RKS Wine: Reflections on Perhaps Overly Generous Wine Writers and a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon

In the perfect communist world the proletarian masses would seize power and transform society so that the state would “wither away”. In a perfect world wine consumers would educate themselves through instruction or a willingness to diversify and try different wines from different wine producing countries to develop good comparative knowledge so the wine writer would “wither away”. But we don’t live in a perfect world and the wine writer survives to guide the less than educated wine consumer.

But what does a 97 from Luca Maroni mean or a 92 from Robert Parker or a 76 from Robert Stephen mean? Unfortunately, much wine is marketed on the basis of scores from a wine writer. The score means little unless you have experience with that wine writer. I often laugh at the outlandishly high scores from Luca Maroni. I cringe a bit with scores from James Halliday. I think James Suckling is two-three points too generous. Roger Voss of Wine Enthusiast is usually right on. And of course I agree with Robert Stephen all the time! But being a proponent of let the wine critic wither away who cares what any of these writers say! Put a wine in front of them you might get totally differing interpretations.

So what does the esteemed Robert Stephen think of the Chilean Lagar de Codegua 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile?

On the nose there is some hot and runny blueberry pie just out of the oven, currants, blackberry and some minty nuances a hallmark of many Chilean wines. On the palate moderate but broadly based tannins with raspberry jam, black cherry, Kicking Horse Smart Ass coffee and some Chambord. Medium length finish. Since I mentioned “Smart Ass” that gives me license to say this is a tight assed wine unlike many Californian Cabs. I mean it is not bowling you over with richness. A restrained Cabernet Sauvignon and if you like that style go for this wine. I would match it with a Potato and Eggplant Gratin. See the New York Times for that recipe.

It may open up a bit in the next two years.

By the way James Suckling gave this a 93 and was ranked # 55 in his top 100 Chilean wines of 2021.

(Lagar de Codegua Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, DO Rancagua, Alto Cachapoal, $19.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 19248, 750 mL, 14%, RKS Wine Rating 89/100).

RKS Wine: Wonderful Washington State?

In the past few months, with some exceptions, I am looking to Washington for quality affordable red wine. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon have proven to be winners and superior to Californian in the same price range.

I couldn’t resist picking up a Drumheller 2018 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. You see Drumheller is a city in the province of Alberta in Canada. I can imagine this wine being a big seller in the bustling metropolis of Drumheller Alberta.

On the nose there is a Washingtoness to the wine which is a bit hard to define other than it has the smell of quality far above its price range. If I can be mystical blueberry, older American oak,  raspberry, milk chocolate, black cherry and cedar. On the palate the tannins are soft and the acids are under control. There is a warmth and coziness to the palate above its price range. There is black cherry, raspberry pie and cactus pear with a short finish. Would suit Beef or Mushroom Wellington if you have the energy to make it. I have an image of sitting in Paterson Washington in the fall with a roaring fire and some good jazz with a bottle of this wine. Cozy indeed!

Drink by the end of 2023. I do not think it will improve in the bottle.

(Drumheller Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Columbia Valley, Washington , Drumheller Wines, Paterson, Washington, $18.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 551473, 750 mL, 13.5%, RKS Wine Rating 92/100)

RKS Wine: Greek Cabernet Sauvignon: More to Greek Red Wine than Xinomavro

I curl up in a ball of apprehension when Greek Xinomavro’s are released. They are dry and astringent like an immature Barolo but give an Xinomavro 8 years in the bottle my apprehension melts as it has aged as it should. By the way a sparkling Xinomavro can be a real treat.

As for Greek Cabernet Sauvignon we get so little of it here in Ontario it is hard to give an overall comment about that grape in the hands of Greek wineries. So we take a shot in the dark with a budget Synastry Cabernet Sauvignon from Zacharias in the Peloponnese.

On the nose sleekness. Some blueberry, black cherry and red currants all very lean. On the palate tannins are minimal. Brackish and faintly bitter with dilute red fruit. At this price there is far better value in Portugal and southern France. If I may make a comparison to lacklustre Niagara Cabernet Sauvignon I would. If you were to buy pair with authentic Greek Gyros or souvlaki with fries tucked into it. The wine has as much charm as a fire sale of Greek state assets to German, French and Chinese commercial interests to pay down its debt.

