RKS Wine: Big n Bold Cabernet Sauvignon from McLaren Vale

So many wine consumers love Australian Shiraz but shouldn’t forget Australian Cabernet Sauvignon which can range in intensity from Western Australia to South Australia. Perhaps the most intense Cabernet Sauvignons are from McLaren Vale. Unfortunately, here in Ontario great Cabernet Sauvignons are rare. So many Canadians are drawn to the allure of Californian Cabernet Sauvignons and the Liquor Control Board of Ontario feeds this allure by importing many a Cabernet Sauvignon from California but be prepared to pay $30 for a bottle if not more. The quality below that price can be spotty. Can Australia deliver in the up to $30 category?

Well let’s give a Shingleback Davey Estate Cab a try. The wine has more purple than red in it. On the nose blueberry rules the roost. There is also a big wallop of blackberry and a bit of creamy vanilla. On the palate the tannins are moderate. There are blackberries, black cherry, and blueberry pie on the palate. The finish is medium length. I just wish the finish had more clarity and precision. It is somewhat diffuse and bland which is a shame as it has such an expressive and high-quality nose. On the other hand shall one be misled by the aroma of a wine? I can be convinced with great concentration that perhaps one might credit the wine with a discrete and circumspect finish. It spent some 13 months in French oak which only really surfaces so very slightly on the nose.

Why not just come out and say this is a good wine and it gets better with aeration. How can a wine be full bodied but delicate? Oh the intricacies of wine! And to confuse matters the wine may simply be too young to drink now. Perhaps if you have a cellar put this wine away and try in 2026.Something tells me don’t give up on this wine just right now. It holds its alcohol very well!

There is no way California is winning the under $30 Cabernet Sauvignon battle against Australia although both kick Ontario Cabernet Sauvignon butt except for a few Cabs from Lake Erie North Shore. I was in Niagara-on-the-Lake a few days ago and had some “high end” Peller Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon which simply could not stand up to this Aussie Cab. Frankly it was an expensive wimp.

(Shingleback Davey Estate Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale 2019 South Australia, Shingleback Wine, McLaren Vale, South Australia, $21.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 44455, 750 mL, 14%, Robert K. Stephen A Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 90/100).

“My Life as a Golf Marshall” : Life and Death on the Golf Course

As a Marshall you are dealing with many people of all ages and sexes. There are stories of life and death that may be exchanged. One day I encountered a group of golfers in their seventies. As we chatted one brother approached me with sadness in his eyes and volunteered, “You see that guy over there. He is my brother and has advanced brain cancer and this may be one of his last rounds.” He was a “scratch golfer” and now his game is shit”. Golf is not always about fun it can be a life and death story.

RKS Wine :Nothing Dainty About McLaren Vale Reds But Can They Be Elegant?

Some wine drinkers love a big Australian Red and as I say almost every wine has a time and place! I would prefer a hearty red with a rich mushroom based vegetarian dish or with grilled beef. But I certainly wouldn’t want it with fish as it will end up tasting tinny. On the other hand a hearty red may be good for sipping as the autumn wanes into winter. Different strokes for different folks. I am more concerned that it is well made and often suggest what food matches it from my memory bank. But you are the master of your own palate.

Just to be sure about big reds from McLaren Vale we try a Paxton Shiraz Grenache which by the way is organic. It is black cherry in colour but from a distance or a white background to test its colour it looks purple often an indication of a full-bodied wine. On the nose it has a dense aroma that rises from the glass. Lots of big fat almost overly ripe strawberries, the trademark of Grenache, blackberries and jumbo Washington State cherries. On the palate there are creeping but not overwhelming tannins. There is also cassis and an attention-grabbing surround sound of freshly baked cherry pie with a hint of coal. Rather intriguing. Although a wine with 14% alcohol may be difficult to categorize as elegant, I surmise its organic composition gives it some purity and elegance if decanted.

