A Bird's Eye View of Fashion, Food, Travel, Culture, Beverage and Curiosity

Niagara White, Pink Rosé and Red

The way COVID-19 is threatening the Ontario Health care system and considering the public is subject to a dicey waiting game for first and second doses I have ruled out any significant travel not that Canadians are welcome anywhere these days. So it may be a short trip to Niagara or Prince Edward County after the second jab?

Might as well help out the Ontario wineries by reviewing a Niagara white, red and pink. But Ontario wineries are parsimonious with their samples so there is only so much exposure I can give them.

Why not start with a Cabernet Merlot from Tawse. It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Cabernet Franc is Ontario’s shining beacon. Merlot can be decent but Cabernet Sauvignon is usually close to a write off. But blend all three and what do we get?

It is quite easy to pick up the influence of each of the three grapes. There is a tad of plushness from the Merlot. The Cabernet Franc adds a good layering of cherry and smoke while the Cabernet Sauvignon ekes out a bit of blueberry. That’s on the nose.

What about the palate? Mild tannins. But there is total lack of definition or of structure on the palate. Quite frankly it is a disaster. You are wasting your money on this red. Of course, if you want to further educate yourself as to a mediocre wine this will be a good lesson for you.

(Tawse Winery Sketches 2018 Cabernet Merlot, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Tawse Winery, Vineland, Ontario, $21.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 130252, 750 mL, 12.5%, Robert K. Stephen A Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 73/100).

Moving on from the wreckage I will admit Riesling is one of my least favourite grapes but recently a Tawse Sparkling Riesling met with my approval. Can Lakeview Cellars replicate it with their “Serenity”?

A rather citrusy nose with some with honey and tangerine. On the palate some crispness and although not made in the Traditional Method it is neither clumsy or coarse. It has a bit of peach and citrus. The LCBO Vintages catalogue describes this as Prosecco inspired but I find it has more in common with Champagne. They say it is slightly off-dry? Great way to start a meal the clean up that palate before you dig into the main course. Impressive for a tank method sparkler. Perhaps Ontario Riesling has a possible bright future as a sparkler? It is beginning to win me over.

(Serenity Sparkling Riesling (NV), Diamond Estates Wine and Spirits, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, VQA Ontario, $19.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 19897, 12%, 750 mL, Robert K. Stephen A Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 89/100).

We continue our Niagara journey with a 2020 rosé from Featherstone. Heading towards the dark side of pink this is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Gamay and Merlot. On the nose lots of cherry Jello, raspberry, cranberry and bubble-gum. Lots of fun but what about the taste. While its aromas suggest a potentially juvenile wine this wine is anything but with a full mouthfeel and a hint of tannins. Graphite, cherry, raspberry all with a good grip and a long finish which is not all that common for a rosé. This is about as good as a rosé as you will get not in Ontario but globally. The nose leads you to think this is a flippant lightweight but is remains lighthearted but serious and very good. 1308 cases produced.

I am searching hard for the right dish and I think this would suit octopus and potatoes or some Greek Papusatakia translated as little eggplant boots which you can easily find on the internet. Best to wait for local eggplant and tomatoes!

Drink this year and buy a case as this is also a good post gardening wine in May.

(Featherstone Rosé 2020, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Featherstone Estate Winery, Vineland, Ontario, $15.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 117861, 750 mL, 13.5%, Robert K. Stephen A Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 94/100).

Feeling the angst over the Tawse Cabernet Merlot can we give some red wine dignity back to Niagara? Stratus makes a wonderful Wildass Rosé but what about their Wildass 2018 Red which is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.

Overpriced for the quality. You can do better by looking to Portugal for less money and more character.

On the nose raspberry, cherry and some cherry Jello. Not intense but on the light side. As for the palate cherry, chocolate covered cherry and a hint of rhubarb. Short finish. General lack of concentration on both the palate and with its aromatics. Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah generally don’t do that well in Ontario and unfortunately it shows in this wine. I would match with a simple Penne all’ Arrabbiata https://www.food.com/recipe/batalis-simple-penne-allarrabbiata-508449

(Stratus Wildass 2018 Red, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake VQA, $ 21.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 86363, 12.3%, 750 mL, Robert K. Stephen Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 86/100).

Looks Like The USA is Months Ahead of Canada! In Ontario You Can’t Even Play Tennis!

