in the middle of the table, which roughly thirty other guests. The famous cheese monger, Isaac from Say Cheese Fromagerie, sat to my right with his posse. I’ve seen him on Instagram, usually chiseling into a massive wheel of cheese. To my left was a cluster of female friends, one donning a white hat. At the end of the table were couples. I sat across from one of Town Hospitality’s partners, Wyatt Norm.

The first dish was ham and chips with honey butter glaze, Bayonne ham, and aged comte cheese, paired with a glass of Montgermont Blanc De Blancs. Divine Offering took a bite and declared the honey butter glaze far better than the Korean snacks she’d bought. I picked up hints of thyme, while the chips tasted like cornflakes, topped with salty ham and cheese shavings.

The second dish was baby romaine salad with date vinaigrette, bacon, fried rosemary, and Roquefort blue. Paired with Maya Meaker Elgin Riesling, we learned the wine had a hint of residual sugar and high acidity, making it a perfect match for the sweet blue cheese from southern France. Divine Offering declared the cheese the star of the salad, smooth and creamy, without the usual sharpness of blue cheese. I loved how it melted in my mouth.

The salad was hearty yet light, sweet from the honey and salty from the bacon. I loved the combination of ingredients and textures, particularly the satisfying crunch when you cut into the “boat” of lettuce. I would order this again, and salads do not usually wow me.

Divine Offering eats slowly, while I’m usually quick. But I took my time for this meal as I didn’t want to stop tasting the flavours. One of my favourite of the night was the mussels, paired with a Pauet Macon-Villages Nos Cinq Terroirs, a smooth textured chardonnay.

The broth smelled fragrant and oceanic. The mussels were spectacular, plump, silky, and creamy, with a taste like fresh West Coast oysters. I loved how the delicate radish, apple, yuzu, and vanilla broth let the freshness of the mussels shine. She usually avoids shellfish, but these mussels were so soft and free of any fishy aftertaste that she ate every last one. I was disappointed she liked them so much, as I was hoping for her portion.

We were treated to extra cocktails throughout our meal, in addition to the welcome drink and five pairings. The Perfect Lady cocktail was simple and fun. I tasted peach with a hint of something tropical, like lychee. Divine Offering thought the Perfect Lady was a good break before the main course.

I thought nothing could outdo the mussels, but I had forgotten how well Garrett can cook a steak. The slow-roasted “delmonico” style steak was paired with a glass of contra soarda terra veneto rosso, a red wine from northern Italy. The peppercorn sauce was hot and full of flavor. The steak had a perfect chew, deep beefy richness, and a mouthwatering char. The whipped, buttery potatoes were smooth and creamy.

Divine Offering exclaimed the steak the best she’s ever had. We would both order this dish whenever it is on the menu at Francine’s. Garrett explained that all the food prepared was authentically French, buttery, rich, and salty.

Dessert was Divine Offering’s favourite course. The praline was creamy and not too sweet. I liked the salt and cheese, which countered the sweetness of the caramel. She quietly scraped the remaining butterscotch sauce off the plate to get every bit of sauce. She said if she were in the privacy of her own home, she would have licked the plate clean. I believe her. Her focus remained entirely on her dessert throughout the entire course. The wine was like a second dessert, sweet and complemented the parfait.

Divine Offering noted the cocktails made by Sugar Water Bar were expertly timed throughout dinner. The French 75 stimulated her appetite, while the ‘Ti Punch, her favourite cocktail tonight, ended the dinner perfectly. Nate noted that he prefers to use French spirits, such as French rum, and simple garnishes with the cocktails to focus on the taste. The last drink was funky and fun, fragrant and had a real “punch” to it.

The hospitality we received from everyone was an A+. Wyatt explained that these events give chefs a chance to create new dishes, as many grow tired of repeating the same hits night after night. Divine Offering thought the event was well-planned and definitely worth the money. The night was worth every nickel, with outstanding quality and drinks flowing all evening.

I plan to go again. I hear there will be a New Year’s Eve bash, though I might wait for the event following. I highly recommend Town Hospitality events and look forward to Garret and Nate’s upcoming restaurant, Francine’s. Hitting the Sauce gives the whole collaboration two phat thumbs up!

Want more like this? Check out my running list of Calgary’s best restaurants, date nights, and cheap eats.

