In Ken Gargett’s opinion, the Penfolds Grange La Chapelle 2021 is a wine that is focused and concentrated, and offering immense length with the silkiest of tannins. All a bit thrilling. A force of nature that will drink beautifully for decades. 98.
Midnight in Moscow, in the 80s during the Cold War,and Ken Gargett thought it would be a clever idea to head off down a dark alley with two strange Russians. What could possibly go wrong?
Cockfighting is an undoubtedly barbarous sport and nothing here is intended to give it approval, however tacit, but in a land where the people are denied so much, where they have so little beyond music and dancing and their amazing love of life, it seems churlish to criticize from afar.
After tasting the 2021 Henschke Hill of Grace, Ken Gargett noted: incredible length, creamy and seductive texture, silk tannins – this is an amazing wine which more than lives up to the hype. Well cellared examples should provide immense pleasure over the next 40 – 50 years. 100/100!
Today, there are a great many wonderful wines fromSpain – especially regions like Rioja, Ribera and Priorat – but while Vega Sicilia has challengers, it still holds the crown. Ken Gargett takes a closer look (and tasting).
Prior to fizz in champagne arriving late 18th century, the Champagne region was making nine bottles of non-sparkling win for every single bottle of fizz. Thomas Jefferson preferred the still version of champagne to sparkling.
Everyday wines are very much a budget/quality/preference equation and you should always ensure you have sufficient of these available. Pointy end wines are those for special occasions and family events. These are the wines you want to be good for your cellar or wine fridge.
It is that time of year, again, when we make promises to review the cellar, weed out the excess, put plans in place to ensure we add top wines from great vintages for future enjoyment and perhaps, most importantly, identify some bottles to enjoy.
When one of the world’s leading wine critics names a non-vintage champagne as their Wine of the Year (not just Champagne of the Year), then it is worth a look, especially in competition with 36,000 other wines. The wine is Laurent-Perrier’s Grand Siècle No 26.
One of the wines Ken Gargett brought to a recent wine tasting with friends was a sherry, the Equipo Navazos La Bota de Manzanilla Pasada No 80, Bota Punta. Some among you will have no doubt that such a wine demands Grand Cru status, while others will be horrified at the thought. And so it was at the dinner. But let’s just talk about sherry for a moment, shall we?