Rather strange that on my first media trip to Porto in 2014 to sample Ports throughout the Douro region on the bus for the first of five intense days of sampling my seatmate, a French advertising executive, said to me, “Port is an affordable luxury”. It is a statement that has stuck me as toContinue reading “RKS PORTHEAD ALERT: CROFT 2012 Quinta da Roeda Vintage Port”
Category Archives: Wine
RKS 2026 ITALIAN WINE: A Primitivo from Tommasi not a Zinfandel from NAPA!
To assuage those North Americans intimidated by the name Primitivo why not simplify and say it is Zinfandel. The wine is from the Apulia region of Italy. It is 100% Primitivo grape grown in limestone soil rich in iron. It was fermented in stainless steel and spent 12 months in oak casks. Aroma: Black cherryContinue reading “RKS 2026 ITALIAN WINE: A Primitivo from Tommasi not a Zinfandel from NAPA!”
RKS 2026 Ontario Wine: Redtail 2020 Meritage from Niagara
Ontario wineries do well by Meritage particularly where Cabernet Franc is in the blend. This Redtail 2020 Meritage is 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc. Aroma: One might say a perfect blend of a “balanced” red wine. The essential aroma characteristics of each grape is identifiable but none predominate so if youContinue reading “RKS 2026 Ontario Wine: Redtail 2020 Meritage from Niagara”
RKS 2026 ONTARIO WINE: Drea’s 2022 Small Batch Cabernet Franc
Aroma: One senses a firm and tight wine lacking fruit effusiveness. Pardon any reference to Gogol’s short story “The Nose” but you need to deeply nose about to detect black cherry, black currant, strawberry jam and those Peek Freen cookies with a blob of red goo in the centre. Overshadowed by oak, perhaps too muchContinue reading “RKS 2026 ONTARIO WINE: Drea’s 2022 Small Batch Cabernet Franc”
RKS 2026 British Columbia Wine: 2021 Volcanic Hills Magma Red from British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley
Volcanic Hills Winery is located on the Southeast slope of Boucherie Mountain a 60-million-year-old dormant volcano. It is a blend of Pinot Noir (51.4%). Marechal Foch (14.3%), Gamay Noir ( 7.4%), Merlot (21.4%) and Cabernet Franc (5.5%). Each varietal was fermented and barrel aged in French and American oak for 14 months then blended. Aroma:Continue reading “RKS 2026 British Columbia Wine: 2021 Volcanic Hills Magma Red from British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley”
RKS 2026 Nova Scotian Wines: The 2022 Old Bill
Few wines from the Canadian province of Nova Scotia grace the shelves of Ontario’s liquor monopoly, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. All the brouhaha in Canada about promoting and buying Canadian products? The producer Luckett Vineyards is in the Gaspereau Valley of Nova Scotia It is blend of Pinot Noir, Castel and Lucie KuhlmannContinue reading “RKS 2026 Nova Scotian Wines: The 2022 Old Bill”
RKS 2026 Ontario Wine: Fogolar Funk Riesling?
Aroma: Fascinating funk as an aroma in decay. Never encountered this bizarre and alluring fog from Fogolar. Fog meets Fogolor! Niagara peach and apricot intertwined in this strangeness. Slate and marmalade. Palate: This medium dry Riesling is Pfalz all the way. Honeyed smoothness. Penetrating stone fruit with an endless finish. A full bodied almost aContinue reading “RKS 2026 Ontario Wine: Fogolar Funk Riesling?”
RKS 2026 British Columbia Wine: British Columbian Cabernet Sauvignon Not to Be Overlooked
Due to the blustering and threat mongering of President Donald Trump of the disUnited States some Canadian provinces have prohibited the sale of American wine and spirits. This has been a severe blow to Californian wineries but has created an opportunity for Canadian wineries to benefit from this prohibition and show their stuff. But canContinue reading “RKS 2026 British Columbia Wine: British Columbian Cabernet Sauvignon Not to Be Overlooked”
RKS 2026 British Columbia Wine: Smith & Montpetit 2023 Muse
Another limited quantity wine from the Smith and Montpetit Winery in the Similkameen Valley in the Canadian province of British Columbia. 100 cases produced. A Cabernet Franc and Merlot blend. Barrel aged 12 months in 30% two-year-old French oak and 70% in neutral French oak. Six barrels produced. Wild yeast fermented. Aroma: Silky smoothness. BingishContinue reading “RKS 2026 British Columbia Wine: Smith & Montpetit 2023 Muse”
RKS 2026 British Columbia Wine: Another Tempranillo Requiring Your Attention
Tempranillo and Canada are obviously bad bedfellows? You are mistaken. An increasing amount is being found in bottles of red wine from the Canadian province of British Columbia. Three cheers for that! The Trumpster has referred to Canada as the land of the igloo people. Well for “Eskimos” Trump may have read in his geographyContinue reading “RKS 2026 British Columbia Wine: Another Tempranillo Requiring Your Attention”
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