17th Ave · Restaurants · Wine tasting

Missy This and That (No. 8 on Canada’s best 100 bars) & Lula Bar

September 13, 2024April 30, 2026 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

On Saturday morning, Instagram notified me that Juice Imports was turning eight and celebrating at Missy This That. I DMed Bottlenick and Chew Steel to see if they were up for some natural wine. For this post, let’s listen to “Birthday” by Selena Gomez.

The crowd is young! Or rather, I’m getting old. The clientele had a friendly vibe, just chilling out with a hipster glass of wine. Pretty ladies lounged around the bar, swigging back big glasses of natural wine with ease and digging into plates of green curry, the feature dish.

Getting an elusive wine from Juice Import’s rare portfolio felt so good. It’s been too long! We asked Erik questions, and while he spouted his poetic descriptions, the merriment in the room deafened his words. I picked a rosé that tasted light and juicy, like fresh strawberries. Bottlenick requested a particular type of white wine, probably something unnecessarily complex. Chew Steel stuck true to his habit – an Old Fashion cocktail.

This evening was a particularly hot day, and the table we sat in wasn’t close to the air con. I was sweating like a pig, trying vainly to prevent my upper lip from perspiring. I did have an appetite for one more glass of wine, this time, a red. Erik steered me to a light and fun glass.

After I wished Juice Imports a happy birthday, we left to cool off in an air-conditioned joint, Lulu Bar. Bottlenick wanted the Coal Roasted Cod ($39), and I selected the Sichuan Noodle Salad ($17) and the Steamed Lobster Dumplings ($20). Poor Chew Steel hasn’t ordered on his own in my presence for 14 years, so he didn’t request anything special.

The food at Lulu is very good. The cod was tender and lightly sauced with coconut cream and curry. I enjoyed the fried brioche bread, which retained its crispy exterior despite sitting in a pool of sauce. There was just enough fish and bread for each of us to get a good portion.

The noodle salad didn’t quite live up to my memory from 2020, but it was still quite tasty. It featured a generous amount of saucy noodles and Asian sesame dressing, but it was missing the fresh crunch, numbing sauce, and herby notes that I remembered.

My favourite bite of the night was the steamed lobster dumplings. The seafood flavour was prominent, and the dumpling itself offered a delightfully chewy, gelatinous texture.

Juice Imports, we’re counting on you to host more events! This city needs your energy! Together, united, we can create fun and unforgettable experiences for all Calgarians.

For more posts like this, check out my running list of best date night spots in Calgary.

Japanese · Restaurants · Special Occasion · Tokyo · Wine tasting

Yakitori Sanki Tokyo: Bib Gourmand Spot Worth the Stop

June 9, 2024April 30, 2026 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

One of my best-ever dining experiences was at Yakitori Sanka in Tokyo. I found this tiny spot when looking through the Michelin guide. The owner uses specialty local chickens and dusts each piece with sun-dried salt from the eastern Kochi Prefecture over Tosa binchotan charcoal. Not only was this the best yakitori and sake I consumed, but the service from the entire staff was bar none. For this post, let’s listen to “That Certain Female”.

I booked online via Table Check as soon as reservations opened, a month before our visit. I pre-ordered the eight-course yakitori course (6270 ¥), which included four appetizers and several chicken and vegetable skewers. The cost of the food and wine was more than reasonable for the quality and deliciousness we experienced.

The restaurant is hidden upstairs on the second floor. The room is clean and modern, showcasing a large charcoal grill that smoked and flared throughout the night. All the seats surround the open kitchen so that everyone can view the action.

I started with a sparkling wine. I read the owner is a sommelier. We noticed the chef would try all the wines before they were served to guests to test their quality. The wine itself was nice and mellow, with fruit-forward notes. I knew right away I had to try some of the other wines and sake because I felt I would appreciate the line-up.

Our set of appetizers included the most delicious warm custard. The nugget of braised beef and tomatoes exploded with rich flavour on our tongue. Chew Steel noted the salt texture in our green salad and commented that everything was perfectly seasoned.

The first skewer was the chicken shoulder, speckled with wasabi. The meat was soft and plump, with a clean flavour. L and I tried a fruity sake, which smelled like melons and was so smooth that I couldn’t even taste the alcohol. What I loved about this sake was that it was easy to drink and went well with the food.

The next chicken skewer was magnificent. The skin was thick and crunchy, and the meat was salty and juicy. I chewed as slowly as possible to enjoy the flavour. I noticed the chef intently dusting each skewer with salt and watching the smoke from the charcoal. Once every while, he would poke or add more charcoal to the grill.