Mayhem’s Brilliant 2020 Sauvignon Blanc

“Mayhem” could be seen as a misleading name for this Okanagan winery which is a collaboration between two established wine industry siblings – Terry Meyer Stone of Anarchist Mountain Vineyards and her brother JAK Meyer of Meyer Family Vineyards, along with their respective spouses Andrew Stone and Janice Stevens. There is no anarchy or mayhem in Mayhem Wines!

Sauvignon Blanc in the Okanagan? Yes indeed. You’d be surprised if you had a full inventory of the grapes grown here!

As 2020 goes this is COVID era Sauvignon Blanc. Is there a need to quarantine yourself from it?

Fear not you poor propagandized citizens of Canada! Don’t do this. Do that. Stay at home. Don’t celebrate milestone events. Don’t hug your grandchildren let alone even seeing them other than on Facebook. Should you fear infection from this wine! Will the next emergency order compel sex on Monday afternoons? The medico-politico elite can not tell us what wine to drink…….at least for now.

My goodness who needs New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with this Mayhem version. Not to forget many wineries derive most of their revenue from on site sales that have been hampered by closure of tasting rooms. Canadian wineries need our help particularly in 2021 as we hopefully crawl out of the COVID gutter.

My first take on this Sauvignon Blanc is that it is an excellent one that can rival and beat most New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. While I am not a big fan of the grape I can pick a winner when I taste one. And it is a winner. Finally I have found a Sauvignon Blanc that I like!

Light gold if not platinum in colour. On the nose lemon, lime, mango and some rich waftings of pineapple. On the palate extremely gentle on the tannins and on the acidity. Lemon, lime, tangerine and guava with a short and clean finish.

OK does this Sauvignon Blanc have some reflection of its terroir? While I make a comparison to New Zealie SB this Okanagan version comes on strong like a good Sauvignon Blanc but it has a twist to it and that is its taste which fades from good ole SB into something different. A taste that is unique in that it rather loses its Sauvignon Blanc ancestry and takes you down a delightfully unfamiliar path and into something more sophisticated and elegant. Sorry it is a bit difficult to explain which may be a reflection of its brilliance.

The tasting sheet says the wine “is dry, clean, fresh and ready to drink”. Indeed it is but as this wine is a newbie and has travelled from British Columbia to Ontario on a truck it got a bit of a few bumps outside of Wa Wa so to recuperate from bottle shock there is no harm letting it sit for a couple of months or at least until this ****** lockdown ends and you can sit on your patio with your friends (formerly evil contaminated people to avoid).

The tasting sheet says this is good with goat cheese and flatbread at a nearby patio. Like the plethora of “emergency orders” dogging all of us I’ll obey the tasting sheet.

Three separate parcels of this wine were produced. 76% in stainless steel, 10% in new French oak barriques and 14% neutral French oak barriques. The oak enhances the wine but is it detectable? No. Skillful and respectful use of oak. No arguing with winemaker’s Ajay Chavan’s view this is one of his favourite vintages. The separate batches were blended prior to bottling.

238 cases produced. For how to order contact www.Mayhemwines.com.

(Mayhem 2020 Sauvignon Blanc, Naramata Bench Okanagan Valley (produced under license of Meyer Family Vineyards) BC VQA, $20, 750 mL, 12.5%, Robert K. Stephen A Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 94/100).

“Mutantism on the March” :Chapter 58 “The Conflict in Montreal Mental Hospitals Widens”

While many of the healthier and mobile vets were carrying out their raid on the Mugless Mental Hospital the less mobile vets confined to hospitals staged loud and angry protests demanding better care and more funding from the Canadian government. The hardest hit by protests was The Queen Fairy Hospital for Veterans. Windows were smashed, toilet intentionally clogged and flushed numerous times creating floods, fires set and banners hung from windows. Television crews were on the scene prior to the police so there was no way this story could be supressed. The strongest and more vocal patients were heavily sedated and forcibly dragged back to their rooms. While the Queen Fairy “riots” were in progress over 700 patients escaped from the Mugless Mental Hospital in an armada of buses to Squid’s home in the bowels of Mount Royal. Upon arrival there was coffee, brandy and souvlakis donated by a prominent restaurateur Kostas Clambakis and supporter of the United Mutations. All three of his children were blind. Cots had been set up for the night. The protestors bivouacking with Squid were adamant about protesting outside Revenue Canada headquarters in downtown Montreal.