(Zacharias Synastry Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, PDO Peloponnese, $14.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario 647479, 750 mL, 13.5%, RKS Wine Rating 79/100).

RKS Wine: So You Want Your Wine Reviewed?

So you think you have a great wine that is going to tear up the market and you’ll be rewarded for your hard work. Dream on. Unless you market it you’ll be stuck with it unless of course you want to devote all your energy to direct sales from winery to the consumer. However even then you may have missed a step and that is getting people in the door or ready at your internet ordering portal.

Unfortunately in today’s world a high score acts like a magnet for a consumer to grab a bottle. Is there any reason, for example,the only score you see on the shelves at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario is 90 or greater? And it is the number that counts more than who is giving it. It is a number’s game. And who thinks the Wine Spectator, James Suckling or the Wine Enthusiast even wants to review your wine. Also do you want to pay a fee to have your wine reviewed a la pay to drink?

So what are some of the steps you might want to consider?

  1. Identify the reviewers that are available to review your wine. A good idea would be to check to see if there are professional organizations of wine writers you can glean names of writers from. In Canada that might be the Wine Writers’ Circle of Canada.
  2. Pay attention to writers that may be soliciting you for samples. Are they legitimate or are they trying to scam free juice? Check their reviews by a Google search or ask for a sample review.
  3. This is not the time to be cheap. There are many writers who write as a matter of passion and derive no income. In essence they are doing you a favour giving you exposure at the cost of a bottle or two. Ignore them at your peril.
  4. Have you considered bringing the reviewer(s) to your winery? How much would a chartered bus cost with some lunch and a tasting. There is no better way to have a writer be able to identify you with an experience at your winery. I find it odd the EU has a large budget to bring wine writers to Europe to review wines but Canada seems to have no centralized wine promotion body with a budget to bring wine writers to Canada. An example of cheap!
  5. Beware of “social influencers” who may be more interested in promoting themselves than your wine. Are they interested in your wines or shots oif their beautiful personages in your vineyard.
  6. Once you have trust in a wine writer keep in touch and provide samples. They will appreciate your attention as hustling samples is tedious due to the cheapness of so many wineries.
  7. If you have social media and you like the review then post it as this gives the writer a bigger audience and that will be appreciated.
  8. If you are hosting special events at your winery why not ask your wine writers too?
  9. If you are providing samples a “tech sheet” and bottle shots are appreciated.
  10. Consider giving double samples as if a bottle is off the reviewer will have another bottle to sample.
  11. If you have any special events at your winery think about having a tasting session given by a wine writer.

Photo: Robert K. Stephen

RKS Film: How to Promote Your Film Using a Film Critic : 10 Golden Rules

  1. Distribute your promotional material well before the release date. Recently for Toronto Hot Docs I received films days before its showing. I had a waiting list of numerous films ahead the late arrivers. Help your reviewer plan.
  2. Include a trailer/teaser.
  3. Include stills of the film.
  4. Include a synopsis of the film.
  5. Indicate when the review can be posted and whether it should be a short or full review.
  6. Incentivize the reviewer by stating review will be posted on social media giving the reviewer a chance to expand the audience.
  7. Explain how and when the film will be released.
  8. Describe if actors and directors can be interviewed.
  9. Invite reviewers to any after parties.
  10. Do not forget the reviewer and keep apprising of upcoming films.

RKS Film: “Relative”: The Iceberg of Sexual Abuse

The American documentary “Relative” in the 2022 Toronto Hot Docs Festival deals with multi generational sexual abuse in an Italian-American family. Home videos and film portray seemingly happy families but beneath the floating iceberg the pervasiveness of sexual abuse lurks ready to inflict psychological damage.

Tracy Arcabasso Smith takes us along a shocking voyage of sexual abuse, not only her own but that of four generations of her family circle. Just about all family members are victims. The older generations simply prefer to not talk about it sweeping it under the carpet and “moving on”. That is what they say but are they emotionally devastated by it? They prefer not to let on.

In previous generations there was a realization sharing details of sexual abuse in the family might split it apart so given that and the reluctance of children to disclose sexual abuse as they felt it was their fault the anger of the iceberg below the surface was ignored. However as the voice of a “relative” at the beginning of the documentary says we are only as sick as our secrets and the more secrets we have the sicker we are. Even Arcabasso Smith 35 years later refuses to disclose the family member(s) that abused her. However she is at least working to deal with it through seeing a therapist and by making the documentary. Having personally dealt with a toxic working environment I found help in dealing with it by writing a “fictional book” about it. Creativity as a healing process.

