RKS Wine: The Penniless Pensioner and The Iranian Drones: Operation Payback

I received yet another Skype call from the Penniless Pensioner currently residing in Tirana Albania at 4 a.m. Toronto time. The poor fellow was distraught as Lola Freiberg aka the Tirana Tigress had been arrested by the Albanian Interior Ministry police and was in the notorious Tirana Prison for Hardened Criminals. What the charges were he did not know but he had been made a deal by the Albanian Ministry of the Interior to release her. Highly dangerous if not a fatal assignment so he wanted to talk to me as a friend and consigliere.

So I hop on a Turkish Air flight to Istanbul and connect on Air Albania and 20 hours after leaving Toronto I limp into the Holiday Inn Express in downtown Tirana and meet PP in a private conference room he has rented. Some burly men in tight fitting suits were leaving the room when I arrived and was given a big hug by PP. He explained those burly men were checking the room was not bugged. We have some watery Albanian beer and beef tongue flavoured potato chips and get down to business.

He tells me Lola the Tirana Tigress has been arrested and is in custody but he has not been advised what the charges are. He says the Albanians are not quite familiar with the “rule of law”. Representatives of the Albanian Ministry of the Interior have made him the following deal. Lola will be released if PP does the following. A large delegation of Iranians is arriving for a visit to the Albanian Freedom University in Tirana for an academic roundtable. They are then going to the Blue Sarada Hotel in Vlora on the Adriatic Coast for a series of meetings on tourism. In the Iranian delegation there are 7 high ranking officials including military officers. These 7 will lead a coup d’état in Iran ousting the theocracy. Many “leading countries” are willing to support and recognize the new regime. My assignment is to deliver to General Abapoof a terminal which when pressed will transfer 89 million USD to an Isle of Man Trussler Bank account which will be used to fund the coup. In return the new regime will have “friendly government” technicians rewire and reprogram 400 drones left in the 2400 sold to the Russians so that after the Russians fire these purchased drones targeting Ukraine they will within 3 hours be redirected to where they were fired from so many will land in military bases in Russia. Twenty will be redirected to the Kremlin. Many will also be directed to Russian army barracks, power plants and water treatment plants. The message is to give back to Russia some of what they gave to Ukraine. This will result in the “elimination” of Mr. President unless he is deep in his bunker! No drones will be directed to hospitals, kindergartens, seniors’ residences and train stations or civilian airports unlike in the Russian Ukrainian genocidal playbook.

If the Russians have any inkling of what is going on PP says he will be dead but certain” Western intelligence sources” say PP is not on the Russian or Iranian intelligence radar. PP is known for his covert financial transactions although as for his working for Bernie Madoff well he denies any wrongdoing. Once the funds are transferred Lola will be free like a bird.

After our chat PP seemed to be his old self. The man was on fire for Lola and would do anything to get his “sweet pea” back. So before heading back so I could hit the sack we decided to chill a bit and have some of that Pinot Noir I brought with me as he had requested.

PP was adventuresome and had tried all varieties of Albanian wine and had his favourites but there was nothing like a good Pinot Noir to ease the many substandard Albanian wines he had been subjected to. I will try and describe his opinion as suffering from jet lag and twisted limbs causing me some pain and a badly swollen ankle I did not have the coherence to make any serious commentary, So I try and quote his opinion on a Christopher Michael 2019 Pinot Noir from Oregon;

“Some of this Albanian wine is rough and abrasive and smells like dirty socks and wet cement. The commies here ruined the wine industry so they had to start rebuilding it. It will take some time. This Pinot Noir has a finesse and delicacy that perhaps in a decade or two the Albanians can try and emulate. It smells like wine! Well actually there is some raspberry, strawberry jam and fresh picked Albanian country cherries as its bouquet. It tastes like real sophisticated juice! Elegant, refined and sensual but it has traction and grip in a delicate way unlike so much Albanian plonk. It has a touch of chocolate on the finish. Acids and tannins are restrained. It would suit some Tave Kosi a popular lamb dish. I would give this wine a 92 but I am so starved for good Pinot Noir perhaps my rating is unreliable.”

