The first description Ken Gargett ever heard of the durian fruit was that it was like “eating custard over an open sewer”. He never forgot that . . . but it made him curious. He he reveals why despite its obnoxious odor, durian is considered by many as ‘The King of Fruits.’
Port is special for Ken Gargett as it was what originally led to his love of and fascination with wine. Here he provides an overview of Port styles that no wine lover should miss!
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.
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.
The South Australian Wine Guide 2025 has been launched to provide a definitive guide that throws a light on all of South Australia’s wine regions, with a singular focus on the unique wines from what is still ‘The Wine
State’.
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.