Now the question is if this wine is a heavy hitter and if so does it simply have power? I will say that in this wine there is a balance of power and elegance. Drink it straight from the bottle into your glass and you are more likely to get power whereas if you decant it for two hours the elegance will sneak in past the finish line.

I would give this until 2027 to naturally soften. It is not that often I have to scratch my head and seriously ponder a wine but this is one of them.

(Paxton AAA Shiraz Grenache McLaren Vale 2019 (Organic), Paxton Wines, McLaren Vale, South Australia, $21.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 149898, 750 mL, Robert K. Stephen, A Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 92/100).

“My Life as a Golf Marshall” :The Four Dickheads

As a Marshall you are bound to see dickheads in action. In this case the starter tipped me off to four “idiots” teeing off on the 10th at 8 in the morning. I approached the four gentlemen in their early thirties tattooed and in a cloud of cannabis. Their politeness was a bit odd and over theatrical calling me Mr. Marshall Sir. They wanted to play 18 holes but had only been able to book 9. They would “compensate me” (bribery?) if I would let them play 18. I declined their offer and said speak to the starter. I hear they tried to book 9 more holes at the Pro Shop and as the course was full they were unsuccessful. They took a hissy fit shouting, yelling and cursing at the pro shop . They left their carts in the parking lot full of garbage including used masks. Dickheads in action. Perhaps further adjectives are required to describe “Dickheads”. Excuse me but stick your filthy masks up your dickheaded …..es”.

RKS Films: “The Loneliest Whale: The Search for 52”

In 1992 a top-secret project of the United States Navy focusing on identifying the sounds of Russian submarines discovered a strange sound at 52 Hertz decibels. A marine biologist concluded it was a whale singing at 52 Hertz a frequency unique to whales so the thought was that this was a lonely whale. With no other whales to communicate with it was it a lonely whale? The idea of an intelligent mammal lonely in the vast expanses of the ocean captured the heart and souls of many.

Not being heard since 1993 an obsessed filmmaker sets out on an expedition to locate 52 which focuses on a team of crack marine biologists, audiologists and scientist to discover 52. The end result is a bit inconclusive but leads to the possible conclusion the expedition has seen and tagged 52 and that 52 is not alone by analyzing whale songs.

While the chase for 52 is an exciting Loch Ness type search it could be more of a study on human nature determined to solving a mystery of a lonely isolated whale. It resonates with so much of humanity this idea of loneliness and lack of belonging. Is this a search for a whale or an attempt to bridge human frailty that can be equated to an isolated whale?

If you take nothing away from the film in terms of an analysis of alienation of humanity and that of a whale you might say humanity shares concerns that alienation and loneliness is an evil that requires attention.

An exciting chase if you are operating at low intellectual levels. A disturbing categorization of humanity rejecting isolation amongst whales and themselves and between whales and humanity.

The end result of the expedition is that 52 may not be alone but there are others like him.

Also the threats to whale communication being disrupted by the underwater shipping lanes is disturbing. And a bloody historical look at the whaling industry. Why whales tolerate humans is beyond me. Butchers and extreme negligence in modern shipping lanes.

A human emotion of loneliness transferred to whales which may not be too far off as whales are social animals where family and community seems important and their songs are a unifying force of communication and navigation.

At the end of the day an exciting chase for 52 laced with warnings about human perils to whales.,

Directed by Joshua Zeman and executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio and eleven others.

This United States film will be available to stream on October 12 on Hulu.

You can check out the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4zGRKbnVh8

Will whales ever forgive us?

“My Life as a Golf Marshall”: Tales from the Edge: Korean Noodle Soup on the 10th

This is my story: I was playing golf a few years ago as the last foursome for the year. It was a pleasant sunny but cool day in mid November. The three Korean gentlemen in my foursome decided on a snack on the 10th hole. A rather traditional practice of grabbing a bite or gulping down some water? Considering the poor quality of food at the course many bring their own food particularly the ladies who prefer salads brought from home. But the three Korean gentlemen took out a small gas burner and boiled some noodles!