PP drops a bombshell telling me his snookums’ Lola is pregnant! PP is going to be a father!

(Christopher Michael Northwest Winemakers 2019 Pinot Noir, Christopher Michael Wines, Tualatin, Oregon, $ 20.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 25111, 750 mL, 13%, Penniless Pensioner Wine Ranking 92/100).

RKS Wine: A Glass of Freakshow with “Nightmare Alley”?

Does being politically correct make you nauseous? Being averse to dig into this subject let me give you an example. I was waiting to board an Air Canada flight in Athens headed for Toronto on September 20th. I talked to a father and daughter from Ohio who lived a couple of hours south of Cleveland near the border with Kentucky. We ended up chatting about baseball and boy they were upset with the change of name of the Cleveland Indians team name to the Cleveland Guardians. Very few Indians fans accepted this name. Then it moved to the Washington Redskins changing their name to the Washington Commanders. I pointed out in the Canadian Football League the Edmonton Eskimos changed their name to the Edmonton Elks. This upset couple ended the conversation by saying Cleveland Indians was respectful and a tribute to aboriginals in the United States. Thank goodness the boarding call was made.

Sorry off topic a bit. But I have seen both the 1947 and 2021 version of “Nightmare Alley”. Both versions were bordering on horrific although the ending of the 2021 version was more graphic and disturbing than the 1947 version. The 1947 version was a box office flop although some say it was Tyrone Power’s best film performance. The 2021 version grossed over $60 million and Cate Blanchett’s performance was perhaps one of her best. With these two films in mind I saw a “Freakshow” Zinfandel with a delightfully gaudy label on the shelf. I can’t say I applaud the name of the wine but let’s not delve further.

Zinfandel can be a lusty wine well suited to Zeena ‘s character in the 2021 “Nightmare Alley”.

Despite the 15.5% alcohol level the fruit remains firmly in place restricting the alcohol to a sideshow. There are strong notes of raspberry and a certain sweet note with elements of raspberry tarts. There is some black cherry and a tad of vanilla peeking its head out.

On the palate yet again the fruit holds its place against the high alcohol. The wine is smooth and there is not a heat streak in it although there is some pepper on the finish. Loganberry, pomegranate and Washington cherries. The acidity is also deftly held in check.

Yes this is a high powered wine with high alcohol levels but somehow it has relegated its alcohol to the back lots of the carnival.

Tomahawk steak please or Mushroom Wellington. With 6 grams of residual sugar and restrained tannins the Mushroom Wellington would perhaps be the better bet and considering the richness of that pairing I would say Guillermo del Toro’s lush cinematographic version beats out the 1947 version.

(Freakshow 2019 Zinfandel, Lodi, California, Michael David Winery, American Canyon California, $24.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 10484, 750 mL, 15.5%, RKS Wine Rating 93/100).

“Travels to a Different Time” : 2August2006: Amsterdam After 30 Years: Pig Slop on Air Transat

Finished packing in the midst of terrible heat and humidity that has been blanketing Toronto. Basically, all you had to do was move and you’d be soaked. Off to Toronto Pearson Airport rewarded with being crammed in an Air Transat plane where my body type and seat configuration clashed. My old trick of ordering a diabetic meal which has been well rewarded with fresh fruit and vegetables was a disgusting mess this time. I must try Kosher next! A piece of fish (I think) with diced mushrooms in a greasy tomato sauce, a few shreds of Iceberg lettuce and the usual gross stale roll with rank tasting kiwis and melon. Oh the insults airline passengers face! Andrew had macaroni and cheese looking very greasy and unappealing with a piece of that obligatory soup kitchen chocolate cake. Airline travel has hit the skids which is a shame as being cooped up on a transatlantic flight passengers should look forward to a culinary diversion not pig slop. The first movie was with Jennifer Aniston was ho hum then some Disney film about a Tibetan dog. The plot was so simplistic audio was not required.

