Critics are not supposed to have favorites, though we get asked exactly that question all the time. It ranks with asking parents which is their favorite child, and chances are you’ll get an equally noncommitted response. For champagne, Ken Gargett has many favorites – too many – but the house of Pol Roger will always hold a special place for him.
Though pen makers collaborating with watchmakers is more common today than it was a decade ago, the combination of Blancpain and Grayson Tighe continues to delight with characteristically distinctive writing instruments expressing elements of both creators. The titanium Series 2 is a perfect example of the pen maker’s art mixed with thoughtful watch details.
Henschke’s Hill of Grace is Australia’s greatest single-vineyard Shiraz. Ken Gargett thinks that the 2013 vintage, which was grown in a block planted in the 1850s, has concentration, structure, and generosity despite the ultra-dryness of 2013 and the shortened harvest period. Cheers!
There is probably nowhere in the world you will find more information on the juxtaposition of tennis and wristwatches than right here at Quill & Pad. Unless, that is, you are an ardent follower of Miguel Seabra. In this article, Elizabeth interviews Miguel on the current state of tennis and timepieces, including new sponsorships, strategies, and Rolex’s recent patronage of the U.S. Open.
The king is dead. Long live the king. It has been with us seemingly forever, but finally the esteemed house of Charles Heidsieck will move on from the 1995 vintage of its stunning prestige cuvée Blanc des Millenaires to the 2004 vintage. What about all those vintages in between, you ask? Well, these missing vintages are part of what makes this wine so special.
Ian Skellern and his wife serendipitously chanced upon “seeing” the aurora borealis while visiting Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and the excitement of that led to months of research. And that research led to spending a few days in the Arctic Circle in the north of Sweden. Here is what I’ve learned about the northern lights so far, some of it firsthand.
Elizabeth Doerr has a personal relationship with Scotland. And with Edinburgh in particular. But she hadn’t visited the fabulous National Museum of Scotland there before. Finally ducking in on a recent trip, she was blown away by the incredible Millennium Clock Tower. Here she explores the tower’s history, meaning, and symbolism.
For those of you not aware of who, or what, Roland Iten is then the two words − though not the only two − you need to know are “belt buckles.” High-end belt buckles. Belt buckles crafted like high-end watches. Crafted so well that both Sylvester Stallone and Ian Skellern are big fans.
Queensland is a mecca for tourists from around the world. The Great Barrier Reef and its islands, the Gold Coast, northern rainforests, endless beaches, and outback all draw millions of visitors each year. Queensland also makes wine, and although production is small there are some tasty bottles and luxurious places to stay, including a round of glamping like you’ve never seen.
At Baselworld 2018, Martin Green unexpectedly came face to face with the Hublot Classic Fusion Aerofusion Chronograph High Jewellery: this was a timepiece he had been totally unaware of at the time, but one he will never forget. Find out why!