RKS 2023 Wine: Simple Vin de France Chardonnay with a Viognier Twist

This Novellum 2021 Chardonnay has an intriguing twist to it. Although 100% Chardonnay it has been aged on Viognier lees with a small proportion of oak ageing. You might want to think of lees as spent yeast cells sort of a goopy gook? Viognier is vastly different than Chardonnay being more perfumed and full of peach apricot and pineapple. What does it do to this Chardonnay?

Aroma: While many Chards have apple, pear, pineapple and quince aromas this Chardonnay has apple, pear and melon notes but also peach, apricot and mango imparting the influence of the Viognier lees.

Palate: More luscious fruit here than you would expect with most Chardonnays. Think of it as a Chardonnay that is almost a quarter of the way to being a Viognier! Moderately long finish.

Personality: A Chardonnay with pizzazz and character a gazillion miles away from ABC!

Food match: Portobello mushroom burger where the mushrooms are marinated in garlic, balsamic vinegar, tamari sauce and olive oil. Topped with grilled onions, roasted red pepper and arugula with a side of home baked fries and Ontario asparagus. Will match simply grilled chicken too!

Cellarbility: Drink by end of 2024. Will not improve with ageing.

Price: $19.95.

RKS 2023 Wine Rating: 90/100. Robertparker.com 90.

(Novellum 2021 Chardonnay, Vin de France, EMB 66136, Perpignan, France, 750 mL, 13%, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 390781).

RKS 2023 Film: What is Darker?  The Nasty Sasquatch or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? “Dark Nature” (Terreur Sauvage)

The Canadian film “Dark Nature” may be a psychological thriller or perhaps a horror film. Place your bets and say it is a bit of both. If it is showing at your local drive-in theatre bring some blankets to keep warm from the chills wafting through the film. If watching in a theatre or at home put on a sweater!

Joy (Hannah Emily Anderson) escapes a viciously abusive and just about murderous relationship with crazed puppy killer Derek. She joins her friends Carmen and zombieish Tara in a Rocky Mountain mountainous hiking retreat with acclaimed psychiatrist Dr. Dunnely. All her buddies are suffering from horrific trauma and are experiencing terrifying flashbacks. Joy is reluctant about this retreat surmising that reliving and confronting the past may only aggravate her psychological problems. She may be right! However Dr. Dunnely believes there is no coming to consciousness without pain and discomfort. Yes there is pain and discomfort…..deadly pain and discomfort. The three girls and Dr. Dunnely’s guide have flashbacks. Nasty flashbacks. Raw flashbacks. Possibly deadly flashbacks.

Tension builds with rotting animal corpses, “Deliverance” type crossbow hunters and the disclosure the lasses are in an ancient spiritual ground for aboriginals. The spirits are very unhappy or are the flashbacks creating PTSD delusions?

Does Joy embrace the essence of her PTSD and “get the cure”? Or is the PTSD not PTSD and instead reality. Wonderful symbolism.

Is trauma the horror or is horror the trauma? The logic and body count may be the answer but is there logic to be found in horrific trauma? What happens if the spirits and trauma get entangled?

“Dark Nature” began its North American theatrical release on 19 May and if you missed this film it will be released on VOD this summer.

Get spooked by this trailer if you wish https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAGZ-U_rS3I

RKS 2023 Film Rating 89/100.

RKS 2023 Wine: Montepulciano D’Abruzzo: Italian Easy Drinker

Montepulciano D’Abruzzo is an easy come easy go red wine. If Montepulciano was a politician it would be pleasing everyone from kissing babies to visiting senior’s residences making a long list of promises. But it is a wine and not a politician yet it is easy going and likeable by many. A centrist wine if you wish. We verify the ballot count trying a Tiberio 2020 Montepulciano D’Abruzzo. No relation to Roman emperor Tiberius.

Aroma: Some luscious blackberry, blueberry, black cherry with a hint of mocha.

Palate: Some serious structure here with gentle broad-based tannins and firm black fruit but readily accessible and in no way austere. By firm black fruit I mean it is there but not gushing all over the place like some over the top hot-headed politician on the campaign trail desperately seeking reelection. This wine will not be storming any legislature!

