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

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 2024 Wine: A Beaujolais Cru from Nicolas Potel

As far as official classifications and the textbooks read the 10 Beaujolais Cru’s rank over Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages. The Nicolas Potel 2022 Fleurie Cru du Beaujolais then should be put to test about how it justifies the textbooks! Aroma: A lively melange of raspberry, cherry, milk chocolate and vanilla. Palate: Crafted in a subtleContinue reading “RKS 2024 Wine: A Beaujolais Cru from Nicolas Potel”

RKS 2023 Wine: A Wine From the Former Land of Rotgut

Languedoc wines years ago had a very poor reputation as cheap rotgut for the Parisian working class. Yes, apparently it was even blended with wine from the French colony Algeria. Fast forward to today where modernization and agricultural improvements have wiped out Languedoc’s reputation as the land of rotgut. Prices are generally affordable. Quality isContinue reading “RKS 2023 Wine: A Wine From the Former Land of Rotgut”

RKS 2023 Wine: A Bordeaux That Tastes Like Rusty Nails? Mon Dieu!

The 27May2023 Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) Vintages Release catalogue has a snippet of a jamessuckling.com review for a Château Clou du Pin 2020 stating, “There is a rusty note in the finish that reminds you of rusty nails.” Indeed a most interesting descriptor! Yet “clou” in French means “nail” and thank goodness notContinue reading “RKS 2023 Wine: A Bordeaux That Tastes Like Rusty Nails? Mon Dieu!”

RKS 2023 Wine: Simple Vin de France Chardonnay with a Viognier Twist

This Novellum 2021 Chardonnay has an intriguing twist to it. Although 100% Chardonnay it has been aged on Viognier lees with a small proportion of oak ageing. You might want to think of lees as spent yeast cells sort of a goopy gook? Viognier is vastly different than Chardonnay being more perfumed and full ofContinue reading “RKS 2023 Wine: Simple Vin de France Chardonnay with a Viognier Twist”

RKS 2023 Wine: Bordeaux The Quieter Side of Sauvignon Blanc

Many of you love your New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. But have you given thought to how forceful it can be? Happily trying to avoid generalizations I have found Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc to be quieter and gentler than its Zealie cousin. We try a Cap Royal 2021 Sauvignon Blanc. Aroma: Lemon, vanilla, white grapefruit, tangerine, gingerContinue reading “RKS 2023 Wine: Bordeaux The Quieter Side of Sauvignon Blanc”

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: The Bordeaux River Keeps on Flowing

There is no shortage of Bordeaux reds flowing into Ontario at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. It is not a waterfall as the LCBO attempts to please all with a bit of this and a bit of that and none of many. At $19.95 there is a Château Tour Castillon from the Médoc whichContinue reading “RKS Wine: The Bordeaux River Keeps on Flowing”

RKS Wine: The Great Viognier Search

For Canadian wine drinkers say “Viognier” and you might receive a blank look. That’s too bad as it can make a great wine and an ideal companion for crustaceans. It matches well with simply prepared lobster, crab and shrimp. There aren’t great quantities of it produced in Canada. The most recent Canadian Viognier I encounteredContinue reading “RKS Wine: The Great Viognier Search”

RKS Wine: Last Bottle Standing

While at a Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) outlet I noticed a lonely bottle of Domaine Lafage 2019 on the shelf which was blessed by a knowledgeable LCBO Vintages consultant who had not tried the 2019 vintage but had tried previous vintages to his delight. I am always willing to take advice from aContinue reading “RKS Wine: Last Bottle Standing”