A few years back I attended one of those motivational conferences that teaches you how to live a fuller and more rounded life. Yet, it wasn’t the topic of the conference that I remember the most. Instead it was this one speaker who must have been no more than five feet tall and was bursting with energy, spirit and enthusiasm for all of the finer things in life. To me, she was living proof that good things come in small packages, and last Wednesday, I stumbled across the winebar equivalent of that conference leader—Passa Tempo.
 

A bohemian-style winebar located directly beside the famed Culina, Passa Tempo may be small, but it’s sure mighty. It occupies a space no more than 10 feet wide by 25 feet long, and can seat a maximum of 12 people. Yet the moment we stepped through the door, it was like stepping into a different world. 
 

Flickering candles and softly glowing warming stones lined the length of the bar, creating an intimate and relaxing setting. Eclectic art hung on the walls featuring images of everything from the Last Supper to scenic vistas to wall art directing patrons to “Drink the wine that moves you.”  Funky, soothing music completed the ambience as we slid ourselves onto the wooden bar bench and began our lazy perusal of the wine list. We were in no hurry and wanted to enjoy the experience as much as the wine in which we were about to indulge. 
 

I was pleasantly surprised to find that out of the 30 or so wines available, I didn’t recognize any of them.  Instead, they represented a diverse and unique range of grapes and flavours from all parts of the world. “We change our wines all the time. We look at availability, the season and what’s selling, then try to choose the wines that offer the best value for what you are having,” our hostess/bartender, Gwen, explained. She proceeded to tell us how the Passa Tempo wine-sampling process worked. 
 

Wine could either be bought by the ounce, a minimum of three ounces a glass, or by the bottle. In order to maximize our tasting experience, we opted for the minimum three ounce sample. And, with wines ranging from $1.40/ounce to $3.99/ounce or $299/bottle for a 2001 Benziger Tribute Inaugural Vintage, we decided to rely on Gwen’s seasoned palette for our first taste. “Just give us your best reds,” we told her, and she delivered.

 

Our first wine of the night, a 2006 Argentinean Colonia Las Licbres Bonarda ($1.40/ounce) was smooth and fruity. It tasted of juicy strawberries and raspberries—a beautiful blend that reminded me of time I’d spent picking berries in summer fields as a child. Unlike a lot of the wines I’ve tried, it didn’t make my mouth pucker, and I knew right away that this was going to be a hard wine to beat—a theory I was more than willing to test throughout the evening. As we continued sipping, we paused to order some food. 
 

The menu of tapas, Spanish appetizers, was short and unique. Grilled prawns, garlic crisps and goat cheese tarts were tempting, but we decided on the cumin-spiced candied pecans ($7) and prosciutto di parma and really good bread ($9). How could we resist such a bold description as “really good bread”? We had to try it and judge for ourselves.
 

As we waited for the tapas to arrive, Gwen helped us choose our second wine. After the Bonarda I was more than willing to try her next recommendation, an Australian Cover Drive Cabernet ($2/ounce). While Gwen worked to uncork our wine, I asked her what she felt makes a place the size of Passa Tempo work. Her reply was simple, “I love the conversations that are started here. It’s somewhere people can be themselves, be comfortable and truly enjoy the company of others.” I’ve often thought the world would be a better place with more wine.  Therein lies my proof.
 

Our second wine was poured and the fruity scent of the Cabernet was immediately noticeable. Like the Bonarda, it was filled with berry fruit and had the added flavour of cherries that coated my tongue in a sassy sweetness. My first sip came with some fairly strong tannins, but they quickly subsided and were replaced with the well balanced flavours of a good Cabernet. The time had now come to put the “really good bread” to the test.
 

The prosciutto di parma, thinly sliced Italian meat, arrived on a white platter surrounded by bread. Not overpowering in spiciness, the meat offered a zesty flavour that paired beautifully with the herb-infused crustiness of what turned out to be really, Really good bread. But the star of the show, by far, was the cumin-spiced candied pecans. 
 

I was sceptical about how cumin, a spice traditionally used in curries, tacos and tex mex dishes, would pair with the sweetness of the pecans. Just one lightly coated pecan allayed any trepidation. Sweet and spice produced a symphony of flavour that burst in my mouth and slapped an immediate grin on my face. “Once, in the dead of winter, I had a lady show up and request two orders of the pecans,” Gwen shared as I expressed my appreciation of the dish. “She dumped them in a bag and went home.” I fully understood—I was now addicted.

 

Finally, we were onto our last vino of the night—a Telmo Rodriguez Lanzaga Tempranillo ($2/ounce) from Spain. This was the big momma of the reds we’d tried. Ruby in colour, the full-bodied wine had my mouth doing a double pucker. It produced strong flavours of plum and was an excellent wine on which to end our night. I just wish I’d had a thick steak to go with it—together, they would’ve worked wonders.
 

Passa Tempo, a bar that invites people to “pass the time,” offers a food and wine tasting experience like no other place I’ve been to in Edmonton. It’s about bringing people together to enjoy the finer things in life. I’m sure it would fit the bill of what my conference speaker had in mind as she energetically told me to live life to its fullest. For less than $50, we enjoyed a night out on the town and left Passa Tempo feeling relaxed and giddy about our new find.
 

A note left by one satisfied customer in what is now the winebar’s completely filled guest book said it all: “Comfort, warmth, laughter, acceptance ... I found my new place to hang.”