RKS 2024 Wine: Château Castagnac from Fronsac

Fronsac, think Bordeaux. Think red wine. Think Merlot. Think of possible luxury at a discount price.

We try a Château Castagnac from a good year in Bordeaux, 2020. It is Merlot and aged one year in French oak.

The grapes were grown in a three-hectare herbicide free vineyard in clay-limestone soil near the town of Saint-Aignan. 25,000 bottles were produced.

Aroma: Soft and mellow if not lush. Full of plum with a thick fruity streak of cassis and blackberry. Classy.

Palate: Full bodied and stern. In its youth and certainly needs time to flesh out. There are ill mannered tannins out in the wine world and this is not one of them. One senses the fruit starting to emerge from the iron dome of tannins. Prediction here of a fruitier and softer wine over the next 6 years. Ready to open now but if you can wait until October 2024 do so. The longer you wait the softer and more fruit laden the wine will be. I noted after the wine had been opened for 24 hours there was a tiny seam of acidity which has me a bit concerned. I have noted when natural yeast is involved there is a higher risk of notable acidity.

Personality: I punch way above my price. Keep me aside for a few years and listen to your adoring guests praise you savvy.

Cellarbility: Drink by the end of 2029.

Food Match: Roast veal in a pesto crust.

Price: $24 CDN (Ontario).

RKS 2024 Wine Rating: 92/100. Jamessuckling.com 90.

(Château Castagnac 2020 AC Fronsac, Vignobles Coudert, Villegouge, France, 750 mL, 13.5%).

“Reggie The Egyptian Rescue Dog” : The Final Cut: Reggie Has Tea with Gordon Lightfoot and a Surprise for Bosco: Chapter Thirty Eight (38)

Bob, Fay, Dillie, Bosco and I were invited to tea at Mr. Gordon Lightfoot’s home. Mr. Gordon Lightfoot is a neighbour to Drake, Bob and Fay. Bob had purchased some Greek pastries at Serrano Bakery on Pape Avenue in Toronto to bring over to Mr. Gordon Lightfoot’s. Bob had also downloaded some of his music and it really is from a different era but I enjoy listening to it especially the song about the sinking of some ship the Emma Fitzgerald? I can’t excise that song out of my mind and keep humming it to myself.

Mr. Gordon Lightfoot, Canadian singer and guitar player, is a geezer but has a sparkle in his eyes and has taken a fancy to Bosco who is not so stinky as all of us dogs had a grooming and bath before teatime. Bosco jumped up on Mr. Gordon Lightfoot’s lap!

The humans had jasmine and oolong tea and Bob was so happy to have his favourite teas in a relaxing living room full of guitars. There were cucumber sandwiches and all matter of dainties for the humans. After our promotional film tour it was a joy to just relax and do nothing. We canines had oatmeal and chicken cookies. They were YUMMY! Unfortunately they gave Bosco gas. Just about all food gives that guy gas! Bosco has a stinky aura.

Mr. Gordon Lightfoot asked if we would like to hear a song and Fay said “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” which is the tune stuck in my head! Oh he played it on his guitar so beautifully I felt sad that so many men had died on that ship. I gave a couple of barks of appreciation after his performance. Mr. Gordon Lightfoot says he had received applause many times but clapping and not dog barks. He said thank you to me and said he would sing “If You Could Read My Mind”. That was a wonderful song too and I gave him another few barks.

Mr. Gordon Lightfoot was so happy I liked his songs he invited all of us to his upcoming concert at Massey Hall in Toronto. We would have back-stage passes, meet musicians and go to a big party afterwards.

Then Mr. Gordon Lightfoot dropped a bomb on us. He said with a sly smile on his face he was becoming more of a lonely old man and needed some company like perhaps a dog. I am a bit surprised when Fay asked Mr. Gordon Lightfoot if he would like Bosco as his own. Mr. Lightfoot looked shocked and accepted Fay’s offer.

You know Bosco was never really a member of our family. He retained his arrogance but not his bad manners. He also was a stinky dog and between you and me had a persistent farting problem. So that night we said good-bye to Bosco knowing he would do a great service to Mr. Gordon Lightfoot. They seemed to get along so well and we noted he seemed very happy and frisky when around Mr. Gordon Lightfoot. No longer was he a third fiddle but king of his castle plus he could visit us as we were next door and often out being taken for walks at the same time.  True to the Bosco character he never turned to us to say good-bye. It so happened that in the early 90’s Mr. Gordon Lightfoot was in a coma and lost his sense of smell so he won’t have to worry about that stinky Bosco.

