Category Archives: Food

RKS 2025 CANADIAN Wine: 2021 Nomad Fumé Blanc From Niagara, Ontario

Aroma: Lemon, lime, guava, peach, pineapple and mango. Wow this has lots going on! Palate: Despite all the fruitish bouquet activity there is a certain austerity on the palate and despite 12 months ageing in oak it has a clean stainless-steel backbone, or least that is the way it presents itself. Try and try youContinue reading “RKS 2025 CANADIAN Wine: 2021 Nomad Fumé Blanc From Niagara, Ontario”

RKS 2025 Canadian Wine: A County Pinot Noir From The Grange of Prince Edward County in Ontario

The winery website describes its Farmer Series Pinot Noir “as a robust terroir driven County Pinot” aged 10 months in French oak. Aroma: Black cherry, raspberry held together in a light smoky frame. Palate: Too smooth to be considered robust! Definitely tannins but not lending to a robust categorization and that’s fine by me. SomewhatContinue reading “RKS 2025 Canadian Wine: A County Pinot Noir From The Grange of Prince Edward County in Ontario”

RKS 2025 Wine: From Portugal’s Dão Comes Cota 700 From Magnum Wines

I had the pleasure of visiting Magnum wines in Portugal a few years ago. A very commercial winery in comparison to most of the other Dão wineries I visited. I remember well the commercial Christmas cases and displays. So nontraditional for most of Portugal at the time. Good quality wines at different price points correspondingContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: From Portugal’s Dão Comes Cota 700 From Magnum Wines”

RKS 2025 Wine: Back to Toronto and “Fancy” Sicilian Wine: Planeta’s 2020 Controdanza

Having spent two weeks in Sicily in May very little wine was consumed. My agenda was tourism this time and not wine tourism. The best wine I had in Sicily?  Small batch Primitivo produced in the countryside proximate to the archaeological site of Villa Romana del Casale served with lunch in large jugs sourced fromContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: Back to Toronto and “Fancy” Sicilian Wine: Planeta’s 2020 Controdanza”

RKS 2025 Wine: Mencía a Pinot Noir on Steroids?

One of my favourite descriptors of a grape is attributable to Matt Kramer of the Wine Spectator many years back when he stated the Mencía grape reminded him of Pinot Noir on steroids. Whether that descriptor is correct is less relevant than the descriptor itself! You will find Mencía in Northwestern Spain and in theContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: Mencía a Pinot Noir on Steroids?”

RKS 2025 CANADIAN Documentary: “The Salmon’s Call”

Joy Haskell’s feature documentary “The Salmon’s Call” might well have been titled “Last Call for Pacific Salmon” due to the decline of wild Pacific salmon in the riverways of the Canadian province of British Columbia. Haskell’s closing words of the documentary are, “Salmon don’t have a voice. We are their voice.” Indigenous people of BritishContinue reading “RKS 2025 CANADIAN Documentary: “The Salmon’s Call””

RKS 2025 Canadian Wine: A Red Assemblage from Ferox Estate Winery in Niagara, Ontario

A blend of Zweigelt (53%), Merlot (18%), Syrah (15%), Malbec (8%) and Cabernet Franc (6%) from 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. Each component was aged in neutral French oak barriques (225L) for a minimum of 2 years before élevage, assemblage, filtration and bottling. Aroma: Black cherry, blackberry, blueberry and cassis all rather dense and heady.Continue reading “RKS 2025 Canadian Wine: A Red Assemblage from Ferox Estate Winery in Niagara, Ontario”

RKS 2025 Canadian Wine: Wending Home Syrah-Merlot

If you are going to “make it” with Syrah and Merlot in Ontario generous oak treatment and pristine quality grapes are required. This is a single vineyard dual variety wine that has spent thirty months in used French oak. 50% each of Syrah and Merlot. Aroma: Definite Merlot on the nose not lush and plushContinue reading “RKS 2025 Canadian Wine: Wending Home Syrah-Merlot”

RKS 2025 Wine: A Nero Carbone from Basilicata in Italy

The Carbone family, based in Melfi near Mount Vulture in the heart of Basilicata, values their unique terroir which is rich in volcanic soil. Situated on the slopes of the ancient volcano, their vineyards benefit from an ideal aspect. Coupled with an optimal microclimate that’s marked by significant temperature variations, this setting imbues Aglianico withContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: A Nero Carbone from Basilicata in Italy”

RKS Wine Tourism: A State of Mind Trumps Cold “Scientific” Logic

In Southern Sicily on 13May2025 we visited the Villa Romana Del Casale, home of some of the most superb Roman mosaics in the world recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The villa was constructed by a prominent Roman aristocrat between the third and fourth centuries. This large countryside villa represented the height of luxury.Continue reading “RKS Wine Tourism: A State of Mind Trumps Cold “Scientific” Logic”