I have been a fan of wines from the Lake Erie North Shore (LENS) appellation in Ontario for quite some time. I go back so far I remember the first wine from Cooper’s Hawk I reviewed was a Chardonnay and these guys were so new it wasn’t even VQA. Then fame crept up on LENSContinue reading “RKS 2025 Canadian Wine: Cooper’s Hawk Talon Red”
Category Archives: Wine
RKS 2025 Wine: Corvina Obtains Divorce from Valpolicella Partners
The Corvina grape has been cuddling very close to Valpolicella for many years. Corvina is frequently blended with Rondinella and Molinara to make the whole of Valpolicella. But on occasion it must have a tiff with its blending partners and in a huff divorces itself from the other grapes and strikes its own path solo.Continue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: Corvina Obtains Divorce from Valpolicella Partners”
RKS Literature: The Useless Knowledge of Wine (Yukio Mishima)
“Since the Marquis was fond of Western food, dinner was served in the small dining room of the Western-style house, and he himself had gone down to the wine cellar to choose the wine. He had taken Kiyoaki with him and had gone to great lengths to expound on the characteristics of the various winesContinue reading “RKS Literature: The Useless Knowledge of Wine (Yukio Mishima)”
RKS 2025 CANADIAN Wine: Hinterbrook Nomad’s 23 Humble
“Humble” can mean having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s importance. Often it can be seen as a positive attribute; a sort of an underestimation of excellence. Is Hinterbrook telling us succinctly this is an excellent wine but there shall be no bragging about it! At a price of $20 CDN itsContinue reading “RKS 2025 CANADIAN Wine: Hinterbrook Nomad’s 23 Humble”
RKS 2025 CANADIAN Wine: Hinterbrook’s Nomad 22 Wanderlust
Not able to join the gang for the Cake Parade on 1July2025 at Niagara-on-the-Lake due to recovery from hernia surgery I could alleviate my misery and the need for extensive walking by driving along Lakeshore Road where I discovered an extremely quiet Hinterbrook Estate Winery. After all it was Canada Day and who wants toContinue reading “RKS 2025 CANADIAN Wine: Hinterbrook’s Nomad 22 Wanderlust”
RKS 2025 CANADIAN Wine: Wending Home’s A Little Bit of This a Little Bit of That
If by chance you are overly accustomed with single varietals perhaps you wish to try Wending Home’s Wending North a blend of 27% Ehrenfelser, 18% Auxerrois, 18% Pinot Gris, 16% Gewurztraminer and 5% Chardonnay. A dog’s breakfast or brilliance in a glass? Aroma: Honeycrisp apple, cinnamon, guava, mango, pineapple, honey, marzipan and Abate pear. AContinue reading “RKS 2025 CANADIAN Wine: Wending Home’s A Little Bit of This a Little Bit of That”
RKS 2025 Wine: Spier South African Shiraz
The grapes for this cool climate wine were sourced from 15- to 20-year-old trellised vines in rich, deep and decomposed granite soils. Hand harvested from selected vineyard blocks and destemmed and crushed to stainless steel tanks. Maturation in French oak barrels (20% first fill and the balance in second and third fill). The wine maturedContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: Spier South African Shiraz”
RKS 2025 CANADIAN Wine: Always Hope for Ontario Cabernet Sauvignon? Not This Time with Reif!
In Ontario Cabernet Franc fares at a very high level in comparison to its Cabernet Sauvignon. The secret for Ontario Cabernet Sauvignon would appear to be a heavy compliment of oak to impart more “character”. Oak has garnered a dirty name in much of the wine world perhaps a throwback to earlier days when excessiveContinue reading “RKS 2025 CANADIAN Wine: Always Hope for Ontario Cabernet Sauvignon? Not This Time with Reif!”
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”
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