“Mutantism on the March” :Chapter 102 The Beginning of the End For President Affliction

The President of the United States Affliction was not savouring his evening meal. His discomfort was not mitigated in the least by the mutterings of his wife Fat. Affliction was not in a particularly good mood after discovering the existence of some gossip pertaining to her ultra secret facelift. While Fat was bellowing out “Just say no to Drugs” the feminist movement was saying, “Say no to plastic surgery”. President Affliction did not escape her wrath as she shouted out, “Eat your green beans. You must eat them for regularity of bowel movements. Stop that vulgar habit of swirling your bread in your gravy. Didn’t your mother teach you any manners? And just look at your suit. It is so wrinkled. You should be ashamed to wear it in public. Let the Filipino boys attend to it. We don’t pay them for nothing, Hopefully you have not forgotten my suggestions on the Luxembourg situation.”

Affliction had enough of this insulting banter. He had been attacked by too many people about those damned Messygate tapes. When his wife jumped upon him it was simply unbearable. So what! Many politicians had done underhanded deeds. That was the nature of American politics. So he had broken into Democratic National headquarters. The trick was simple and that was just do not get caught. Yet the press had launched a massive attack on his credibility. Damn that Washington Press and Woodward and Bernstein! Students throughout America were on the rampage. There was talk of bugging and burglary. Who dared criticize the President of America as a common thief? Well he may just take some precautions just in case.

He had some potentially damaging tapes in his office of conversations and it now seemed an opportune time to destroy them. One such conversation had been with that Quebec politician Hecklevesque with his strange story of him being a spaceman called Jiber who wanted a subjugated army of Quebecers for the purposes of returning to some planet called Zortixia and conquering some strange galaxy of planets. Affliction had signed a secret pact with him but matters were not progressing as planned. The Canadians were managing a Quebec flare up without any “justified” American intervention. The score had been evened out with the kidnapping of a limey and a frog and Quebecers had been quietened by this quid pro pro. If matters had progressed as planned an invasion of Quebec would have boosted his poll ratings. Now he had no desire to dabble with Canadian politics. Vietnam had been just about all he could bear. That tape had to be chucked in the garbage can quick. And those blasted reporters from the Post. Their questions had become more probing as the days passed and who was this “Deep Throat”? It was getting a bit too close for comfort. It was time to craft some delusionary statements for the press to get them off his tracks. Maybe his friends at the FBI could agitate for a printing strike at the Washington Post to stem these nasty anti-Affliction articles. Sooner or later other American newspapers would be sniffing around for dirt. Affliction’s chief aide Falterman was getting close to the breaking point after some scandal called Messygate started swirling around his big bald head. Affliction was getting increasingly desperate as Falterman had told him the big consumer advocate lawyer Arf Needer would be on hunt for corruption in the White House.

Hecklevesque was also despondent. His crew was suffering from low morale. One had deserted to marry Minette Reno a big Quebec pop star. Another two had deflected to join a crazy religious group the Flairy Weeshnas. The rest were sullenly suggesting a return to Zortixia. Add to this was the population’s unwillingness to revolt. That damn mayor of Montreal Droolpoop had done his damn best to dull the nationalism that Hecklevesque had worked so hard to cultivate focusing on Canada and the 1976 Olympics he was bidding on. Montreal was slipping into the American fold peacefully like that stupid professional baseball team he had brought to Montreal, The Montreal Hexpos. Montrealer’s were more interested in Rusty Staub (Le Grande Orange) of the Hexpos than advocating for Quebec separating from the rest of Canada. And now that the Olympics may be on their way Quebecers were told to be on their best behaviour. Politics were soon forgotten in the struggle for big contracts and monopolies for the hoped-for Olympics. New hotels and restaurants mushroomed with the rich and powerful waiting to see who would land big wads of cash.