It is probably best to stop here and let you hear what her family thinks and says about sexual abuse. It is understandable their reluctance but how healthy is it? It is somewhat disappointing that Arcabasso Smith doesn’t whistle blow about her abusers but that is a choice we must accept. At least she acknowledges her confusion and hurt and is not willing to simply suck it up. Her courage in making this film may perhaps make those suffering from “relative sexual abuse” understand the patterns of familial sexual abuse and better know how to deal with it.

“Relative” can be seen in theatre at Hot Docs on May 8 and as of May 2 it can be screened virtually for 5 days after that but geoblocked to Canada.

Tracy Arcabasso Smith is the director.

RKS Film Rating 92/100.

P.S. I noticed in these home movies many men were violent towards women although it was supposedly in jest.

“Travels to a Different Time” : 9July1975: On the Way to Norway: Deliver Me from Temptation: Bug Buffet

Up early with a goal of making it into Norway. Horrible Finnish hitchhiking. My Aussie friend gave up and headed to the bus station. Bought breakfast of a litre of milk, bread and ham. Unfortunately I broke my record for waiting with one of just over 5 hours. There was traffic but full of people and luggage. Probably heading south on vacation. To amuse myself I swore at all the people who didn’t give me a lift. It was getting desperate as I was attacked by swarms of mosquitoes and biting flies. I had to keep walking to avoid being a stationary buffet for the little buggers. I was up to ten bites. They can’t kill you but can drive you to insanity. Finally a lift from a Norwegian who said he would return me to his hometown. He stopped for his lunch break in some small town and I bought a litre of milk and some cookies. Incredibly beautiful scenery which is more enjoyable when you aren’t outside being a bug buffet. It was so cold that some of the leaves were turning gold. He had to stop before the Norwegian border to fix his gas line. We were waved through the Norwegian border checkpoint. Lakes. rivers and beautiful fjords just like in the books. He let me off at his hometown and I met a Norwegian girl who was hitchhiking. Norwegian girls are the best! Friendly intelligent and very good looking. We got a lift in a lorry for 130 kms. It was raining when he let us off at 1 a.m. and I was so tired I could have dropped. Initially she was wanting to continue but for her safety I asked her to reconsider. Looks like she is stranded in the campground with nowhere to go so I offered her a place in my tent. Being exhausted we dropped off to sleep. I realized I didn’t even know her name. Strange very few girls travelling in Sweden, Finland and Norway. Why is that?

RKS Film: “Corrupto” (Corrupted)

“Corrupto” is a short Chilean documentary showing at Toronto Hot Docs 2022.

A young woman undergoes multiple electro convulsive therapy in August 2018 and the doctor proclaims the treatment was successful. It is quite apparent that is not the case as the woman suffers from loneliness, alienation, memory loss, panic attacks, confusion, incomplete memories and a struggle to connect with her surroundings. This is where the camera work and sound brilliantly conveys to the viewer what words can’t express completely. There is static, images of a brain undergoing ECT and faces scratched out by markers so they are unrecognizable. There is even a clip albeit blurry of a demonstration against ECT where a speaker talks of ECT as electrocution.

The woman says it is her mission to reconnect with her deceased mother but how likely can that be if she can’t reconnect with herself?

It shows in theatre with “Desert Space” on 7May and can be streamed (geoblocked to Canada) on May 3 for 5 days.

Director Juan Cifuentes Mera.

RKS Film Rating 86/100.
Photo Fantasy Films

RKS Film: “The Killing of a Journalist”: A Filthy Stinking and Deadly Web of Slovakian Corruption (Toronto Hot Docs 2022)

“The Killing of a Journalist” is a documentary chronicling the 2018 murder of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancé Martina Kašnírová in Slovakia. Kuciak was in the midst of preparing an investigative report on corruption in Slovakia focusing on VAT and tax fraud centering on Slovakian Mafiaosa Marían Kocner a.k.a. “prominent businessman”. Kocner was knee deep in corruption but miraculously was never convicted nor charged with any offences. Not so much of a miracle of God but of blackmail and bribery.

