Robert K. Stephen Wine reviews – Page 9 – A Bird's Eye View of Fashion, Food, Travel, Culture, Beverage and Curiosity

RKS Wine: Is This Bargain Basement Portuguese Wine Worth $12.95?

Price is not determinative when it comes to quality of a wine. I had a buddy over for dinner last Saturday. He was happily ebullient over a $90 Pinot Noir from Prince Edward County in Ontario. Knowing that I write about wine and have made several recommendations to him for wine purchases he looked atContinue reading “RKS Wine: Is This Bargain Basement Portuguese Wine Worth $12.95?”

RKS Wine: Bordeaux Wine Label: Who Kidnapped the “Château”?

If you prefer the wines of Bordeaux a common feature on their label is some Château in picture and in name. Who kidnaped the château on the front of this bottle? There is no château written and for pictorial representation perhaps it is there but so far in the distance. The wine is 100% Merlot.Continue reading “RKS Wine: Bordeaux Wine Label: Who Kidnapped the “Château”?”

RKS Wine: Ontario Sparklers A Trio

Produced by the tank method. On the nose loads of strawberry, raspberry with BC cherry. On the palate a nice acidic bite but more than a bite it also has fruit with a strong undercurrent, brief as it may be, of Niagara cherries that bring a tiny hit of sweetness before it snaps back intoContinue reading “RKS Wine: Ontario Sparklers A Trio”

RKS Wine: Bachelder “les Villages” 2020 Gamay Noir: Gentle Elegance

As far as red wine flows in Ontario Gamay is often a winner. What does Thomas Bachelder do with a Gamay? As for aromas amidst the smoky overlay expect black cherry, cherry and rhubarb crumble and a tad of cloves. A lightweight wine very smooth but a seam of complexity rests in the palate withContinue reading “RKS Wine: Bachelder “les Villages” 2020 Gamay Noir: Gentle Elegance”

RKS Wine: Creative Label but What About the Taste?

When it is about wine labels and names for wine the Aussies lead the pack. You might want to think of it as a marketing strategy for Australian wines. No matter how fantastic your wine is if it does not sell what does the public care about a winemaker’s passion for the wine they haveContinue reading “RKS Wine: Creative Label but What About the Taste?”

RKS Wine: Château Joinin as Château Pipeau’s Younger Brother

It is the Mestreguilhem family that vints both Château Joinin and Château Pipeau. Château Pipeau St. Émilion Grand Cru as it sits on the Liquor Control Board of Ontario’s shelves is $43.95. The Château Joinin a simple 2019 AC Bordeaux is a humble $14.95 but the 2018 I tried certainly must be a top ofContinue reading “RKS Wine: Château Joinin as Château Pipeau’s Younger Brother”

RKS Wine: Hairy Brute Wine from Spain

The red wine El Goru from Jumilla in Spain has a caveman on its label. Artistically done of course. It is a blend of Monastrell, Syrah and Petit Verdot none of which can be referred to as primal. On the nose while not a snarling cave man attacking you with a club the wine hasContinue reading “RKS Wine: Hairy Brute Wine from Spain”

RKS Wine: Niagara-on-the-Lake’s leaning post 2021 Rosé

The leaning post 2021 Rosé is 100% Pinot Noir. The nose presents watermelon, raspberry, strawberry and field tomato. A very summery greeting to the nose. The palate is energetic and enthusiastic like some toddler dancing to “Baby Shark”. But giving that simile a nudge, this is no flippant candy cane Rosé. It is a veryContinue reading “RKS Wine: Niagara-on-the-Lake’s leaning post 2021 Rosé”

RKS Wine: The Perils of a 17-Year-Old Wine: French Wine Gods Have Mercy Please!

I had a friend over for a flank steak with chimichurri sauce recently. It is a classic Argentinian dish. The Merquen and young Ontario garlic can create a bit of a piquant sauce. I chose a 17-year-old Château Monbrison Margaux. 2005 was an exceptional vintage in Bordeaux and I have 8 bottles left. I can’tContinue reading “RKS Wine: The Perils of a 17-Year-Old Wine: French Wine Gods Have Mercy Please!”

RKS Wine: Château Puybarbe from Côtes de Bourg: Example of Out of Whack Acid

Côtes de Bourg has been long known as a bit of an affordable gem for Bordeaux reds. Will this $15.95 2019 Château Puybarbe fall into this category? It is a blend of 76% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% each of Cabernet Franc and Malbec. The nose presents black cherry, blackberry and blueberry with aContinue reading “RKS Wine: Château Puybarbe from Côtes de Bourg: Example of Out of Whack Acid”