Junta is an unfortunate name for a Chilean winery considering the brutal dictatorship of General Pinochet and his junta buddies in 1973 Chile leading to the overthrow and murder of democratically elected Salvador Allende. Thousands of Chileans were tortured, murdered or simply “disappeared”. Putting aside the unsavory connotations of junta in this wine’s name let’sContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: Is this Chilean La Junta Carménère Stomping About in a Militaristic Fashion?”
Category Archives: Wine
RKS 2025 Wine: Jaque Mate 2019 Malbec Reserva
A Pavlovian reaction to “Wine/Argentina” might be “Malbec”! And upon shouting out “Malbec” a response might be Mendoza and if so what can go wrong with a Mendoza Malbec except perhaps for a growing sense of Malbec fatigue. Jaque Mate is from a Luján de Cuyo vineyard at approximately 870 meters altitude. The 25-year-old vinesContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: Jaque Mate 2019 Malbec Reserva”
RKS 2025 Wine: Armenian Wine: The Next Great Hope? Not Enough Volume in the Market to Make That Determination
Wine producing countries and their subregions, such as Armenia, have a scarce presence in Ontario with a state monopoly controlling all wines flowing into the province except for the miserable duty-free wine quotas a traveller can bring into Canada from abroad or “smuggle” in from other provinces. There is no free Canadian interprovincial wine trade.Continue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: Armenian Wine: The Next Great Hope? Not Enough Volume in the Market to Make That Determination”
RKS 2025 Wine: Decent Cabernet Sauvignon Hiding Out in Washington State
In the 14December2024 Liquor Control Board of Ontario’s Vintages Release catalogue in the California red wine section there are 8 wines listed and 5 are Cabernet Sauvignon. Ontario has been “taught” (is that the correct word?) to worship Cali Cabernet Sauvignon. Grabbing a bottle of reasonably priced California Sauvignon in the $25 CDN range canContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: Decent Cabernet Sauvignon Hiding Out in Washington State”
RKS 2025 Wine: “Back to the Volcano”: Italian Red from ETNA
“Under the Volcano” is a novel by Canadian Malcom Lowry not to be confused with my heading above “Back to the Volcano”. I have had the pleasure of a day of intense fine tasting on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius outside of Naples 5 years ago and in May I am heading to Mount EtnaContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: “Back to the Volcano”: Italian Red from ETNA”
RKS 2025 Wine: A Devilish Bulgarian Wine
We try a pentagram Cabernet Sauvignon from the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. Pentagram hmmmmm. What the devil’s going on here! The winery sits on a 3.5 km. peninsula on the Southern Black Sea Coast. The area has been under Greek, Byzantine, Roman and Ottoman rule. The grapes were hand picked and sorted and fermentation wasContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: A Devilish Bulgarian Wine”
RKS 2025 Wine: Armenian Wine: A Daring Move by The Liquor Control Board of Ontario!
Shame on you who decry the monopolistic Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO)! The “Control” in the corporate name shouts out a paternalistic and profitable heart. The LCBO wants to control what you drink reducing its administrative and business costs as much as possible to maximize profits. No expensive forays into new wine markets onlyContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: Armenian Wine: A Daring Move by The Liquor Control Board of Ontario!”
RKS 2025 Wine: More Quiet Whites From Bordeaux
White Bordeaux have an understated quietness to them rejecting flash and bang descriptors. Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc is entirely demure in comparison to the raucous New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Blending some Sémillon with the Sauvignon Blanc adds honey and marzipan to the aroma and palate although I refer the cleaner Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc sans blend. Let’sContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: More Quiet Whites From Bordeaux”
RKS 2025 Wine: Thorn-Clarke Eden Valley NV Brut Devilishly Good
Admit it. When you think Australian wine with a psychiatrist waving flash cards in your face asking what you see you will most likely say SHIRAZ! You might equally say CHARDONNAY! Breaking free from psychiatric tyranny why not sample a sparkling wine from Australia? It is a Thorn-Clarke Pinot Noir-Chardonnay from the Eden Valley. BothContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: Thorn-Clarke Eden Valley NV Brut Devilishly Good”
RKS 2024 Wine: Best Red Wines of 2024
Meyer Family Vineyards McLean Creek Road 2022 Okanagan Valley Pinot Noir $37.48 94/100 Stratus 2023 VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake $29 94/100 Spring’s Road 2017 Kangaroo Island Shiraz $23 94/100 Châtau Bordieu 2019 AC Blaye $23 93/100 Ricardo Santos 2021 Tercos Bonarda $17 93/100 Tomassi Pianeti 2021 Valpolicella Classico Supieriore DOC $23 93/100 Meyer Family Vineyards 2022 BContinue reading “RKS 2024 Wine: Best Red Wines of 2024”
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