KWM packs a punch far above its weight for a neighborhood wine, beer and spirits provider. I'd made purchases afar for family members and then paid a detailed visit on this trip and really gained an added appreciation for what's going on here. The service I'd experienced over the phone is no gimmick, on full display and then some. Helpful yet not hovering. The descriptions given on wines are detailed yet not pretentious, and there's no up-selling or anything of the like going on. Having never purchased wine in person in Canada I was unfamiliar with a good number of offerings but found everything to my liking with a little assistance. If you're into spirits, and particularly single malts, this is a real destination worth the effort. A stunning array of everything imaginable. All the favorites, and if nothing else for the view, some remarkable 50 yr. bottlings and older that'll set you back a hefty house payment and more, what they should be. I can't think of any stores where I come from that are many multiples the size of KWM that come anywhere near to this kind of dedication to their business. So while I'm not that customer, I appreciate the opportunity to just view these behind locked glass. Very highly recommended. Everything I need I can find here and will return often when I'm in the city. read more

Buyer beware, think twice before, paying for a tasting at the Kensington Wine Market My wife had booked me a tasting unfortunately I missed the date. When I realized I missed it, I called to explain the situation.  I asked if there was any way to get some kind of credit (even if it's not for the full amount) to be applied to either another tasting or towards the purchase of spirits. I was told flatly no.  I was disappointed in their unwillingness to do anything.  I understand that missing the tasting was my fault . That said, I was a bit shocked at how dismissive they were when I suggested even a partial credit towards a future purchase. Unfortunately, they have lost a loyal customer. To the owner: It's clear to me by your insulting response that you dont care much about your long-standing customers. The only one here being disingenuous is you. At no time did I ask or expect a full refund. Are you suggesting that you prepour alcohol and serve them for people who were not there and then pour them down the drain? Brilliant business practice if that is how you operate.. You're a liquor store, not Ticketmaster. You are operating these tasting events more like a restaurant. However, unlike you there are no restaurants that I'm aware of that require full payment upfront. I've been to dozens of drink tasings over the years. Generally speaking, they are there to promote a variety of spirits and encourage consumers to buy some from said service provider. I was simply asking if a portion of my $60 fee could be used towards a future purchase. I dont believe this to be an unreasonable request if you want to retain your customers. This has been an enlightening experience for me to see just how poorly you value customer service. read more

My first interaction with KMW was about a year ago. I was looking for a single malt scotch that wasn't super common in your typical local liquor store. While KWM definitely knew about the bottle I was in search of, they didn't have any on hand. Their kindness in helping me find this bottle with no financial benefit to them made me curious to learn more about the team in the store. I've been in the store a number of times now. It's not a convenient store to drive to - a 45 min trip from home oneway - but it's so worth it. I'm that guy who comes into a store like this who stares at the wall of whisky with awe. I love all the little nuances about whisky - colour, bottle shape, branding, packaging, story, taste, flavour profile, etc - and what I have come to love about KWM is they tolerate all of my questions, offer a sample, and are happy to just leave me be and stare away. Great service, kindness beyond expectation, and of course, a great selection of fine whisky for any budget. read more

Good selection, not out of this world but decent. Prices are up there. Staff - somewhat knowledgeable depending on what you need but have had friendlier service at other liquor stores. If you want to order a bottle of alcohol that they do not have and have to order in, they want a credit card number upfront. Not a huge fan of that. The store is large and well laid out and they do have a good selections of import beer. I will give it another try for sure. Actually, we have to, we have to grab our bottle of rum! read more

Excellent variety of wine and spirits. They let us sample some bourbons before picking one. Great service, would definitely return!

The mural over top of the door of this wine market is so perdy. Plus I love the inner layout of the store, the wine areas are segregated by countries and each area has a beautiful drawing hanging over the area in chalk. The prices are about a couple of dollars more expensive than other wine stores but the feeling of entering the store is so warm and pleasant it is worth it. The staffs here is delightful, I was offered wine tastings and great service and the whole store was packed with other happy alcohol buying individuals. Some of the obscure beer is actually marked with a description of the beer and where it originates from, which is such a nice touch for those serious beer drinkers out there. This is a great market in Kensington; wish they had one in the Mission area. read more

Kensington Wine Market - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

The four stars is for the nice lady that tried to help me find a gift bag for booze that I had purchased at a different liquor store. She searched high and low for something that it could fit in to, but wasn't successful. It's not her fault, they just don't carry it. But minus one star for the snooty guy that tried to come along and "help," by saying that Crown Royal doesn't even come in a box. I just bought it from another liquor store. In a box. read more