Bob and Fay discussed the comment Mr. Gordon Lightfoot had said about being lonely so he became a regular guest over at our house and we’d often go for tea at his house. Mr. Lightfoot had a huge hit after “adopting” Bosco called “Dogs in Our Lives” and the lyrics included positive remarks about Bosco! There are rumours that Bob hears about a sequel to Disney’s “Reggie The Egyptian Rescue Dog” and Mr. Gordon Lightfoot’s new song would be a must.

RKS Literature: No Work For the Undocumented Latino in Los Angeles

“Later Cándido stood on streetcorner with two hundred other men while she shrank by his side. The talk was grim. There was a recession. There was no work. Too many had come up from the South, and if there was work for them all six years ago, now there were twenty men for every job and the bosses knew it and cut their wage by half. Men were starving. Their wives and children were starving. They’d do anything for work, any kind of work, and they’d take what the boss was paying and get down on their knees and thank him for it.”

“The Tortilla Curtain”, T.C. Boyle, Penguin 1996

RKS Literature: Understanding Caravans and the Sense of Entitlement

“The right to work, to have job, earn your daily bread and a roof over your head and a roof over your head. He was a criminal for daring to want it, daring to risk everything for the basic human necessities, and now even those were to be denied him. It stank. It did. These people, these norteamericanos: what gave them the right to all the riches of the world? He looked around at the bustle in the lot of the Italian market, white faces, high heels, business suits, the greedy eyes and the ravenous mouths. They lived in their glass palaces. With their gates, fences and security systems, they left half eaten lobsters and beefsteaks on their plates when the world was starving, spent enough to feed and clothe a whole country on their exercise equipment, their swimming pools and tennis courts and jogging shoes, and all of them, even the poorest had two cars. Where was the justice in that?”

“The Tortilla Curtain”, T.C. Boyle, Penguin Books 1996

Travels to a Different Time: Travels of My Mother: 17July1971: Othos, Karpathos, Greece: The Most Beautiful Greek Island Yet!

Dear Mother:

We have been on Karpathos for 9 days and in three more we sail for Crete. This island is the most beautiful Greek island yet. We met a Greek girl in town who invited us to a real Greek party. We went there and met a charming Greek couple my age. They asked us to visit them. They are very kind people and very thoughtful. The wife is so clean and a fabulous cook and would put any Canadian housewife to shame. We stayed with them for two days.

We leave for Crete tomorrow at 4 a.m. and the trip takes 6 hours. We will be beat when we arrive. You can go crazy with fruit in this country So much variety and so cheap. There are melons of every colour and shape. The Honeydews are so sweet and must be because they ripen in the sun.

I am still resisting smoking and it takes will power. I will have to take up smoking when I return to help dieting. There is too much good food here and fattening!

I am brown as I can’t escape the sun. The heat is dry and I have NO back trouble here at all. So glad to have a few months without pain. The houses here are $15 a month to rent. The are lovely, cool and clean. Food is cheap and swimming the best.

Wel this is all for now. We are going for a walk.

Love M

“Reggie the Egyptian Rescue Dog”: The Final Cut : Reggie’s Security Team on the Mend: International Repercussions of The Mexican Shuffle: Chapter Thirty Seven (37)

My prayers were answered. And the prayers of the citizens of Beamsville where Penny hails from too!

Penny clung to life hovering on the edge for three days. Bob, Fay and Penny’s mistress were by her bed 24 hours a day. Bob brought in a world leading veterinarian from Athens to provide the very best care. Penny pulled out of the hungry jaws of death 4 days after her crash. Poor Penny has lost hearing in her left ear.

A joint CSIS/FBI/CIA investigation of the crash concluded her Oodlechopper was brought down by a Russian Handheld Stalin 6000 hand rocket launcher. Shrapnel from the explosion had a butterfly shape unique to Russian missiles launched by the Stalin 6000. Tsar Putin denied any Russian involvement whatever than means.  Forensics identified the attackers as two Egyptians and a Somalian. “The Brothers of the Correct and Only Islam” proudly claimed responsibility. I said if that organization of misfits harmed any of our security team or our family they would pay the price. Consider a Reggie fatwah issued on the head of Mustafa Saddam head of the Brothers. Mustafa’s half brother Rohit was identified by Penny’s Oodlecopter camera transmitted to us before her crash.