Personality: I am easy going but serious easy going ready for the palate of discerning wine drinkers and not for young bucks causing a ruckus on the political trail. I am also not a philosophical wine that nobody understands.

Food match: https://www.seriouseats.com/pasta-canciuova-e-muddica-atturrata-sicilian-pasta-with-anchovies-and-toasted-breadcrumbs.

Price: $22.95.

Cellarbility: Drinking window would be until the end of 2026.

RKS 2023 Wine Rating: 92/100.  93 Eric Guido, vinous.com.

(Tiberio 2020 Montepulciano D’Abruzzo D.O.P., Agricola Tiberio, Cugnoli, Italia, 750 mL, 14.5%, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 14005).

RKS Literature: Zorba the Greek: Thoughts on Madame Hortense

“We were waiting for Madame Hortense today so that she could join us in celebrating the resurrection. We had roasted lamb on the spit, had prepared stuffed lamb intestines as an appetizer, and spread a white sheet on the sand, and had dyed some eggs. Zorba and I, half in jest, half with emotion, had agreed to accord her a grand reception today. When present on our isolated beach, this paunchy, sweetly odoriferous, somewhat rotting siren exerted a strange fascination on us in spite of ourselves. In her absence something was missing: an aroma like eau de cologne, a red colour, a waddling gait resembling a duck’s, a more or less husky voice, and two acidic, discolored eyes.”

Nikos Kazantzakis, “Zorba the Greek”, 1952

Italian Wine: The Penniless Pensioner Looks for A Sparkling Good Deal

The Penniless Pensioner or PP as we all know him isn’t exactly penniless. In fact he’s filthy rich and a bit of a rebel. He can afford 1982 Chateau LeSnob but looks for a deal and sometimes I think it is to aggravate his wine snob friends. If you have been reading his autobiography lately in this publication you may remember he was madly in love with Ginevra the most beautiful woman in Italy. Unfortunately as the daughter of a very bad mob boss in Naples, Don Lupara, she was murdered in a car bomb attack just before PP was to marry her. Enough of that sadness.

Ginevra the love of PP’s life!

PP did recall while living in Naples and often dining with Ginevra and Don Lupara they had wines made by local growers bought in demi-johns for unbelievable low prices. And they were great wines. Don Lupara was a vicious brute if you were on his wrong side PP used to say and as PP was the apple of Ginevra’s eye Don Lupara treated PP with respect but also warned him if he ever double dealt Ginevra he would personally slit PP’s throat.

It was Don Lupara that introduced PP to Prosecco although he could have afforded the best Champers because he was a true Italian at heart supporting the Italian wine (and cocaine) industry. Don Lupara was fond of Albino Armani Prosecco which PP loves to drink although he tends to cry as it reminds him of Ginevra so he asks me to have some with him to offer friendship and consolation. You see PP has “gone through” countless women but it is Ginevra that stirs his soul.

The Prosecco has fine bubbles and on the nose is loaded with lime and lemon with lemon tarts Ginevra’s mother used to make with local lemons grown in her own orchard in Positano. It is crisp and frothy, lightly citrusy. More of a sensation than a wine PP likes to say. PP loves it with prawns flown in from Capri prepared in a butter garlic sauce. The Prosecco cuts through the garlic and butter and compliments the prawns. We went through four pounds of prawns and two bottles of the Prosecco and PP did not cry thank goodness.

(Albino Armani 1607 Conegliano Valdobbiadene D.O.C.G. Cantina Vini Armani, Ala, Italy $18.95, Liquor Control, Board of Ontario # 16602).

RKS Literature: The Biggest Sin for Zorba!

“Because you young Greek, whoever has the chance of sleeping with a woman and does not sleep with her commits a great sin. If a woman calls you to her bed and you do not go, your soul is destroyed! That woman will sigh at the moment of God’s great judgement and that sigh of the woman’s will throw you down to hell no matter who you are and how any good things you have done.”