The crime scene was a bloody mess and the head of police stated Slovakia was not a Mafia state despite a pack of reporters thinking otherwise. Slovakians, infuriated with the murders and rife corruption, exploded into the streets protesting and demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Robert Fico who fought back claiming the demonstrators were trying to destabilize the state. It so happened Fico had somewhat embarrassed himself by hiring Alena Zsuzsová, a topless model with connections to the Italian Mafia as his aide. 11 days after the murders the President of Slovakia expressed his dismay with the evils gnawing away at the state and publicly distanced himself from Prime Minister Fico. The Minister of the Interior resigned followed by Fico but the head of the police says he would not resign and “would fight to the end”. The end came 55 days later when he resigned.

A massive investigation by the police reviewing CCTV camera footage and thousands of text messages uncovers the murderers one of whom spills his guts naming accomplices and brokers of the murder fingering Zsuzsová as the person ordering the hit as directed by Kocner. Text messages between Kocner and Zsuzsová appear to substantiate that. An anonymous deep throat gives access to police investigation results to a team of investigative journalists who uncover how pervasive and deep the corruption was. The Slovakian police leadership was the main arm of the Mafia and politicians, judges and prosecutors were in Kocner’s hands as they were put in “compromising situations” by Zsuzsová. And there is taped conversation between Kuciak and Kocner where Kocner stated he would pay “special attention” to Kuciak and his family.

The end result is that Kocner and Zsuzsová were found not guilty of the murders however a higher court has overturned that verdict and ordered a retrial which started in February 2022. Kocner did receive a 19-year sentence for financial fraud and Zsuzsová 21 years for arranging the assassination of a Slovak mayor.

The killings of journalists like Kuciak are nothing new as we have seen in Russia, El Salvador and Turkey just to name a few guilty countries. This documentary is a well documented example of how corruption if unchecked can become particularly violent when the judiciary and police are in the pockets of the criminals where can there be no justice unless the population can mobilize and topple the pyramid of corruption.

The director of the documentary is Matt Sarnecki who treats us to an example of how corruption made Slovakia a failed state. It is where the unbelievable becomes reality.

“The Killing of a Journalist” is in theatre on 5May and is streaming at Hot Docs at Home starting May 2 for 5 days but is geoblocked to Canada.

RKS Film Rating 92/100.

RKS Film: “Sexual Healing”: A Tale of Courage and Curiosity

Evelien is a 53-year-old Dutch woman confined to a wheelchair due to spastic scoliosis. She was born premature and the hospital authorities advised her parents not to name her as she would not live long. It became a theme for her life that she shouldn’t exist. She retreated to a state of unhappiness which was so prevalent it actually offered her comfort to retreat to that world.

Act 53 she realizes that she has never had sex and being told by someone that you are not whole and a person until you have sex she presses ahead with her plan. She contacts DUZ a sex agency that specializes in a clientele of disabled people. They are extremely professional and empathetic at DUZ starting with an intake interview where possible matches for Evelien are discussed. She then choses Thomas a 67-year-old man who is full of charm with an uncanny ability to set Evelien’s mind at rest. The client has complete power to sop at any time if they are uncomfortable. Evelien also consults with clients of Thomas. She is ready to go! She discovers her sexuality and asks what  am I to do with it!

I found a key part of the film was the unconditional love and acceptance of Tori her dog and the horse she grooms. If only humans could be so accepting. I digress a bit here and say I had a friend at work who was diagnosed with ALS a fatal muscular disease. When that diagnosis was made public most people shied away from the man. Several of us made it a point of not fading away from him. I made myself a promise to go on a monthly lunch with him until even life in a wheelchair was impossible. At our first lunch I was really uncomfortable in interacting with a condemned man. But that unease faded rapidly. Were people equally abandoning Evelien?

A story of determination, courage, self doubts, nervous humour and the power of sexual healing. It seems Marvin Gaye’s song of that title finally makes sense.

Perhaps it is time for all of us not to take intimacy for granted.

The documentary is part of Hot Docs Documentary Festival 2022 and plays in theatre 5May and may be streamed as of May 2 for 5 days.

You can see the trailer here https://vimeo.com/693464778

Directed and written by Elsbeth Fraanje. In Dutch with English subtitles.

RKS Film Rating 91/100.