Gimblett Gravels Annual Wine Selection 2021: An Exceptional Wine Region, Exceptional Wines

Ken Gargett recently had an extensive immersion into New Zealand wines for a couple of weeks, including those of Hawkes Bay, so it seemed an ideal time to look at the latest Selection, from the 2021 vintage. The other reason for doing so is that the quality of this latest Selection lifts it above anything else he has seen from this project.

‘The Australian Ark’ by Andrew Caillard Book Review: A Mind-Boggling Masterpiece about Australian Wine

Australian Master of Wine, Andrew Caillard, has finally finished the Australian wine industry’s, magnum opus, ‘The Australian Ark.’ If there is a comparable work detailing the history of wine in any other country, in such depth and in such a riveting manner, Ken Gargett is not aware of it.

1907 Heidsieck Monopole Gout American

1907 Heidsieck Monopole Gout American: After Perfect ‘Cellaring’ in a Shipwreck, It’s the World’s Most Expensive Champagne

Heidsieck Monopole Gout American 1907 is the world’s most expensive champagne. This is the famous “shipwreck champagne” and it has a truly extraordinary story to tell, much more interesting than simply the prices it has achieved.

Durian: The King of Fruits – Absolutely Delicious, But the Smell is Unforgettable (and That’s Putting it Mildly)

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.’

El Dorado Rums: Not Cheap but Incredible Value for Money

In Ken Gargett’s opinion, El Dorado rums from Guyana are superb, and compared to what one might find at similar prices for whiskies and cognacs, they remain incredible bargains.

Appleton Estate 21-Year-Old: One of the World’s Great Rums

While the Appleton Estate distillery in Jamacia has a reputation of the highest order for quality rums, for Ken Gargett, the sweet spot has long been their 21-Year-Old.

Champagne Lallier: Getting into the Ground Floor Early

For champagne lovers, Ken Gargett recommends taking a look at the Lallier range. You might not be getting in right on the ground floor, but awfully close. And you’ll never regret it.

Billecart-Salmon Nicolas François 2008: Absolutely Sensational Champagne!

In Ken Gargett’s opinion, Billecart-Salmon’s Cuvee Nicolas François is a great champagne, whatever the vintage, but from 2008, it is transcendent. The champagne is of a gleaming appearance, like cut crystal. One sniff and it is obvious we are dealing with something that is wonderfully complex, elegant, still fresh and impeccably balanced.

Ken Gargett’s Best of 2023: Best Wines, Best Cigar, Best Meal, Best Event, Most Curious Meal, and Much More

Happy New Year to all and many thanks for your support and comments throughout 2023. Before we head off into 2024, and the chaos that it promises, a few ‘Best Of’ selections from the past 12 months.

Book Review: Oxford Companion to Wine – “The Greatest Wine Book ever Published” Washington Post

There is one wine book that every wine lover, from the most recent beginner to seasoned professional, simply must have. ‘The Oxford Companion to Wine’, edited by Jancis Robinson MW. The first edition came out almost thirty years ago. There was nothing like it. Still isn’t.