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.
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!
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.
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.
The invitation to a “secret tasting” with James Godfrey was not one Ken Gargett would ever decline. What Godfrey doesn’t know about fortifieds is not worth knowing, and those he has not tasted are probably not worth tasting. Here’s what Ken learned . . .
At the highly respected Chicago Beverage Tasting Institute, the El Dorado 21-Year-Old caught the world’s attention when it was awarded 98/100, the highest score ever achieved by any rum. It was described as “one of the world’s greatest rum drinking experiences.” Does Ken Gargett agree?
Ken Gargett thinks that the 2001 Château d’Yquem is the finest young wine he has ever experienced, red or white, and remains convinced that it will go down as one of the greatest Yquems, if not the greatest of all time. But he was also able to experience something else: drinking “twin” vintages of this amazing Sauternes.
One of the three Limited Edition program releases from Habanos for 2017, the Partagás Series No. 1 has hit the shelves. This cigar is still very young, but Ken Gargett has distinct opinions on it.
There has long been a connection between fine wine and art. But as much fun as the packaging of the Longview Piece Shiraz 2015’s art label is, what ultimately counts is what is in, not on, the bottle. And for Ken Gargett, this shiraz delivers where it counts: taste.
According to Ken Gargett, there is nothing any gin distiller in Australia makes today that has grabbed attention like Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin. If you are yet to jump on board the gin revolution, this would make for a great start.