Arrived a few minutes early in Amsterdam and took a whopping $65 taxi ride to our hotel. The train was 4 Euros but with two children and luggage that would have been difficult. By 9 a.m. we were in our Apollo Meridien Hotel upgraded to executive class. Desperate to conquer the time zone yet numbed out and in a mental fog I took a walk. While the gang was sound asleep at 10 in the morning a walk along tree lined streets with a canal never too far from sight. Amsterdam after 30 years! I stopped and had a Dutch favourite of raw kippers and onions. Some vodka would have matched that silky smooth fish. So I settled for a couple of small Heineken drafts enjoying the cool damp breeze after that horrific Toronto heat and humidity. Managed to make it back in the hotel in a light rain just in time as the Heineken kicked in! What comes in must come out. I crashed and slept from 2-5 waking up groggy. Headed out at 18:50 to a local restaurant La Falote with not a tourist in sight. Some of the tasty dishes had were cod with rhubarb, schnitzel and mussel stew. Andrew and Alexandra had a Dutch waffle with crystalized cinnamon and ice cream. A complimentary jenever liqueur as sent our way. In bed at midnight setting the alarm for 04:30 for our flight to Samos.

RKS Wine: The Greatest Wine Since Sliced Bread? How Do We Deal with an Argentinian Monster?

After I review a wine, I may look what other reviewers have to say about it. Some critics I take seriously and others not so and then there is Luca Maroni who often scores wines in the 90’s when they deserve to be in the 80’s. What would you deduce from insanely high ratings?

For Alta-Yarí Gran Corte 2018 Tim Atkins gave it a glowing 97. Atkins is not Luca Maroni and his 97 is worth noting as a marker for possibly a great wine.

So what rating does RKS Wine give this wine?

It is an Argentinian wine from Mendoza with a 60% Cabernet Franc, 35% Malbec and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Individually these grapes can make great Mendozian reds but jumble them together?

It has a deep blackberry colour. On the nose redolent with blackberry, blueberry, cherry cola and black plum. On the palate there are moderate tannins just short of being thick and persistent. Penetrating blackberry, blueberry, cactus pear all with a long finish. At 14.5% the wine is a heavy hitter too powerful for the moment. Given its tannins and controlled acidity it will evolve over the next 7 years but into what I am not quite sure. My guess is that it will soften and lose its ferocious edge. This wine is definitely not for the faint at heart with its 14.5% alcohol content. That extra .50 alcohol over 14 almost takes the wine to obscene levels. My thoughts are that a few years in the bottle will mellow this Argentinian monster. Ageing wine is chump’s game but listen to me dear readers as I am no Luca Maroni although who knows with all his genetic tracing I may just be his long lost brother! I hope the new French oak will tone itself down over a few years.

Bodegas Fabre makes a wickedly delicious Malbec and also bottles Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon as single varietals.

A big brash wine which hopefully Father Time will bless.

(Alta-Yarí Gran Corte 2019, Guatallary, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Bodegas Fabre, Mendoza, Argentina, $29.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 24894, 750 mL, 14.5%, RKS Wine Rating 90/100).

RKS Travel: Air Canada’s Cruelty to “Basic Economy” Passengers: Call in Animal Protection!

I attended a birthday party last week-end and a very experienced traveller remarked about his recent trip on Air Canada a few days after my Air Canada trip. I remarked in Basic Economy my knees were jammed up against the seat ahead of me and God help me when the passenger tilted his seat. Last time I travelled on Air Canada in 2019 in Economy my knees had 4 inches to spare. This experienced traveller remarked if animals were subject to such “Basic Economy” conditions there would be an uproar and animal protection would be called.