I know not very many things about wine. I know I can drink some wines which are vegan friendly, and have a list of those wines. I know that white wine is excellent in baked potato and kale soup. I know that wine makes me sleepy when I drink huge mason jars full of it. I know many more things about beer. I know that I like tasty beer and not garbage beer. I know that I prefer beers that are brewed in smaller batches and come from microbreweries. I know that I like most all beers, and when I might pair a Pale, Amber, Wheat, or Stout with a meal. I also know that even if it is called KENSINGTON WINE MARKET, this is always a great place for me to come seek a microbrew as well. They also are really great about keeping up with seasonal selections on the market. I am a sucker for seasonal spiced ales, and around Thanksgiving popped into Kensington Wine Market for some pumpkin beers to drink alongside my Tofurkey dinner. The staff member assisting me was knowledgeable, and I felt I could trust his recommendations as his tastes sounded similar to my own. I went home with some Howe Sound pumpkin ale which I haven't tried, as well as some Alley Kat and St. Ambroise which I can always rely on. They were also listening to a band I really love and don't get to hear often unless it's on my own record player, so I was pretty pleased. I have to admit, I drank most of the Howe Sound myself while preparing Thanksgiving dinner, but I guess that speaks to the rad recommendation I received. While I am not a wine aficionado, I trust that if I ever need to turn to wine snobbery, this is the place I would go as well. High fives, Kensington Wine Market. *Review 6/30 of Yelp's 30 Day Challenge 2012 read more

Yup, this place is the bomb. Good deals on wines, interesting selection of fun beers, and great staff. The people working here are always friendly and so helpful. They always have suggestions for new things to try but they never seem pushy. I like how well they know their product. They also have some interesting tasting nights, I've never given one a try but I've suggested it to others who have asked me about where to go for wine, beer or whisky tastings. Plus, they have crabbies. 'nough said. read more

Amazing staff that are incredibly knowledgeable. Thier whiskey staff are top notch and able to guide you to the perfect bottle (even including offering tastings). With a ton of events and tastings always going on this place should most definitely be on your radar read more

Came in to look for some wine as recommended by some friends. My girlfriend and I were the only people in the store, with 6 staff members chatting away and picking wines for the tasting that evening. Not one person looked at us, or asked us if we needed any help finding anything. I had to ask someone for help looking for a wine I wanted and he seemed not very interested, or helpful at all. He told me they did not carry it, since you can find it anywhere. But this particular grape from this vineyard I could not find anywhere. For all the hype of this place, I was disappointed in the service provided. After leaving the store I saw a sign saying something on the lines of " amazing service". Looks like i missed the time frame for that on this very slow day at the wine store. I would not recommend. read more

Selection is good and staff are very knowledgable. Some of the staff are very friendly but more often than not they are pretentious and kind of jerky. A particular visit over Christmas when I was told off by a patron for having my stroller in the store while three employees just stood there staring at me blankly was a deal breaker. I don't need someone to fight my battles but acknowledging that babies and strollers are welcome (even though at times a pain!) would have been appreciated. I got in touch with the manager afterwards and he apologized but it was basically a lame excuse as to why 3 grown men couldn't act like gentlemen and make me feel welcome in their store with a baby. Now my husband and I visit one of the MANY other liquor and wine stores in the neighbourhood. We find the staff at The Liqour Cellar on 10th super helpful and friendly! The woman who runs it pays special attention to her products and customers, bonus there is plenty of room for a stroller if you happen to have one! read more

If it is appropriate to love a wine store then I'd like to go steady with this one. They have a great selection of popular wines as well as a diverse selection of wines you wouldn't find at your average liquor store. They have very knowledgeable staff who are attentive and can help you find the right wine, whether it be for a dinner party or a night home alone with your cats watching reruns. I like the fact they have a good range of prices as well so they can cater to any budget. Many of their wines have quirky, handwritten description cards to which makes selecting a wine on your own pretty easy. They also have a cool wine or beer of the month club (as they carry a unique selection of ales, lagers etc) which again ranges in price but is a great way to try a range of products. You can pick up your monthly subscription or they can send it to you. It's a great idea! read more

This is the liquor store you go to to find something you haven't tried before. I recently got schooled on my scotches and my Japanese whiskeys! I picked up a bottle of fantastic bourbon made by B&E distillers that was bottles specifically for Kensington Wine Market! Awesome! They even managed to have some beers I hadn't tried before! I was floored! This is incredible! I found a fantastic Unibrue Limited edition and tried and Even More Jesus port beer clocking in at 14% alcohol. YOWZA!! They don't have a large selection of cold beer which is kind of a shame. I love giant coolers so I can go home and sample my picks right away! If you're in the mood for something new, or just need something special, check out Kensington Wine Market. Molson product lovers need not apply! read more

They offer delivery to DT for just $7, and can even do one day notice if they're not busy. Worth the savings in gas and parking. Carry wines from Spain and Portugal...not too much on the beer stuff. 5% off for seniors too. read more

Love this place. Its got an extensive selection of wines you don't get anywhere else, sorted by country. Its great for wine connoisseurs, and fantastic for people like me, who love it, but cant decipher its intricacies if my life depended on it, because with a lot of the bottles, they have a description of what it would taste like! BRILLIANT! Now I can happily go, read the description, and pick out one which sounds the most delicious, rather than going and randomly picking one depending on the prettiness of its label. Also, they ask you at the cash if you want to start a little list of wines you've drank. So that way, you can track what you've drank, liked, or disliked! BRILLIANT! p.s. its got other stuff too, like whiskeys, scotch, etc etc. AND they hold fun tasting events! I've never been to any, but it will happen one day! read more

