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In an extraordinary partnership bridging two Australian icons, Ricky Ponting, one of the country’s most celebrated cricketers, and Ben Riggs, an award-winning winemaker, have combined their mastery to create Ponting Wines. This collaboration embodies dedication, achievement, and a shared pursuit of excellence.

Launched with its first vintage in early 2020, Ponting Wines brings together premium fruit from Ricky’s home state of Tasmania and the renowned wine regions of South Australia, where Ben Riggs has honed his craft. Riggs, known for his uncompromising approach to quality, oversees the winemaking process at his state-of-the-art McLaren Vale winery, capable of producing over 500,000 dozen bottles of premium wine annually.

In a short time, Ponting Wines has garnered acclaim from esteemed wine critics and international competitions, including a Platinum award at the 2022 Decanter World Wine Awards. For Ricky Ponting, this rapid success is humbling:

“It’s extremely exciting for us to see our wines from Tasmania and South Australia gain such international recognition. It’s a chance to share our passion on a global scale,” Ponting said.

A Collaboration Rooted in Legacy

Ricky Ponting’s illustrious cricketing career set an unparalleled standard for excellence. Making his first-class debut at 17, Ponting became Australia’s most successful cricket captain, leading his team to a historic five-nil whitewash in the 2006/07 Ashes series. With three World Cup wins under his belt and a career record as Australia’s leading run-scorer in Test and ODI cricket, his transition to winemaking reflects the same commitment and precision that defined his time on the pitch.

These days, Ponting is as celebrated for his sharp cricketing insights as a commentator as he is for his accomplishments as a sportsman. But his role as co-founder of Ponting Wines allows him to channel his drive into a new realm, crafting wines that mirror his life’s journey.

A Team of Visionaries

Ponting Wines benefits from the diverse expertise of its four co-founders, each bringing a unique passion to the table:

• Rianna Ponting, Ricky’s wife, contributes her unwavering dedication to family and community. As co-founder of the Ponting Foundation, which has raised over $10 million for children’s cancer causes, Rianna pours that same commitment into growing Ponting Wines into a family achievement to be proud of.

• Ben Riggs, known affectionately as “Mr. Riggs,” is a winemaker with over 35 years of experience. He has consulted with more than 25 wineries and founded his own acclaimed label, Mr. Riggs Wine Co., in 2001. His philosophy—creating rich, complex wines with finesse and elegance—guides every bottle of Ponting Wines.

• David Krenich, with decades of experience in the luxury liquor industry, brings a deep understanding of the fine wine consumer. His tenure with Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy has equipped him with the insight and networks to elevate Ponting Wines onto the world stage.

Wines Crafted with Purpose

Each Ponting wine is a tribute to moments in Ricky’s life, meticulously crafted by Ben Riggs to embody flavour, structure, and complexity. The collaboration is as much about celebrating their achievements as it is about creating accessible yet premium wines that reflect the essence of Australia’s finest vineyards.

This new chapter in Ricky Ponting’s storied career shows that his dedication to excellence isn’t limited to the cricket pitch. With Ponting Wines, he and his team have created something extraordinary—a collection that marries tradition, passion, and innovation.

As Ponting Wines continues to expand its reach internationally, it promises to bring a taste of Australia’s finest to tables worldwide, offering a toast to excellence in every bottle.

Barossa winemaking barons Rob Gibson and Ben Glaetzer are in rare air. The two currently share the highest-ranking wines on the world’s most downloaded wine review app, Vivino. 

Their respective top drops, Gibson ‘Bin 60’ Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz and Glaetzer ‘Eye of Ra’ Shiraz, have commenced the year holding the equal 1st rating, reviewed by consumers, on the Vivino app. The two Barossa bottlings sit atop 17 million wines on Vivino. 

Vivino has become the most prevalent wine app globally, with more than 67 million users. The platform enables consumers to scan any wine label on their phone, to instantly access tasting or food pairing information, or to post their own review. Users can also purchase wine directly from the app. 

Gibson and Glaetzer each hold 4.8 out 5 Stars for their Barossa cuvees. The Vivino user-review rankings are equal top with a Châteauneuf-du-Pape bottling by French vintner Pierre Usseglio, of which just one barrel is made. 

2008 Gibson ‘Bin 60’ Cabernet Shiraz is similarly as scarce – under 100 bottles remain from the winery’s Cellar Door for $385 each. The wine, of which Rob Gibson crafted initially as a legacy bottling for his 60th birthday, is now in a ‘peak drinking’ window, after 16 years of bottle maturation.  

Glaetzer’s ‘Eye of Ra’ Shiraz is Ben Glaetzer’s mission to “create the perfect wine”. 2018, the second release, highlights Northern Barossa fruit, specifically Shiraz from the Ebenezer district. The wine sells for $650 per bottle and is limited to three per customer. 