    Rohit Saddam captured on Penny’s Oodlecopter

    The Government of Canada really had no country to blame aside from Russia. Egypt arrested the leadership of the “The Brothers of the Correct and Only Islam” who were residing in Egypt. Mustafa Saddam according to the CIA is residing in Afghanistan. The Mookster’s espionage contacts will no doubt give me an exact location in Afghanistan and I along with some of my team will be “visiting” for fatwah purposes.

    Kit Kat suffered a concussion and needed 12 stitches to his head. Ollie’s burns were minor and he was out of the animal hospital in a flash perhaps as he was overly flirtatious with his nursing staff. Ollie is a real charmer.

    Travels to a Different Time: Travels of My Mother: 23July1971: St. Nicholas, Crete, Greece: Greeks Fastidiously Clean

    Dear Andrew:

    The first thing we did when we arrived was to check the post office but there was no mail from you or Barbara. I went this morning to check again but no mail. I sure hope we hear from you before we leave here. Next stop will be Iraklion up the island. Rob and I went swimming in a large saltwater lagoon today just outside the hotel. It is used for swimming races with lanes. There is a high diving board.

    The hotel is lovely and new with a modern bathroom. With a breakfast included a double room is $3. Rob has gone spearfishing and I am on the balcony enjoying a cool breeze. I think I need a new bathing suit as a dog chewed its shoulders. I am sure you would love Greece. There are so many islands and all so cheap. In many islands we have lodged and eaten for $5 a day.

    The island of Karpathos was wonderful. Very quiet and only two couples sleeping on the beach. Our new hotel there was $1.20 a night. In Canada it would easily be $30. The Greeks are fabulously clean but do not use deodorant or disinfectant the latter not even used to clean hotels. Once we leave Crete we plan to go to Skopelos, Skiros, Mykonos and Thira then to Thessaloniki in Northern Greece.

    Good-bye Mum

    “Reggie the Egyptian Rescue Dog” : The Final Cut: Reggie’s Security Team Shines at a High Price: Penny in Critical Condition After The Mexican Shuffle: Chapter Thirty Six (36)

    Mr. Antonio shouts to us in lockdown that we are safe to leave. Such a tough man is shaken. We can see it in his face and hear it in his voice. There is a smell of explosives in the air. He is carrying Penny wrapped in a blood-soaked blanket and shouting at us to get her to the animal hospital. Drake’s security team comes rushing over whisking Penny away to the best animal hospital in Toronto. Kit Kat has a gash on his head and is bleeding profusely. This is so unreal and neither human nor dog can understand this.

    Mr. Antonio sits down and after a big swig of Vintage Port spills the beans.

    Mr. Antonio relates a story of the courage and bravery of Penny, Kit Kat and Ollie

    Penny in her Oodlecopter spotted a group of Mexicans in traditional outfits just down our Park Lane street. Ollie was sent to investigate. These men claimed they were in costume for a party. Plausible thought Ollie or at least until he detected the smell of explosives which was confirmed by noting one of the “Mexicans” with explosive devices taped to his body. No doubt Penny concluded this was a suicide mission by “The Brothers of the Correct and Only Islam”.

    Penny put her Oodlecopter into dive mode and fired her zucchini sized missiles at the “Mexicans” who returned fire crippling Penny’s Oodlecopter sending it crashing to the ground. Ollie nearby dragged Penny from the wreckage. Penny’s mission was successful as the “Mexicans”, who were not really Mexicans but terrorists, were all terminated with extreme prejudice. Ollie suffered minor burns and was rushed along with Penny and Kit Kat to the animal hospital.

    Investigators survey the wreckage of Penny’s Oodlecopter. How could a dog survive such a crash?

    I prayed like I have never prayed before. Matters are in Allah’s hands now.

    RCMP and Toronto Police Services confirmed that this was an attack by “The Brothers of the Correct and Only Islam”. The goal was to eliminate Bob and myself. But there was an additional objective of assassinating Drake as his music and videos were blasphemy.

