RKS 2024 Wine: Trivento Golden Reserve 2021 Malbec: Attack of the Killer Blackberries

I had finished watching and reviewing an upcoming film “Pure O”. In this American film the protagonist battles with OCD including obsessing on hacking up his fiancé and being terminally ill with cancer somewhat heavier than Glenn Gould’s obsessive handwashing. “Pure O” will be released digitally on 12April2024 in North America and the United Kingdom.Continue reading “RKS 2024 Wine: Trivento Golden Reserve 2021 Malbec: Attack of the Killer Blackberries”

RKS 2024 Wine: Canadians to the Pinot Noir Rescue?

Of late I have encountered dismal Pinot Noirs, primarily and surprisingly from New Zealand suffering from excess oak. Canadian Pinot Noirs perform top rate in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. Niagara Pinot Noirs are hit and miss. How about Pinot Noirs from the land of the lawyers, judges and well-heeled Torontonians cozying up at swank hotelsContinue reading “RKS 2024 Wine: Canadians to the Pinot Noir Rescue?”

RKS 2024 Wine:  A Failed Recovery Attempt from a New Zealand Pinot Noir Disaster

The last Zealie Pinot Noir I tried was bordering on undrinkable as it “stunk” of oak. New Zealand, in my past experiences, does much better than a stinky Pinot Noir! So hopefully it is redemption time with a Paper Road 2021 Pinot Noir from Borthwick Vineyards family owned and established in 1996. Ancient stony, alluvialContinue reading “RKS 2024 Wine:  A Failed Recovery Attempt from a New Zealand Pinot Noir Disaster”

RKS 2024 Wine: Ontario Merlot: To Dream the Almost Impossible Dream

Wine writers must suffer boredom reviewing wines if they have no passion. You might want to say I am passionate about discovering good Ontario Merlot despite the fact it might be a Sir Edmund Hillary climb to find one. The majority taste neutered with little power to impress. Sure you can point to terroir toContinue reading “RKS 2024 Wine: Ontario Merlot: To Dream the Almost Impossible Dream”

RKS 2024 Wine: More Pinot Noir from British Columbia’s Okanagan: Oak Bay 2021 Pinot Noir: Time to Defund This Wine Writer?

British Columbia’s Okanagan produces a variety of red wines but we are most likely to see Pinot Noir ex-British Columbia. One reliable producer I have encountered to date would be St. Hubertis & Oak Bay Estate Winery located in Kelowna, British Columbia. From clone CL777 the wine is organic and has been aged in FrenchContinue reading “RKS 2024 Wine: More Pinot Noir from British Columbia’s Okanagan: Oak Bay 2021 Pinot Noir: Time to Defund This Wine Writer?”

RKS 2024 Wine: Kacaba 2019 Cabernet Franc: Shivering in Anticipation for the Bronze Baby!

Golly gee on a bottle of Kacaba 2019 Cabernet Franc I see a sticker at the top of the front label indicating the wine has won a bronze medal in Wine Align National Wine Awards (2022) of Canada! I am assured of excellence with this impressive sticker which most likely had to be paid forContinue reading “RKS 2024 Wine: Kacaba 2019 Cabernet Franc: Shivering in Anticipation for the Bronze Baby!”

RKS 2024 Wine: Ontario Merlot and Running for Cover

My experience with Ontario Merlot has not been impressive. However jazz it up with some oak and it can work a bit of magic. The label on this Colio Estate Winery 2020 Reserve Merlot states, “ …and the smooth silky finish bestowed on the wine by skilled oak aging.” Their website fails to describe theContinue reading “RKS 2024 Wine: Ontario Merlot and Running for Cover”

RKS 2024 Wine: Argentinian Malbec Exhaustion

Tired of Argentinian Malbec in your red wine glass. Is there hope for Argentinian Criolla? The wine we are trying is Criolla Grande and it has a bad rep. In Karen MacNeil’s “Wine Bible” (second edition) the grape is described as follows: “A widely planted if undistinguished, pinkish-skinned grape related to other criollas, but itsContinue reading “RKS 2024 Wine: Argentinian Malbec Exhaustion”

RKS 2024 Wine: Hostage to Cali Cabernet Sauvignons

In Canada in terms of American Cabernet Sauvignon we are hostage to California Cabernet Sauvignons. I am sure Texas produces some notable Cabernet Sauvignons but timid buyers for our state liquor monopoly the Liquor Control Board of Ontario would rather sell their mother than look to Texas or 48 other states for American wine. MyContinue reading “RKS 2024 Wine: Hostage to Cali Cabernet Sauvignons”

RKS 2024 Wine: Chilean/Argentinian Slugfest: Argentinian Thin Man Pinot Noir

On our higher end retail shelves for quality wine Chile and Argentina are duking it out for the moderately priced wine championship. Chile is undercutting Argentina pricewise and possibly quality wise. Writers from jamessuckling.com seeming to be playing both sides and with their inflated ratings rest assured they receive lots of print in our VintagesContinue reading “RKS 2024 Wine: Chilean/Argentinian Slugfest: Argentinian Thin Man Pinot Noir”