Others in Vivino’s top ten include two from Australia – Penfold’s Grange and Torbreck The Laird, as well as fine wine collectables from Schrader (Napa Valley, USA) and Antinori (Tuscany, Italy). 

Rob Gibson, who is soon to commence his 51st vintage, remains characteristically humble about the Vivino ranking. “To be honest, we weren’t even aware of it until a long-term collector of ours pointed it out”, said Rob. “I guess what is special, is that our down-to-earthiness can match it with the best of 245,000 other wineries of the world on Vivino”.  

Ben Glaetzer said, “It took over 30 years of learning, hard work and discovering the potential of the vines before the Eye of Ra became possible.” “I always knew it would be hard work, but well worth the effort. I’m glad that other wine lovers agree”, he added.  

SUSTAINABILITY is transforming South Australia’s Riverland. A sweeping embrace of alternative grape varieties has brought kudos to a raft of growers, which is changing the way their vineyards are managed and resources are used in the region. Ultimately, this results in a league of exciting wines that are changing the Riverland’s reputation.

The efficiency of drought-tolerant grape varieties, popularised by the likes of Ashley and Holly Ratcliff through their network of 10 Ricca Terra vineyards at Barmera, means profitability can come. from smaller vineyards. These grapes are commanding higher prices than Riverland’s historically infamous bulk fruit. Due to this economic shift, Ashley believes the region will be a more concise grape-growing area in another 20 years, enjoying greater efficiency, productivity and quality.

“if we take the macro approach to observe Riverland vineyard management, I can see we’ll be be growing grapes on less area to make a decent living – and therefore we’ll be using less water, and less inputs of every type to make high-quality wines”, Ashley says. “Climate-appropriate grape cultivation equals truly sustainable wine regions”.

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LG Wine & Liquor are pleased to announce another distribution partnership. Adding a distinctly classic set of wines for The Crossings Vineyards in the heart of the well known Marlborough region of New Zealand. Boasting an award-winning portfolio, The Crossings produce some exemplary varietals from its three estates Brackenfield, Willow Flat and Medway. The crossing provides consistent and premium vintages featuring the region’s ever-present Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir grapes. To arrange a tasting or for more information, please don’t hesitate to contact Laurie or any other member of the friendly LG team!

At the London Wine Competition d’Arenberg have taken out the following;

·         Wine of The Year – 2017 The Dead Arm Shiraz (scoring 97 points).

·         Best Wine By Quality – 2017 The Dead Arm Shiraz

·         Winery of The Year – d’Arenberg, McLaren Vale.

This year’s competition saw 1,000 entries from more than 43 countries. There were 198 wines from Australia that this scooped the pool for.

The Dead Arm – Shiraz 2017 McLaren Vale, Shiraz (100%) won the best wine of the year scoring 97 points at the 2020 London Wine Competition.

Australian winemaker Chester Osborn, the man behind the d’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz which got the top score at the 2020 London Wine Competition.

This year’s competition saw about 1000 entries from more than 43 countries which also included new wine-producing countries like India.

The top 5 varieties that were in the competition were Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon (121), Chardonnay (97), Merlot (70) and Sauvignon Blanc (63).

There were 198 wines from Australia, 126 from Italy, 124 from France, 101 from Spain making them the top 4 countries that entered in the 2020 London Wine Competition.

The biggest improvement in the score by country was in the United States which had the highest average score by country followed by France.

Here are the highlights of the 2020 London Wine Competition.

·         Wine Of The Year – The Dead Arm Shiraz 2017, Australia, McLaren Vale

·         Winery Of The Year – d’Arenberg, Australia, McLaren Vale

·         Best Wine By Quality – The Dead Arm Shiraz 2017, Australia, McLaren Vale

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The Dead Arm – Shiraz 2017 McLaren Vale, Shiraz (100%) won the best wine of the year scoring 97 points. The results of the third London Wine Competition show a resounding success for Australia as the country offers more quality for the money. The awards were introduced to represent how consumers buy wines, based not just on their quality, but what they look like on the shelf, and what value for money they offer.

This wine will have you second-guessing as it skips between red fruits and lifted spice notes on the one hand to more brooding, dark, ashen, earthy aromas on the other. A sign of the vintage no doubt. The seasonal conditions are even more evident on the palate where flavour, tannin and acid are in perfect balance. There is an impressive amount of concentration in this wine but at the same time, it feels somewhat more restrained compared to other more in your face, rustic Dead Arm vintages. Particularly when we look at the tannin profile which is a relatively fine example for this wine. 

More information from The London Wine Competition.