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?
Jack Teeling explains, “With our new Explorers Series 15 Year Old Japanese Edition, we have pushed the boundaries of Irish Whiskey by incorporating elements of Japanese craft spirits.
Regular readers will be aware that Ken Gargett is a great fan of quality sherry. For some, the mere mention of Sherry will bring a thrill; for others, rolling of the eyes and shaking of the head. It really is a love it or hate it style. And this one is something seriously different.
A Belgian making Scotch in France. Sounds a bit like a riddle, but it is not. In recent years, the whiskies of Michel Couvreur have taken hold in the consciousness of malt fans, but it was not always that way.
Some years ago, the American wine critic, Robert Parker, dubbed Henri Giraud as “the greatest Champagne you’ve never heard of”. Ken Gargett takes a closer look.
As with every aspect of our lives, the world of wine and spirits is heavily regulated. Growing grapes, making the stuff, distilling, selling, even (perhaps especially) drinking it. Here Ken Gargett takes a light-hearted look at some of the newer and crazier laws and regulations around the world.
For many people, anchovies are one of those foods to be avoided like the plague. But for Ken Gargett anchovies are not a love-it-or-hate it food. Rather, they are a love-it-or-you-have-not-discovered-how-good-they-can-be food. A lunch of a freshly baked loaf of hot, crusty bread smothered in good quality anchovies is just magic. Here he takes you on an aquatic journey through the culinary aspects of this small fish.
Ken Gargett describes the Taittinger Comtes 2013 as a champagne that dances. Citrus and grapefruit pith, florals, brioche, stonefruits, a hint of ginger and mixed spices. A beautifully elegant champagne with immaculate balance and intensity, which lingers long after first impressions.
Non-vintage champagnes were consider second tier to their vintage superstars, but that’s now changed. Ken Gargett takes a look at the history of non-vintage champages and shares some of his favorites.
There is one wine producer that has taken on almost mythical status in recent years: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. And one of its wines, Romanée-Conti, stands out above all others. Many wine lovers, perhaps most, consider it to be the very best wine in the world. Ken Gargett is one of them.