    “Reggie the Egyptian Rescue Dog” : The Final Cut: Reggie, Bosco and Dillie the Westie Groove at Drake’s Album Release Party: The Dogs Dig into Shrimp and Grits: Penny’s Bloodcurdling Barking! LOCKDOWN! Chapter Thirty Five (35)

    All us dogs, Bob and Fay are eagerly anticipating Drake’s big barbeque at his Park Lane home in the Bridle Path in a very exclusive part of Toronto. How kind of Drake to invite us. What are neighbors for!  Unfortunately, this is the neighborhood where the Sherman’s were murdered! Honey and Barry Sherman pharma billionaires that must have made enemies.

    Bob had downloaded a passle of Drake’s songs and really none of us dogs and Bob can stand his music with its nasal whining that gives sensitive dogs with precision hearing a headache! Fay thinks Drake is the best. Hey but dogs getting invited to a BBQ means MEAT POSSIBILITIES!

    Not to boast but because of the Disney Film “Reggie The Egyptian Rescue Dog” all of us are celebrities except Bosco but being a part of the family (hopefully temporarily) so he is invited.

    So we gussy up, casually of course, with Bob and Fay in Armani and Boss and us pooches just bathed by Bob and smelling pretty. Even stinky Bosco smells half decent with fancy doggie eau de cologne! Dr. Murray said no baths for Bosco for two weeks so his leg can fully heal.

    We walk to our next-door neighbour passing through Drake’s security detail. Bob parts with his Glock but with such heavy security we all feel safe. Bosco as a new temporary addition to the family really has no inclination about our fame. As a precaution we have Kit Kat at the door with Drake’s security team from Shark Security. Man, those guys are at least 300 pounds each!

    Drake greets us and I was expecting to see some man with heavy gold chains, sunglasses, floppy clothes surrounded by voluptuous women with big butts like in his music videos. But he is attired in jeans and a flashy jacket. He is a shy guy. He picks me and Dillie up like he is specially greeting animal stars. He asks his posse to give each of us 24 karat gold water bowls. They are filled with my favourite Evian water. We are the only dogs here! Drake introduces us while he is holding us to so and so. Some are musicians, artists and actors. Some are huge basketball players. I can’t say I like Drake’s music but as a human he is gracious, respectful, and humble. What a good egg of a neighbour.

    And my goodness there is a classical music trio from Toronto Consort playing some medieval music from a man called Monteverdi! This Drake plays tough but he is ultra cool. He is serving all sorts of drinks including a favourite of his which is frozen honeydew melon, mint, lime juice, Evian water and Ouzo.  The guests loved this odd cocktail so much the Ouzo ran out so they are drinking some Champagne in a golden coloured bottle. “Kristal”?

    Gordon Lightfoot is at the festivities as well and he takes a liking to Bosco. Perhaps if he knew how Bosco stinks he might not be so friendly! Bosco seems to have found a long-lost friend in Gordon Lightfoot. They are getting along like fire and smoke!

    In this boisterous environment there are only happy people. Many are black and I have not seen many of these types of humans but they are so friendly so who cares about their skin colour. Dogs don’t discriminate.

    There are a few lambs and pigs roasting over a spit and dinner is announced. There are huge mounds of meat, polenta, salad, grits with shrimp and loads of other food. Guests are given a Limoges China plate and they hit the buffet. There are great wines from Campania in Italy and the Okanagan in British Columbia. Drake proudly pours some Meyer Family Vineyards Chardonnay and Pinot Noir much better than those Reggie and The Tramp TCM wines.

    Drake asks Bob if it is OK if we canines can have some meat. YES!!!!! We can. Just a bit of pork and lamb with some grits and shrimp. Kick me. Am I in paradise?

    We gobble up this very special tasting meat and almost stagger over to Gordon Lightfoot and crash out with exhaustion and a full belly at his feet. Man, this Drake knows how to throw a party.

    We are prodded awake by Bob who says it is time to go home just down the street. Before we go Drake says he would like to take us to a basketball game of a team called the Toronto Raptors where we will be guests of honour on national television!

    Drake has Bob’s Glock returned to him and has his security detail walk us home. Gordon Lightfoot asks us if he can have Bosco overnight and Bob and Fay agree. What’s up?

    Despite the fact I do not like Drake’s music he is a good soul and is our friend now. Bob and Fay have asked him over for dinner next week.

