Perhaps wishful thinking with this miserably cold and damp weather made me think of this as a Rasta Man wine. But returning to reality I realize the wine has been incorrectly described! It has nothing to do with Jamaica as it is French. There is no Rasta Man in sight as the wine is aContinue reading “RKS 2024 Wine: Rasteau Man Vibrations!”
Tag Archives: Robert K. Stephen Wine reviews
RKS 2023 Wine: We Aren’t Impressed by That Gold Medal Seal and a 92 jamessuckling.com or are We?
Hopefully wine drinkers are not swayed by a “Gold Medal” seal and a 92 James Suckling seal on the bottle of the Knappstein Clare Valley 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon. There is nothing inscribed on the “Gold Medal” seal to indicate who issued it. Could it be from some children’s colouring book? As for a jamessuckling.com 92Continue reading “RKS 2023 Wine: We Aren’t Impressed by That Gold Medal Seal and a 92 jamessuckling.com or are We?”
RKS 2023 Wine: 2019 Boya Syrah From Chile: Conquering the Barnyard!
The Boya 2019 Syrah is from Chile’s Leyda Valley. It was aged in neutral oak for 16 months. Aroma: Black cherry, blackberry and a bit too much barnyard leaning toward funky. Brett? Some like that “perfumed earth” smell believing it gives some charm to a red wine. A bit of a snake charmer so oneContinue reading “RKS 2023 Wine: 2019 Boya Syrah From Chile: Conquering the Barnyard!”
RKS 2023 Wine: Stag’s Hollow Tragically Vidal: Can They Elevate the Vacuous Vidal?
Stag’s Hollow in British Columbia has shown it can do wonders with Vidal. Much is grown in Ontario primarily for ice-wine. As a table wine it is about equally uninspiring as Muscat. Cloying without personality. Wine snobs might point to Vidal as a lowly French Hybrid grown in marginal wine climes. I am no suchContinue reading “RKS 2023 Wine: Stag’s Hollow Tragically Vidal: Can They Elevate the Vacuous Vidal?”
RKS 2023 Wine: Yalumba Organic Viognier: Gewurztraminer in Handcuffs?
Reasonably priced Viognier is difficult to find. One of the better “budget” Viogniers I have encountered is the Yalumba Y Series Viognier found in the general list of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) which sells for $15.40. And more often than not it is sold out. How does Yalumba’s 2021 organic Viognier fare?Continue reading “RKS 2023 Wine: Yalumba Organic Viognier: Gewurztraminer in Handcuffs?”
RKS 2023 Wine: Greek Up n Comer: Assyrtiko?
Greek white wines made from the Assyrtiko grape may be leading the charge for “the white wine” of Greece. Santorini with its volcanic terroir is the most famous producer of wines made from Assyrtiko but prices are high for these Santorini wines. Mega Spileo in the Achaia region of Greece produces a more affordable Assyrtiko.Continue reading “RKS 2023 Wine: Greek Up n Comer: Assyrtiko?”
RKS 2023 Wine: Massive Portuguese Producer José Maria da Fonseca’s Periquita 2020 Reserva
JMF was founded in 1834 and still sails on. The Periquita 2020 Reserva is 54% Castellan, 28% Touriga Nacional and 18% Touriga Franca. It is produced in the Setúbal Peninsula. Close to 1,000,000 bottles were produced. That’s a lot of wine. Can quality survive this volume? Aged 8 months in French and American oak. GrownContinue reading “RKS 2023 Wine: Massive Portuguese Producer José Maria da Fonseca’s Periquita 2020 Reserva”
RKS 2023 Wine: Zingari 2019 Toscana: Is There a Stranger in the Midst?
There are no shortages of grape varieties where Italian wine is concerned! I must admit though in this Zingari Tuscan IGT there is 25% Petit Verdot in addition to 25% Merlot, 25% Sangiovese and 25% Syrah. I can’t recall having Petit Verdot in an Italian red blend. Is it a stranger in the midst? ItContinue reading “RKS 2023 Wine: Zingari 2019 Toscana: Is There a Stranger in the Midst?”
RKS 2023 Wine: Lisbon in the Red Wine Hunt
What we Torontonians see on the shelves of our provincial liquor monopoly from Portugal in terms of red wine is the Douro region leading the pack but the Alentejo and Lisbon are catching up but the poor Dão lags way back in the pack. As quality goes there is not much rhyme and reason forContinue reading “RKS 2023 Wine: Lisbon in the Red Wine Hunt”
RKS 2023 Wine: Bachelder les Villages Gamay Noir
Having suffered through half a glass of a Tawse 2020 Grower’s Blend Gamay Noir it is now to a sure winner? A Bachelder les Villages 2020 Gamay Noir. Aroma: Geez! After an initial whiff of oak upon uncorking the aroma is seemingly more than what might expect from “largely neutral oak barrels” but it doesContinue reading “RKS 2023 Wine: Bachelder les Villages Gamay Noir”
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