Category Archives: Wine

RKS Wine: My Private Pinot Grigio Nightmare: The Simple Mayhem Cure

As a wine writer there is what I write and there is what people ask me. When up close and personal I try and be non-judgemental about what people drink and sometimes that is a bit difficult as they look at you trying what they pour and they think it is the cat’s pyjamas. MyContinue reading “RKS Wine: My Private Pinot Grigio Nightmare: The Simple Mayhem Cure”

RKS Wine: The Okanagan’s Meyer Family Vineyards 2020 Micro Cuvée Chardonnay

Meyer Family Vineyards in British Columbia’s Okanagan is a bit of Burgundy in British Columbia with its winning ways producing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir not to mention a wickedly delicious Gewurtz! I mean give MFV another decade and my successor may be saying in France that Burgundy is a bit of British Columbia in France!Continue reading “RKS Wine: The Okanagan’s Meyer Family Vineyards 2020 Micro Cuvée Chardonnay”

RKS Wine: Battle of the Okanagan Rosés

When rock started getting heavier in the 1960’s do you remember “The Battle of the Bands” which in our modern day parlance is a rock festival. May the best band win was determined by the loudness of the claps in the audience. I think they still exist although I haven’t heard of one in TorontoContinue reading “RKS Wine: Battle of the Okanagan Rosés”

RKS Wine: Colossal Reserva from Lisboa: Gigantically Delicious?

Is the Colossal Reserva from Portugal’s Lisboa appellation gigantically delicious or disastrous? As there is Alicante Bouschet in the blend that’s almost always a good sign! On the nose black cherry, pomegranate and ripe raspberry. The tannins are moderate but generous to support up to three years of cellaring. Black cherry, cola with some raspberryContinue reading “RKS Wine: Colossal Reserva from Lisboa: Gigantically Delicious?”

RKS Wine: Château le Grand Retour Plan de Dieu Côtes du Rhônes-Villages 2019

The wine is a GSM blend. 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre. It comes from 45-year-old vines. On the nose big fat very ripe strawberries, black cherries, raspberries, red plum and sarsaparilla. Low on tannins with a big undertow of spice, hot red pepper, dark chocolate, black licorice, black cherry and blackberry fruit “wine”.Continue reading “RKS Wine: Château le Grand Retour Plan de Dieu Côtes du Rhônes-Villages 2019”

RKS Wine: Cabeça de Toiro from Tejo: Portugal’s Fringe Wine Region

If you have familiarity with the red wines of Portugal that are available in Canada it is the Douro that rules. Alentejo trails in second position and Lisboa in third. Dão wines are a distant fourth. Well Tejo is in the “other box” which may be an attraction to the adventuresome. It is sandwiched betweenContinue reading “RKS Wine: Cabeça de Toiro from Tejo: Portugal’s Fringe Wine Region”

RKS Wine: Reflections on Perhaps Overly Generous Wine Writers and a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon

In the perfect communist world the proletarian masses would seize power and transform society so that the state would “wither away”. In a perfect world wine consumers would educate themselves through instruction or a willingness to diversify and try different wines from different wine producing countries to develop good comparative knowledge so the wine writerContinue reading “RKS Wine: Reflections on Perhaps Overly Generous Wine Writers and a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon”

RKS Wine: Wonderful Washington State?

In the past few months, with some exceptions, I am looking to Washington for quality affordable red wine. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon have proven to be winners and superior to Californian in the same price range. I couldn’t resist picking up a Drumheller 2018 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. You see Drumheller is a city inContinue reading “RKS Wine: Wonderful Washington State?”

RKS Wine: Greek Cabernet Sauvignon: More to Greek Red Wine than Xinomavro

I curl up in a ball of apprehension when Greek Xinomavro’s are released. They are dry and astringent like an immature Barolo but give an Xinomavro 8 years in the bottle my apprehension melts as it has aged as it should. By the way a sparkling Xinomavro can be a real treat. As for GreekContinue reading “RKS Wine: Greek Cabernet Sauvignon: More to Greek Red Wine than Xinomavro”

RKS Wine: So You Want Your Wine Reviewed?

So you think you have a great wine that is going to tear up the market and you’ll be rewarded for your hard work. Dream on. Unless you market it you’ll be stuck with it unless of course you want to devote all your energy to direct sales from winery to the consumer. However evenContinue reading “RKS Wine: So You Want Your Wine Reviewed?”