    We are home as the sun rises and we crash out with our 24 karat gold water bowls Drake has given us! What a night. I am too tired to say my nighttime prayers. But before I nod off I think I see Anwar smiling at me and saying “Bravo Reggie!”

    But before we drift off we hear Penny’s frantic if not bloodcurdling bark over our sound system. Mr. Antonio is running into the house shouting “LOCKDOWN”! Something very awful must be happening. As we head to the safe room we hear two explosions outside many windows in the house are blown out.

    The bang bang of Mr. Antonio’s Dirty Harry Edition 357 Magnum is heard and Kit Kat sounds like he in attack mode. Screams are heard.

    “Reggie the Egyptian Rescue Dog” : The Final Cut: Bosco The Arrogant Snob! Off to a Barbeque at Drakes: We Meet Gordon Lightfoot: Ollie Smells Extreme Danger! Chapter Thirty Four (34)

    It was only a few days after arriving back from Los Angeles when the “Bosco Incident” occurred. Fay had a long Zoom call with a book publisher who was interested in discussing her planned book “Our Life With Dillie The Westie” and requiring absolute quiet for the call Bob took Dillie The Westie and I for a walk on the Wilket Trail near Edwards Gardens, Toronto’s botanical gardens. It was a long walk and Dillie required a few rests and was limping by the time we returned home. My poor brother has a bit of a problem with arthritis but being a brave trooper and too proud ever to admit to discomfort and pain he tries his best to act years younger than he is. The true spirit of a West Highland Terrier.

    Well Fay greets us with a funny smile on her face and says that we have had “an incident” in the backyard. Not listening but reacting with ferocity Bob pulls out his pistol a Glock and is prepared for a shootout with the “The Brothers of the Correct and Only Islam”. Bob rushes out to the backyard expecting to see his security detail shredded by a suicide bomber but almost trips over a dog on a leash! He laughs and says what has fate brought us this time! I wonder where Bob got the Glock.

    The somewhat smelly Bosco

    It is a sad looking dog of mixed breed Fay found outside the gates of Drake’s house. We know Drake and ask his security detail if he can come out and talk with us. And he comes out with a few of his friends from a basketball team called the Toronto Raptors. I am not sure what basketball is but Bob tells us Drake loves it. We ask him if this is a dog he knows and he says no. But he asks us if we want to join him for a BBQ in his backyard that night and we say yes. He says don’t forget to bring Dillie and me. He suggests we check with Gordon Lightfoot next door but Lightfoot did not recognize the dog. Mr. Lightfoot asks us to come over for high tea in a few days and gives us his telephone number.

    The dog is small and cute but what breed no one can guess. Perhaps a bit of this and that? One of his legs has been shaved for an intravenous feed and there are stitches in it. Bob phones Toronto Animal Control and they have no record of a missing dog meeting Bosco’s description. It’s Labour Day so we will take it to Dr. Murray at the animal hospital on Tuesday to see if it has a microchip. He has no tags or identification of any sort.

    Bosco, as we call this dog, is about the same size as Dillie and I and initially he greets us with joy but when we approach his face for a sniff as all dogs do he rudely responds with a low growl. Bob and Fay are not appreciative of that. When Bob takes us for a walk he does that same growl to other dogs that come for a friendly sniff. We will have to wait to take him to Dr. Murray to see if he has a chip and we do so but he has none. A dog without any identity. Foolish owners unless this was an intentional abandonment. Bob leaves his number with Toronto Animal Control but there are no owners looking for this dog.

    For the time being we call him Bosco. I give him a serious talking to and warn him to wise up or he will end up in an animal control shelter and based on my experience in Cairo my realism terrifies this little snobby dog thinking he was a purebred and that he was above me. He no longer acts as a king in the house and respects his junior position in the family. He is no Karim and I just can’t feel like we are the rat pack like it was with Karim but I say to Dillie lets give him some time and the wise Westie Dillie agrees.

    Bob can’t bear to hand him over to a barren animal shelter a cruel and forbidding place. Bosco soon begins to realize how lucky he is and becomes humbler and more respectful. As far as I am concerned Dillie is the king in this family and Bosco is third place here and lucky to be that! He kind of stinks but Dr. Murray says wait a couple of weeks until he heals completely to give him a bath. At least his hair was not matted and covered with fleas like me in Cairo before I was rescued.

    Ollie is acting worried. He smells something he can’t identify other than telling Dillie and I it smells like danger.