Wines of British Columbia – A Bird's Eye View of Fashion, Food, Travel, Culture, Beverage and Curiosity

RKS Wine: Best Red Wines of 2022

Quinta dos Termos 2017 Beira Interior DOC, $13.95: Portugal 94 Mayhem 2019 Cabernet Merlot, B.C. VQA, $21.74: British Columbia 94 Two Sisters 2015 Cabernet Franc, VQA Niagara River, $75.80: Ontario 94 Viña Chocolan Vitrium 2019 Red Blend, Vale del Maipo: $25.95: Chile 94 Alamos Seleccion 2018 Malbec, Mendoza: $16,95: Argentina 94 Viña Tarapacá Gran ReservaContinue reading “RKS Wine: Best Red Wines of 2022”

RKS Wine: Mayhem’s 2021 Riesling

No I am not going to kvetch about Niagara Rieslings this time. Enough negative vibes in a world that has enough negativity in it. So can Mayhem take it up a notch and introduce some positivity into the Canadian wine world with its British Columbia Riesling? It has some aromatics that get my positive RieslingContinue reading “RKS Wine: Mayhem’s 2021 Riesling”

RKS Wine: Mayhem’s Sauvignon Blanc: The Best in the World?

The Mayhem 2020 Sauvignon Blanc was the best white wine I reviewed last year. Not the best Canadian but the best in the world. Yet all the trumpets are blaring in New Zealand about their Sauvignon Blanc and if they aren’t careful about over production those trumpets could soon be playing a funeral dirge. AndContinue reading “RKS Wine: Mayhem’s Sauvignon Blanc: The Best in the World?”

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: “Christmas in April” Part Two: Stag’s Hollow “Tragically Vidal”

Vidal is an unremarkable grape that can shine as a second Icewine cousin to Riesling. It is by acreage the number one white grape in Ontario and #15 in British Columbia. When I saw the Vidal wine sent to me by Stag’s Hollow called “Tragically Vidal” I winced hoping the results in the bottle wereContinue reading “RKS Wine: “Christmas in April” Part Two: Stag’s Hollow “Tragically Vidal””

RKS Wine: Christmas in April: Stag’s Hollow Media Pack Part 1

Imagine driving the other half to downtown Toronto and heading back after the drop off to buy ¾ of a tank of gas for $90. Then a package at the doorstep from Stag’s Hollow in British Columbia’s Okanagan wine district. Unexpected as if Santa was pleased at me for being such a good boy notContinue reading “RKS Wine: Christmas in April: Stag’s Hollow Media Pack Part 1”

RKS Wine: The Okanagan’s Mayhem 2020 Riesling and My Treatment for Riesling Hesitation Syndrome

I am very discerning about Ontario Rieslings and I don’t want to stir things up about why. I have much better luck with British Columbia Rieslings. Trust Mayhem to cause a bit of mayhem with its Riesling as not only was it aged in stainless steel but neutral French oak. EEKS! Oak and Riesling! DoesContinue reading “RKS Wine: The Okanagan’s Mayhem 2020 Riesling and My Treatment for Riesling Hesitation Syndrome”

RKS Wine: Mayhem Wines: Same Grapes for the Blend but Different Proportions and a Year Younger but the Same Price: Mayhem’s 2020 Cabernet Franc Merlot

Mayhem’s 2019 Cabernet Franc was brilliant with a 72% Merlot/28% Cabernet Franc blend. The 2020 version is 89% Merlot/11% Cabernet Franc. The 2020 was aged into 100% French oak barrels that were second fill and aged for 5 months at which time the final blend was assembled and transferred back into the barrel for anContinue reading “RKS Wine: Mayhem Wines: Same Grapes for the Blend but Different Proportions and a Year Younger but the Same Price: Mayhem’s 2020 Cabernet Franc Merlot”