The next day Montreal awoke to near mass panic learning that 700 “loonies” had escaped from the Mugless. Would anyone be safe? There was speculation there was a connection between the Mugless raid and the Queen Fairy protests as both hospitals had banners hanging from windows reading “MUTANT POWER NOW”.

The attackers had planned these raids perfectly and in fact the only patients left behind at the Mugless Mental Hospital were murderers, pedophiles, violent offenders and rapists. The local police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) had no leads as to the whereabouts of the 700 Mugless escapees. The Canadian Army brought anti-terrorism squads to determine where the Mugless patients had gone. Their theory was this was a Palestinian plot or a Cuban attempt to destabilize Canada. They had not a shred of evidence to support these theories. Citizens were ordered to “quarantine” at home and lock all doors and windows. Ringleader vets at the Queen Fairy were interrogated to no avail. One frustrated detective slugged a former General in the Canadian army that had been decorated for bravery after charging and wiping out a Chinese machine gun nest in the Korean War after the General called him a “Pig”. A wild melee ensued injuring two policemen.

The Queen Fairy Hospital for Veterans was surrounded by tanks and heavily armed soldiers. These veterans who had served their country with courage and valour were furious and even the sedatives were ineffective to deal with such rage. They chanted from their windows demanding better care and increased government funding. Since these veterans had already proven their loyalty by having their lungs burnt out by poison gas or limbs amputated all connection to foreign plots was discounted. And the population of Montreal was very conscious of being manipulated by the provincial and federal governments. You might even say support by the “normals” for the mutants was starting to grow. Oh the power to be gained by government mismanagement.

“Mutantism on The March”: “Chapter 57 “The Mutants Attack the Mugless Mental Hospital”

Squid had a good chuckle over the Birdbrain letter. Obviously, she felt more comfortable baking muffins for members of the Women’s Revival Movement for Temperance than analyzing reality. It was clear to Squid that mutantism ignorance was rampant and still the so called “normals” wanted to dictate the rules of the game for mutants. This widespread ignorance made the construction of Expo 67 World Fair possible. Only the wealthy could afford to visit it. Millions of Quebecker’s tax money had been squandered for rich tourists and hotel owners, restaurant owners and contractors not to mention an army of opportunists. The vast sum of taxpayer’s dollars certainly could have been better spent to ameliorate the conditions of mutants who were sitting in cold-water flats eating stale bread and beans.

The petit bourgeoisie of Montreal were relishing the future profits they would cash in on. The criminal behind this was Montreal mayor Jean Droolpoop considered like some saviour of capitalism as Montreal was in its death throes against Toronto. Droolpoop had a reputation of breaking up crime syndicates and playing the media darling of tough guy. So tough that the Roman Catholic church was controlling the numbers game in Montreal. Expo 67 was an invitation for corruption. And Droolpoop had handed out huge construction contracts to build Expo 67. It was Droolpoop that took credit for construction of Montreal’s subway system that served large retailers. Not only that Droolpoop had expropriated Lower Westmount in Montreal to make way for expressways leading into Montreal causing dislocation of thousands of mutants. This was a low-income suburb and its disappearance pleased suburbanites and contractors but lead to a mass exodus of lower income residents. In the midst of clanking gold coins seniors, low-income residents and mutants were displaced and forgotten. They had no political power so what did it matter?

Droolpoop had trumpets of self glorification blowing. He was in the process of “constructing a great world class city” for the benefit of those never identified. Droolpoop was miffed when bouquets of flowers were not sent his way. Mutants were not about to participate in political bootlicking being prepared to challenge pompous bastards and cash grabbing toadies where they could be found. Idiot princes and court jesters had no rightful place in the world when they preyed on the innocent.

Bertie Foonbean, the reject from the Greek Gods, suggested an ingenious plan to harass prophet Droolpoop. In many Montreal mental institutions there had been severe cutbacks to divert funds for Expo 67. The big Expo 67 had to be paid for somehow. The Montreal mutants, directed by Foonbean, planned a mass breakout of “patients” from the Mugless Mental Hospital. It was hoped that the Dora Birdbrains and their tax-deductible husbands would see that the mutants had the power to control their existence and destiny even if for a short moment. The mutants were to defy their jailers…..society. The victims of the scandalous behaviour of the Montreal municipal politicians were to be in the frontlines of the attack.