“Travels to a Different Time” : 12August2004: Around Charlevoix in Quebec: Isle au Coudres

Started my birthday with, can you believe it, a trip to McDonalds to pick up some Egg McMuffins and orange juice with free lobby coffee on the way back to the room. The lobby coffee was mediocre but easier than making in room coffee. Actually I have always enjoyed picking up breakfast as you get to see a bit of local life, go to the supermarket like the locals and discover the shops. After breakfast it was a walk on one of the Manoir Richelieu trails skirting the cliffs and overlooking the St. Lawrence River. Truly an amazing forest/river walk! Excursion today was Isle au Coudres an island in the St. Lawrence River. Took a ferry trip for about 15 minutes and up a steep hill we drove. Alexandra phoned to wish me happy birthday. Andrew and Fotini forgot. Yes I am a special guy! The island is hardly a top tourist destination with basic looking accommodations and the “tourist shops” somewhat seedy. We stopped at a cider maker and bought some cider and apple ice liqueur. We stopped at a local bakery to buy some bread, cheese and their renowned apple and caramel brioche which is somewhat famous in Charlevoix. A superb dinner at Trois Canard. Charlevoix is a gastronomic delight!   

RKS Film: “Eleftheromania”: Greek Prisoners in Auschwitz Face Moral Dilemma

A well acclaimed short film “Eleftheromania” is based on 4 years of research by Gregory C. Pappas through firsthand evidence and research of the Auschwitz archives.

Greece was occupied by the Germans in the Second World War and the Greek population suffered atrocities when their resistance fought the Germans. Villages were decimated by mass executions. In one instance hundreds were locked in a church which the German army set on fire. So forth and so on.

Greek Jews were rounded up and transported primarily to Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps. In 2018 I visited the Jewish Museum in the city of Thessaloniki in Northern Greece. Having visited previously and knowing there was a large Jewish population of some 50,000 there I paid a visit to the Jewish Museum where I learnt that in 1943 almost the entire population of Jews in Thessaloniki were loaded up on trains and transported to Birkenau and Auschwitz. Today there remain only 1,000 Jews in Thessaloniki.

In “Eleftheromania” a group of Greek men in Auschwitz are to be sonderkommandos with the responsibility to lead prisoners to the gas chambers the prisoners being told they are undergoing “sanitization showers”. Their job at this point is to ensure calmness. Then when safe to enter the gas chambers they are to look for hidden jewelry and gold teeth amongst the corpses. Sonderkommandos were usually executed a few months after they assumed their ghoulish tasks.

The Greek men become involved in an intense discussion about the morality of their role all distilled to a question of ethics and morality versus survival. A vote is taken and they refuse to become sonderkommandos. They are then executed.

Academy Award winning actress Olympia Dukakis plays the role of a survivor who survived by sleeping with German soldiers. She delivers her role as a women decimated by sadness.

A short film yes but very intense and revealing the courage and conviction of these Greek Jews. You might want to call this unarmed moral resistance.

You can watch the short here   https://vimeo.com/493344794/4e94e04e63

The closing song for the credit roll is by Glykeria entitled “Minore Tis Avgis”. Those familiar with the more traditional Greek music know how contemplative and heart rendering it can be. In the context of this short film its sadness in virtually overwhelming. If you have the stamina you can listen to her song here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bkr6tTDV47M

“Eleftheromania” in Greek means a human’s innate desire to be free.

“Travels to a Different Time”: 11August2004: Around Charlevoix Along Marine Shore Park Road

Instead of heading East on Shore Road it was heading west on Marine Park Road. A 95-kilometre drive to Tadoussac. Many small towns were passed through. No art galleries to speak of. Of note was Port au Persil a small outpost off Route 138. A steep road leads down to the town with a spectacular view of the St. Lawrence River. We stopped by the side of the road the town and took a rest at picnic benches overlooking a small waterfall. There were a few people having lunch including a couple enjoying a bottle of wine. Drink wine in public in Toronto and expect a ten-year prison sentence! Point au Persil’s church is constructed of wood and is very simple. We drove to the pier and discovered a quaint restaurant “Petit Madelaine”. It is part of an auberge. It was so charming we made dinner reservations. We headed to the outskirts of Tadoussac. There were several towns on the way but Port au Persil is the most beautiful. We stopped at Pointe Noire which afforded a spectacular view of the Saguenay Fjord. The park rangers told us there where whales to see in the morning but no such luck for us. Dinner at Petit Madelaine was exceptional. The chef enthusiastically described her dishes. We all had cipet which was a pastry with turkey, beef and lamb. Dessert was a warm caramel brioche. The dining room had 15 or so tables and seemed to be popular amongst lesbian diners. Did this have anything to do with the restaurant being run solely by women? We enjoyed this country dinner immensely. Returned to Manoir Richelieu and had a fantastic steam bath and dip in the saltwater pool with Andrew.