“My Life as a Golf Marshall” ; Tales From the Edge”:BIRDSLAUGHTER

There is a problem at the golf course I marshall at and that is the proliferation of Canada Geese on and surrounding the green on the third hole in the spring months. Bird poop is everywhere. On my day off I was playing golf  and hit a high 9 iron 130 yards out from the green and as my shot landed I heard my companions say, “Holy shit you just hit a bird”. Indeed BIRD DOWN! The poor thing was on its back and convulsing and being attacked by a crazy goose a few years ago on the 9th hole I swear this was not revenge. Really. But the poor fellow righted himself and no reports were made of a deceased goose. Needless to say my concentration was shattered for a few holes and since no birdslaughter charges were laid I suppose I escaped the wrath of the animal rights activists!

RKS Wine: The Pandora’s Box Exposes the Penniless Pensioner as a Possible Tax Fraudster!

Dear readers you might want to say the Penniless Pensioner has traveled from bad to worse. His seemingly inevitable break up with his fiancé Celine Serpent and blockbuster news today about his naming in the Pandora’s Box leak by certain media outlets of alleged offshore tax cheaters. I just knew these Panamanian bank accounts of PP were bait for investigation by the Canada Revenue Agency. They have been nailing honest taxpayers like me for years so much so at times I feel like that trusting horse Boxer in George Orwell’s “Animal Farm”. I’ll end up in the glue factory while the tax cheats laugh at honest chumps like me as they sail their yachts in the Aegean and the Adriatic.

Well PP was arrested for potential tax fraud in Rome and sits in a Roman prison awaiting extradition to Canada which will happen before Meng was freed in Vancouver! But he e-mailed me and is in good spirits for reasons that escape me. He is a “resident” of an experimental Italian prison where they are training “residents” to be chefs and sommeliers. So soon a select group of “residents” are being taught how to make Tuscan Wild Boar Pasta which will be served with a Tuscan Cilestro Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese blend. This will happen in a couple of days. He asks if it is available in Ontario and I say yes. So he wants a review tonight so he can quote it and appear wine savvy when it is poured at his Roman “residence”.

My first thought is an equal blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese and I hit the nail on the head on that. No grape completely wins the battle. There is a bit of both in the blend. From the Cabernet Sauvignon there is both blueberry and firmness. From the Sangiovese that unmistakeable red cherry and agility. Lovers of both these grapes will not go home disappointed.  On the nose a combination of blueberry and cherry but at its soul rich cherry that makes it unmistakably Tuscan. Rather the same on the palate where the Sangiovese slightly edges out the Cabernet Sauvignon. Together they make a handsome couple that will handle the “resident’s” Tuscan Boar pasta. Here in Canada this might suit a pulled pork sandwich or a Pasta a la Norma.

A charming and delicious wine. Great sipper. A really good wine at an attractive price.

Drink by 2025 which hopefully will see PP back in Canada.

(Tenuta Della Luia Cilestro 2018 Rosso Toscano IGT, Tenuta Della Luia, Certaldo, Italy, $15.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 13521, 750 mL, 13.5, Robert K. Stephen A Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 93/100).

As Canadian Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching this wine will match a turkey where the cranberry sauce will be a nice foil to the cherry and blueberry in the wine BUT if you are like me and are a gravy man this wine will not do and I would rather go with an Alsatian or Okanagan Gewurztraminer.

“My Life as a Golf Marshall” : Tales from the Edge :THE PUTTING GREEN POOPER

You gotta go you gotta go. We have all faced this dilemma and have pooped where we never thought we would poop. Rather a bad reaction to Mexican food in Cancun or with Portuguese chicken in Toronto. Hopefully not caught on CCTV. But a groundskeeper at my course told me he started his shift early one morning and discovered a huge human “dump” on the practice putting greens! A definite attempt at soiling the life of golfers. Vulgar yet a funny socio-economic statement.