Late one-night groups of war veterans dressed in souvenir commando outfits besieged the Mugless Mental Hospital on the slopes of Mount Royal while inside operatives, not blanked out by CIA LSD experiments on the inmates, overpowered the security guards and orderlies. The vets were pumped up thinking they were supporting the liberation of their comrades. They had fought in wars over “freedom” yet after the wars they had witnessed the actions of those most vocal in support of the war count their profits from munitions manufacturing and large government contracts ignoring the victims they had created on “both sides”. These vets hoped their raid would focus national attention to the plight of veterans forgotten for 364 days of the year and left to create brooms and keychains for automobiles.

Portugal Proves Itself Again and Again

A perennial invite on the shelves of The Liquor Control Board of Ontario is the Esporão label from the Alentejo Appellation in Portugal. The label says a “blend of a traditional Alentejo varieties”. Not exactly helpful nor expected from a Portuguese producer.

On the aromatics we get a solid an intense wave of blackberry, black cherry, cooked rhubarb with some toasty vanilla. Moderate tannins and strong presence of black fruits tamed by the oak. Moderate finish. I think this is more of a foodie wine and I think it would go with Beef or Mushroom Wellington. I just finished making a Port reduction sauce to top the Mushroom Wellington with. All in all it took three hours of prep time so I would say save for a rainy day Sunday.

I think this wine will improve in the bottle up to 2026. A dry wine for sure but there is but a little twist of sweetness on the finish.

You can find equally good wines from the Alentejo for less than the price of this wine but sometimes you might not have the time to experiment. This wine is an easy choice and an introduction to the great potential of Alentejo.

(Esporão Tinto Reserva 2017, DOC Alentejo, Esporão, Reguengos de Monsaraz, Portugal, $26.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 606590, 750 mL, 14.5%, Robert K. Stephen A Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 92/100).

We end up in the Douro with a Quadrus 2019 white with a label that simply says this is a blend of indigenous grapes. Isn’t that helpful! The LCBO Vintages Catalogue advises us the blend is Viosinho, Rabigato (which I am familiar with) and Côdega de Larinho. Light golden coloured. On the nose aromas of peach, tangerine and guava. On the palate tangerine, sweet white Texas grapefruit and subtle minerality from the schist soils. Beautiful integration of oak giving the wine character without oakiness. Moderate finish. Grilled chicken with piri piri sauce please. A good sipper too!

Drink before 2025.

(Quadrus Vinho Branco Douro 2019, DOC Douro, Miravino, Porto, Portugal, $19.75, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 667162, 750 mL, 12.5%, Robert K. Stephen A Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 92/100).

“The Media Has Failed Us”

Like a hound dog
they sniff out” reality”
that is fed to them
by the politico-medico elite
run and run for vaccination jabs
like the saviour of humanity
mindless blobs
anti-vaxxers
ignored
or contrarian views
never given any time
to contest
given your advertising revenue depends on Big Pharma
you filthy lowlife deceiver

The Fifth Estate is aligned with Big Pharma
Oxi and fentanyl
until it is time to run for cover
Better story line for the front line heroes
You are not on my side
but prefer to protect the source of your advertisement revenue
with the integrity of cow manure

Robert K. Stephen

Poetry Break “The Media Has Failed Us”

“The Long Way Back “: Some Reflections on an Indie Film

Breaking Glass Pictures (BGP) in Philadelphia has an interesting portfolio of films they have sent my way over the past few years. Not all are great but some are gaspingly delightful and not to mention the LGBTQ film inventory they have.

And they don’t carry the Hollywood slop I have little interest in. In the days when I used to travel when COVID was not crushing our liberty and happiness I recall flying back to Toronto from the EU and what was everyone watching…”Black Panther”. No thank you to that film and the many Star Wars films or the modern James Bond film.

I like the “Indies” low budget and always a degree of rawness and a lack of special effects. This is most likely why I was sent to sit in the corner at school.

“The Long Way Back” is not one of those exceptional Indie films but true to the genre there is no expensive soundtrack repertoire nor are the actors shining examples of beauty and perfection. Yes there is a streak of realism here not as probing as the 1960 and 1970 French gangster films or even the 70’s American film “French Connection”.

The theme is a criminal who does his time in the penitentiary and that is Max Lyons (Denny Bess) who and is released and heads back to Lower Manhattan we call “downtown” to his old raunchy apartment managed by his friend Ziggy. Max is not a muscular hunk but slightly overweight and not exactly an Adonis.

Max falls for next door neighbour Sarah (Reyna Kehan) who is a design student who is no Nicole Kidman but exudes a genuine warmth. Yes you might say, “I like that woman”. She sets Max straight to kick his junkie habit.

