There are several wineries in the Niagara, Ontario wine producing area that have gone Italian the Appassimento and Ripasso way. In Italy the crushed grapes made to use Amarone are “reused” in the Ripasso method. The pomace (the pulpy mass of seeds and skins leftover after the Amarone has fermented) is left in contact withContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: Foreign Affair Winery in Niagara Goes Italian”
Tag Archives: wine-tasting
RKS 2025 Wine: A Limniona from Greece: Greece’s Hot New Grape? A Dual Personality Wine
As for Greek red wines there is no star performer of world renown at least yet! Argentina has Malbec. Chile has Bonarda. United States Cabernet Sauvignon. Canada Cabernet Franc. Greece? Xinomavro or Agiorgitiko? I don’t think so perhaps because of limited distribution in North America. Lemniona is the rising star of the Greek red varieties andContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: A Limniona from Greece: Greece’s Hot New Grape? A Dual Personality Wine”
RKS 2025 Wine: More Token Romanians
A few Romanian wines have limped into Ontario of late. Should the Trump administration impose 25% tariffs on all Canadian goods flowing into the United States the Premier of Ontario has threatened to have the state liquor monopoly (Liquor Control Board of Ontario aka LCBO) refrain from selling United States wine in the province ofContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: More Token Romanians”
RKS 2025 Wine: Is this Chilean La Junta Carménère Stomping About in a Militaristic Fashion?
Junta is an unfortunate name for a Chilean winery considering the brutal dictatorship of General Pinochet and his junta buddies in 1973 Chile leading to the overthrow and murder of democratically elected Salvador Allende. Thousands of Chileans were tortured, murdered or simply “disappeared”. Putting aside the unsavory connotations of junta in this wine’s name let’sContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: Is this Chilean La Junta Carménère Stomping About in a Militaristic Fashion?”
RKS 2025 Wine: Jaque Mate 2019 Malbec Reserva
A Pavlovian reaction to “Wine/Argentina” might be “Malbec”! And upon shouting out “Malbec” a response might be Mendoza and if so what can go wrong with a Mendoza Malbec except perhaps for a growing sense of Malbec fatigue. Jaque Mate is from a Luján de Cuyo vineyard at approximately 870 meters altitude. The 25-year-old vinesContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: Jaque Mate 2019 Malbec Reserva”
RKS 2025 Wine: Armenian Wine: The Next Great Hope? Not Enough Volume in the Market to Make That Determination
Wine producing countries and their subregions, such as Armenia, have a scarce presence in Ontario with a state monopoly controlling all wines flowing into the province except for the miserable duty-free wine quotas a traveller can bring into Canada from abroad or “smuggle” in from other provinces. There is no free Canadian interprovincial wine trade.Continue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: Armenian Wine: The Next Great Hope? Not Enough Volume in the Market to Make That Determination”
RKS 2025 Wine: Decent Cabernet Sauvignon Hiding Out in Washington State
In the 14December2024 Liquor Control Board of Ontario’s Vintages Release catalogue in the California red wine section there are 8 wines listed and 5 are Cabernet Sauvignon. Ontario has been “taught” (is that the correct word?) to worship Cali Cabernet Sauvignon. Grabbing a bottle of reasonably priced California Sauvignon in the $25 CDN range canContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: Decent Cabernet Sauvignon Hiding Out in Washington State”
RKS 2025 Wine: Armenian Wine: A Daring Move by The Liquor Control Board of Ontario!
Shame on you who decry the monopolistic Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO)! The “Control” in the corporate name shouts out a paternalistic and profitable heart. The LCBO wants to control what you drink reducing its administrative and business costs as much as possible to maximize profits. No expensive forays into new wine markets onlyContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: Armenian Wine: A Daring Move by The Liquor Control Board of Ontario!”
RKS 2025 Wine: More Quiet Whites From Bordeaux
White Bordeaux have an understated quietness to them rejecting flash and bang descriptors. Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc is entirely demure in comparison to the raucous New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Blending some Sémillon with the Sauvignon Blanc adds honey and marzipan to the aroma and palate although I refer the cleaner Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc sans blend. Let’sContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: More Quiet Whites From Bordeaux”
RKS 2025 Wine: Thorn-Clarke Eden Valley NV Brut Devilishly Good
Admit it. When you think Australian wine with a psychiatrist waving flash cards in your face asking what you see you will most likely say SHIRAZ! You might equally say CHARDONNAY! Breaking free from psychiatric tyranny why not sample a sparkling wine from Australia? It is a Thorn-Clarke Pinot Noir-Chardonnay from the Eden Valley. BothContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: Thorn-Clarke Eden Valley NV Brut Devilishly Good”
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