One of my favourite pieces was the chicken gizzard. I loved the crunch, as the interesting texture reminded me of a cross between celery and cabbage. Each bite filled your mouth with the most delicious charcoal fragrance.

One of Chew Steel’s favourite bites were the chicken and green onion and grilled cabbage, which we could watch cooking for a lengthy time on the grill, more than twice that of the chicken. The cabbage was crunchy, with an explosion of refreshing, onion-like bite.

We then supped on super hot fried tofu. The room holds about 14 seats, and by 7:00 p.m., each spot was filled. Though Yakitori Sanka is tourist-friendly, it was frequented by native-speaking Japanese customers on Saturday.

The mushroom was so delicious it tasted like beef but ever so tender. I could feel my eyes rolling into the back of my head as I sucked the juices from the morsel. Chew Steel said this place would ruin us because other yakitori places couldn’t compare with it. He’s correct.

For our second sake, I wanted to try the drier one. I appreciated how the staff communicated all the details of the food and sake, using adjectives to describe each item. They were attentive all evening and it was clear that wanted us to have a positive experience and not miss any particular detail.

The meatball was unique—clear white juices from chicken. There was something very Canadian about the simplicity of flavour. The chicken was fluffy and clean.

We were given a soul-satisfying chicken broth at the end of our courses. The soup was nourishing and comforted my stomach, a nice touch to end the night. After we finished our soup, we were handed a cup of tea to sip on.

Yakitori Sanki is a special spot we plan to revisit in Tokyo. You can tell by watching the owner cook and the professionalism of the staff that they exemplify excellence in both craft and service. This restaurant ranks as one of the best that I’ve ever experienced. Hitting the Sauce gives Yakitori Sanki two phat thumbs up!

Planning a trip? See more in Where to Eat While Travelling: Restaurants Worth the Detour, including Tokyo picks.

Bars/Lounges · Wine tasting

Avitus Wine Bar – Top Date Night Spot in Marda Loop

April 10, 2024April 27, 2026 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

Last Monday, we wanted to get out and try somewhere new. I suggested Avitus, a tiny wine bar in Calgary’s Marda Loop neighbourhood. Chew Steel was game, so off we went. For this post, let’s listen to “Maneater” by Nelly Furtado.

Before we walked in, I warned Chew Steel that Avitus was a chick magnet. Usually, the men who show up look like they are on a hot date and aiming to impress. The bar is always full of women whooping it up—the ratio for every fearless man to woman is one to seven.

We sat at the only high table and started with a glass of wine. I tried the
Gun Metal Riesling ($16), a dry, minerally fruit-forward white wine. Chew Steel wanted a full-bodied wine and ordered a Pavillon De Trianon ($15). When I sipped his wine, I instantly got buyer’s remorse. Smooth and flavoured with infatuation, this is a bottle I would happily crush all night long.

For nibbles, we tried two cheeses, Delice de Bourgogne ($12), Comte ($12), Berkshire pork salami ($18), honey truffle ($4), carrots ($3), and a pickle ($3). The Delice De Bourgogne was Chew Steel’s favourite cheese; it was creamy and soft, oozing all over the bread. I liked the Comte because I’ve been more into nutty, hard cheeses lately. The truffle in the honey was dominant. The taste of truffle hit you first and then dissipated into the sweetness of the honey. I could taste a little smoke in the honey.

Chew Steel raved about the richness and chew of the salami. I thought the salami looked fattier than it tasted. The carrots were sweet, crunchy, and homemade. I enjoyed the juicy slices of the pickle, which helped cut into the salami’s fat.

We wanted another Pavillon De Trianon for our last glass of the night. However, fate is a cruel lover, and our server, who I suspect may be the owner, said there was no more. He suggested another wine that was similar but a little more refined, Chateau Beaumont ($17). While this wine was very good, I preferred our first red wine. The second wine tasted lighter and more delicate, but I like my wine with more of a punch.

I mentioned to Chew Steel that I would like to know what the owners of Cassis Bistro think of the wines and cheeses at Avitus Bar. It would be like Mozart and Beethoven meeting and reviewing each other’s work.

We had a great time trying new wines and cheeses. When we left, the bar was full of boisterous ladies jonesing for a good time. They know a good thing when they taste it. Hitting the Sauce gives Avitus two phat thumbs up.

Want more like this? Check out my running list of Calgary’s best restaurants, date nights, and cheap eats.