But Max had ripped off Lucius (Mark Borkowski) of $20,000 before he went to the slammer. Lucius is a mean dude and dare cross him and you’ll be threatened with death. Lucius is out of synch with the cast of “normal characters”. His role is overdone unless we are into the original Batman series with Adam West where the criminals were always exaggerated.

So should you see this film? A yes if you like and wish to support Indie films. Many of our Canadian films are in fact Indie with small budgets and they overdeliver in acting and plot.

And many Indie films have endings that run contrary to our Hollywood brainwashed minds. As I review films in my downstairs office every once and awhile, I gasp “OH NO” to the consternation of my dear West Highland Terrier that sleeps on the couch behind me.

The conclusion of this film is not quite an “Oh No!” one but caught me off guard expecting conflict resolution. But an easy out not quite in the Hollywood script.

“The Long Way Back” will be released May 11 on VOD on ITunes, Amazon, XBOX, Vudu, FandangoNOW and some local cable and satellite providers.

You can watch the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo9Nk096_Zk

Director of the film is E.B Hughes who also directed “Exit 0” which I found more complex and satisfying.

Tragically Hip: Great Band But the Wine That Bears its Name?: Canadian Rock n Roll Wine!

Record sales certainly aren’t what they used to be. It is concert revenue and merchandising that bring in the revenue. In this case the Tragically Hip has lent their name to a brand of wines hoping to cash into their name. They may be great musicians but what do they know about wine? Marketing does not care about such things hoping for profit. Now the downside may be minimal to The Hip as fans are more interested in their music than in a wine named after them. Nonetheless if the result is swill that can’t be good.

Who are Hip fans? Many Canadians are but the core demographic fan just may be in their 50’s. You know the “old folks” at a revival show of a band hot in the seventies and eighties. The age indicative of those who have already received their first dose of COVID vaccine. Chances are Hip fans are not wine newbies so their discernment may be sharper than most younger music fans. The two Hip wines I picked up had a deep 30% discount on them usually decided by a manager of a Liquor Control Board of Ontario store to make way for new stock or because the wine is not selling well.

We try out a Tragically Hip Fully Completely 2018 Reserve Red and there is no indication on the label of the composition of the blend. On the nose cherry, raspberry and a tad of chocolate. It is sending off notes of Cabernet Franc which Ontario does so well. There must be Merlot as there is a note of plushness in the wine. This vintage is no longer listed on the Stoney Ridge Estate Winery where the Hip wine is made. But their website indicates the 2019 Red Grand Reserve is 40% Cabernet Franc, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 29% Merlot.

On the palate it is moderately tannic with thin notes of black cherry but lacking complexity, finesse or depth. Happy to listen to the Hip but the wine neither accompanies their music or does justice to their talents as blenders. Their chance for gold would have been a straight Cabernet Franc. A lesson I remember as a teenager taking a bus to school in Montreal sitting behind two ladies having a conversation about a shampoo that the late Farah Fawcett was endorsing. One said with all seriousness, “If she says it is good it certainly must be.” Hey ladies follow the money.

Not a wash out wine but plenty of tickets left unsold. Best served with lamb or beef burgers or home made pizza.

Drink now.

The LCBO description stumbles badly on this saying it can be aged 5-7 years and that it suits grilled beef! And calls it impressive. The LCBO often trumpets wines like this when it can’t find any 90 points plus ratings. CREDIBILITY PROBLEM!

(The Tragically Hip Fully Completely 2018 Reserve Red, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Stoney Ridge Estate Winery, Vineland Ontario, $ 17.30 (before discount $24,95), Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 411595, 750 mL, 12.5%, Robert K. Stephen A Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 86/100).

Lets Hip hop over to an “Ahead by a Century 2019 The Tragically Hip Chardonnay”. Gold in colour. On the nose apple, pear, melon, honey with a bit of butterscotch. On the palate there is oak but pleasantly so. The caramel builds on the moderately long finish. There is a bit of creaminess on the palate but enough acid to keep the creaminess in check. Lots of apple, pear and some pineapple.

Drink now. Try with beer breaded haddock and home baked fries tossed in olive oil, salt, pepper and turmeric.

(Ahead by a Century The Tragically Hip 2019 Chardonnay, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Stoney Ridge Estate Winery, Vineland, Ontario, $15.20 (30% markdown from $21.95), Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 483875, 750 mL, 13%, Robert K. Stephen A Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 91/100).