Nikos Kazantzakis, “Zorba the Greek”, 1952

RKS 2023 Television: Season Two of “Yukon Harvest”: Episode 203: “Pay it Forward”

In Episode 203 of “Yukon Harvest”, “Pay it Forward” Scott Unger from the Métis Nation travels to Mayo in the Canadian Yukon to hunt for caribou with Brian “Wojo” Wojciechowski who runs a substantial guide business for fishers and hunters in the Yukon for some 20 years. Wojo at 65 is ready to retire and hand over his guiding functions to Unger. Yes Unger bags an caribou and gives thanks to the spirit of the dead caribou with its meat being distributed to elders.

The story line is overtaken by the spectacular scenery of summertime Yukon. Although watching a fatally shot caribou take its last twitch may make the viewer uncomfortable remember that none of the animal is wasted and its meat distributed to the elders.

For times of viewing best check the APTN website but episode 203 will be showing after June 10th. This episode concludes season 2 leaving us excited about hopefully a season three.

RKS 2023 Wine: Greek Assyrtiko from the Peloponnese

It is thought by many the top of the Greek Assyrtiko pyramid is the island of Santorini. But the price of Santorini Assyrtiko is beyond the budget of many.

So we scale down the pyramid to an Assyrtiko from the Peloponnese.

Aroma: Citrus, guava with a tiny streak of pineapple.  

Palate: Lemon, lemon curd and some jalapeno pepper. Zesty acidity translates for me into wine meant more for food than sipping. At 13.5% there is a burn to the finish.

Food pairing: Crustacean Ravioli with chickpea consommé with Portobello and pennywort ragout. Also grilled sea bass with a lemon, olive oil and oregano sauce.

Cellarbility: Drink in 2023.

Personality: Acidic, dry and not a particularly friendly wine unless seafood is at hand.

Price: $17.95 (Ontario).

RKS 2023 Wine Rating: 83/100.

(Zacharias 2021 Assyrtiko, PGI Peloponnese, Zacharias Winery, Peloponnese, Greece, 13.5%, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 588814).

RKS 2023 Wine: For All You Pour Souls Stuck on California Cabernet Sauvignon

Napa this. Sonoma that. Lake District? Mendocino? Caught in the California Cabernet Sauvignon factory or possibly propaganda machine? What about British Columbia? What about Ontario? For that matter what about the rest of the world?

Washington State can produce some top-quality Cabernet Sauvignon. Is this Intrinsic Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon one of them?

Wild label. Would you dance with that woman?

Aroma: Big, brash and towering. A tsunami of a Cabernet Sauvignon that is still developing its curl. A baby in a bottle. A surfer respects the massive wave so should wine drinkers respect this Cabernet Sauvignon? Blueberry, black cherry, blackberry and a bit of Croatian hazelnut wafer cookie.

Palate: Firm, cloistered with a gentle surge but not a monster wave of tannins. Blueberry, blueberry pancakes and all of it bound nicely with no obvious oak.

Personality: Joanna Andrade.

Food match: https://www.mygreekdish.com/recipe/greek-style-octopus/

Cellarbility: Will cruise into 2026 nicely.

Price: $30.95 (Ontario).

RKS 2023 Wine Rating: 91/100. Jamessuckling.com 92.

(Intrinsic 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley, Intrinsic Wine Co, Paterson, Washington, 750 mL, 14.5%, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 493379).

RKS 2023 Television: Season Two of “Yukon Harvest”: Episode 202: Yegwúp (To Grow Strong)

In Episode 202 of “Yukon Harvest” we continue to follow Ed Jensen a British Columbian aboriginal guide and hunter as he travels to the Yukon in search of bagging a Bull Moose for himself and his young protégé Evan.

The theme of hunting with respect and reverence for the animal and its spirit continues. There is no initial backslapping and cheers shown by Jensen but sadness and respect for the departing animal spirit. I did much fishing in years past and never thought of thanking that fish or its spirit. Very selfish of me.

The other theme of ensuring the younger generation maintains necessary skills to carry on their language and tradition is crucial to Jensen mentoring his young hunters. Nary a part of the animal is wasted.

Instead of sadness and pity engendered by so many documentaries on Canadian aboriginal culture it is a beautiful feeling to experience joy and pride.

You can see the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IJqXeBJ2XU&t=26s . Episode 201 begins June 10. For timing on Episodes 202 and 203 check out the APTN website. In addition to watching in the English language viewers may hear it in Northern Tutchone a language which is spoken in various aboriginal communities in the Yukon.