RKS Films: “True Things”: A Cad Leading a Lamb to the Slaughter

“True Things” is a BritGrit film about an obsession or perhaps the extreme desperation of a woman seeking a relationship encompassing both sex and love. It is also a study of a cad and a lout exploiting that obsession and desperation.

Kate Perkin is a thirty something clerk processing claims of some sort in a gritty British costal town. She is lonely and hungry for a relationship and has fantasies about hot steamy romance on tropical beaches. Kate is having performance issues at work perhaps caused by her lonely existence.

Sam is one of Kate’s “clients” she meets processing his claim. Within minutes there is sex in the parking garage.

Kate interprets this as the beginning of the relationship she so desperately needs. Sam is interested in the sex and refuses “being boxed in” by a relationship.

As a viewer be prepared for Kate’s wretched descent into hell. Is it delusional or willful blindness or both? As Kate struggles with her willing exploitation it is sex, drugs and booze that sent her hurtling downwards getting terminated from her employment and trash talking friends and family for trying to help. Sam disrespects authority and by the way is recently released from prison. A certified nasty cad and you’ll be wringing your hands in despair with his treatment of Kate.

I won’t detail Sam’s caddishness but there is plenty of it which may invoke your anger, pity, compassion or perhaps disdain for Kate’s vulnerability. Whatever emotion(s) you have the film effectively plays on them. It makes no judgment and leaves that to the viewer.

The film concludes in Malaga in Spain a haven for ill behaved Brits. You might ask has Sam finally reformed? Is this situation finally concluding so you’ll “stand up and cheer” in the aisles!

Of course, I can’t tell you how this most depressing scenario ends but I can give you a hint. The hint is look for the smile and the shining eyes. Look for the liberation! Look for the note! Are we looking at a Harlequin Romance ending? Is this a “Sid and Nancy” story? Look at the smile and you’ll have your answer.

Ruth Wilson as Kate and Tom Burke as Sam and the cinematography are authentic and compelling BritGrit.

“True Things” is really a gut-wrenching fine piece of BritGrit. It is directed by Harry Wootlliff. It is available on VOD, Apple, Google Play and the Cineplex Store.

You can see the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uoh91HFx1Hw

RKS Film Rating 90/100.

RKS Wine: The Velvet Devil Merlot: Avoiding Dancing with the Devil

The label for The Velvet Devil Merlot 2019 is stark yet catchy as most wine labels from Charles Smith are. So it grabs your attention stylistically but what about after the bottle is opened and reality sets in?

Yes, it is also cheaper than many Washington State Merlots but can it match their quality?

On the aromatic side one detects a certain meatiness not rounded out by oak. Oak can be a dangerous game if overdone and this Merlot is in no way overcome by oak. Notes of blackberry, smoked meat, cassis, cherry cola. The oak is on the edge of trying to make a statement but is held in check, or in harmony if you like, with the fruit.

On the palate a strong forward prong of blueberries with pomegranate and cherry nectar. Moderate finish. A wine that is perhaps truer to the grape than with its oak. Think of it as a disciplined wine avoiding dancing with the oak devil!

Pair with an Eggplant Sandwich and you can find the recipe here https://www.lcbo.com/en/recipe/the-best-eggplant-sandwich/F201804017

(The Velvet Devil Merlot 2019, Washington State, Charles Smith Wines, Mattawa/Quincy, Washington, $16.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 394742 750 mL, 13.5%, RKS Wine Rating 89/100).