I stopped by Kensington to pick up a few bottles of a specific beer while in the neighbourhood. The beer was $1.50 more/bottle than Oak & Vine and staff wasn't very friendly. I'll stick to Oak & Vine in future. read more

A $8 bottle of wine in suburbia was $11 here. I don't mind because I don't want the inner city to die. To my (pleasant) surprise, they have a decent beer selection. I had never seen, tasted, or even heard of 80% of the beers in that fridge, and I rate 3.5/5 on the beer connoisseur knowledge scale. The pint sized bottles are priced offensively (around $10), but hey, where else am I going to get a pint of Jalapeno-dark-ale beer that was brewed in Oregon with labeling that suggests it is best served with chicken and pork dishes? Oh yeah, Oregon. And for half price. At a bar. On tap. read more

Selection was ok. Received a parking ticket in their lot. Won't go back again.

BEERS GALORE AND SO MUCH MORE! I think this is a five star business, yet my experience of their wine selection is so limited that I will declare an immediate four stars, then 'update' my review after I have more experience with their range of wines. I go here frequently for their selection of beer. Their presentation allows one to (for the most part) select individual beers, rather than having to commit to a bulk amount of one type. Their geographic range is matched only by their beer type. Both categories are wide ranging, if not global and formidable. I have a love of microbreweries from la Belle province, Quebec. The KWM has an excellent selection of Dieu du ceil! This company prides itself on live ('top fermenting') brewing, and should be recognized as one of the finest breweries on earth. The myraid esters produced by the live yeast process is masterfully directed by these guys. So many different flavours, aromas, gravities and timbres your mind reels at the patience required to perfect multiple styles of alcohol-yum. The Kensington Wine Market seems to be aware of this, for they are the ONLY store in Calgary that pointedly presents as much of the Dieu du Ciel! range as possible. Unibrou brewers is also committed to by KWM -- Maudite, Blanche de Chamblay, Troix Pistoles, et cetera are all 'regulars' at the Wine Market. Also of note are the aforementioned ranges -- geographic, and stylistic. Asian, North American, European an South American products are all presented year-round (as the market allows). Stylistically no other shop in town presents such a range. Ales of various gravities and noses, bitters, porters, stouts, 'top-hop', single, double, and triple fermented 'wines', beers infused with specific aromas (IE hibiscus, chocolate, espresso)... probably not every beer in the planet, but close enough for this freak. Of wines I know little. They have the Gewurztraminer, Valpolicella, and Amontillados that I like. So there. Do yourself a favour and allow the neophile in you to randomly grab goodies from this joint. Trust me. You will want to go to there repeatedly. read more

Really nice wine store and has an great collection of single malt scotch. (well not as good as place in heathrow but really good)

Wine is way overpriced. You can find exact wine much much cheaper at other stores in Calgary.

Every time I walk in here I get treated like I am putting them out for asking for any kind of service. There are way too many other great places that actually do care so don't waste your time/money here or more importantly don't waste their time because they couldn't be bothered. read more

I have bought a fair amount from Kensington Wine Market, but the most expensive stuff has been the annual rare Bourbon purchases toward the end of the year. The most noticeable thing is the snobbery and rudeness of the staff, my most recent visit I spent $300, which I guess is irrelevant, it could have $30, however, the guy who helped me, well, when I say he helped me, the stuff I ordered on line was sitting there when I walked in, he just put it in a bag, he was a miserable looking short arse with a shaved head and small beard, hardly even looked me in the eye, I paid him, he put the receipt on the counter and walked off in silence. My wife called him back to pay for another bottle, he was just as bad with her. I don't treat people like shit in my job, so I don't expect it when I get someone else doing their job. This isn't the first time, It's the third year running that I've been treated like that, the odd time I'm in there during the year it seems the same, THE most unfriendly, stuck up and over priced liquor store in Calgary. They have nothing to be snobby about, they're just a retail store in Kensington. I'd rather go without than shop their again. read more

Prices are on average 6 to 10$ higher than other stores and don't use the not a big chain excuse. Staff are arrogant and unhelpful. The store does have a good selection of wines and beers however this is pointless due to their pricing scheme. read more

Good selection and decent service. It's not Metrovino, but it'll do in a pinch.

Not a bad experience if you go in to shop. Their website should be pulled down though. It has not worked properly for ordering wine for over a year now. Nothing more frustrating than spending 20 minutes filling a virtual cart to have it be empty or actually placing an order and finding that the inventory was wrong and the wine is out of stock. Please take the online ordering down until you can actually run a system that works. I am buying my next 4 cases at another store. read more

While the wines are nice, and the store is in a good spot their service is not. It's difficult to believe but this place that sells joy in the form of alcohol has people working there that are just not pleasant to interact with. I know, its surprising but true. There are many places to purchase alcohol without being treated like I was. read more