Avatar photo

Ken Gargett

Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
Angullong FossilHill PinotNoir NV

Angullong Pinot Noir Fossil Hill 2024

This fresh and bright Pinot from the Orange region is crafted from a range of clones, some destemmed and some...
Angullong FossilHill Barbera

Angullong Barbera Fossil Hill 2023

Barbera is a grape which is still fighting for its due recognition – it deserves at least that. From the...
cape jaffa wines robe cellar door limestone coast south australia vineyard accommodation en soleil pinot gris

Cape Jaffa En Soleil Pinot Gris 2024

The fruit here hails from a single biodynamic vineyard in the Wrattonbully region. The juice goes into a mix of...
cape jaffa wines cj chardonnay robe limestone coast cellar door south australia winery

Cape Jaffa CJ Chardonnay 2024

From the Mt Gambier region, the wine underwent a partial barrel ferment and gentle maturation for nine months. Yellow/straw in...
Artisan Grenache Mataro Shiraz

Murray Street Artisan Grenache Mataro Shiraz 2022

A blend of 76% Grenache (an increase on the last vintage), 17% Mataro and 7% Shiraz, the Grenache was planted...
Artisan Cabernet Shiraz

Murray Street Artisan Cabernet Shiraz 2022

The blend is 58% Cabernet and 42% Shiraz from the estate’s Greenock Estate Vineyard. For this version of the great...
Artisan Shiraz

Murray Street Artisan Shiraz 2022

From the Greenock Estate (92%) and Gomersal (8%) vineyards. There is also 8% of Mataro included in the blend. The...
Artisan Cabernet Sauvignon

Murray Street Artisan Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Strongly Cabernet Sauvignon dominant (89%) with 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec, the fruit hails...
PA PA By Xavier Wine Pinot Gris

Xavier Pa Pa Pinot Gris 2024

The fruit for this Pinot Gris hails from Mt Gambier, which continues to emerge as an excellent source for a...
PA PA By Xavier Wine Pinot Noir

Xavier Pa Pa Pinot Noir 2024

Mt Gambier and Heywood, the latter in the southwest of Victoria, supplied the fruit used in this pleasing style. Stainless...
a Xavier Wine Estate Collection Avon Chardonnay

Xavier Chardonnay Avon 2024

The Avon vineyard of just a single hectare was originally planted in 1987. It is located at Maffra in Gippsland....
c Xavier Wine Estate Collection Upper Yarra Pinot Noir

Xavier Pinot Noir Upper Yarra 2024

From the Lusatia Park Vineyard in the Upper Yarra, which was planted in 1985, this site is well known for...
b Xavier Wine Estate Collection Avon Pinot Noir

Xavier Pinot Noir Avon 2024

From the Avon vineyard in Gippsland, which was planted to the MV6 clone in 1987. A slow ferment over twenty...
d Xavier Wine Estate Collection Gippsland Pinot Noir

Xavier Pinot Noir Gippsland 2024

This Pinot is also from the Avon Vineyard in Gippsland, but it is crafted from the new and grafted vines...
WT Cirillo Black Label Barossa Valley Shiraz

Cirillo Black Label Barossa Valley Shiraz 2024

The vines offering fruit for this cracking Barossa Shiraz were planted back in 1848, making them some of the oldest...
WT Heirloom Vineyards King's Garden Barossa Valley Shiraz

Heirloom Vineyards King’s Garden Barossa Valley Shiraz 2021

Barossa Shiraz will surely remain eternally popular thanks to wines like this. From a spectacular vintage for the region, this...
WT Thorn Clarke William Randell Winemakers Selection Shiraz

Thorn-Clarke William Randell Shiraz 2019

This cracking Barossa Shiraz was named in honour of a family ancestor, Captain William Richard Randell. Always good to see...
WT Champagne Autreau Brut Reserve Grand Cru NV

Champagne Autréau Brut Grand Cru Reserve NV

A blend of both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Grand Cru vineyards promises some bubbly excitement. The colour is a...
WT Robert Goulley Chablis er Cru Vaucoupin

Robert Goulley Chablis Premier Cru Vaucoupin 2023

The Robert Goulley Chablis range is part of the Domaine Gueguen empire, based in the region. Premier Cru Chablis is...
WT Robert Goulley Chablis er Cru 'Vaillons'

Robert Goulley Chablis Premier Cru Vaillons 2023

Anyone keen to see what excellent Chablis offers need look no further. Vaillons is one of the legendary Premier crus...
WT Amen Break Central Otago Pinot Noir

Amen Break Central Otago Pinot Noir 2023

Top notch Central Otago Pinot Noir for this price is a rarity indeed – good luck finding better for the...
WT Domaine Chavy Chouet Bourgogne Rouge La Taupe

Domaine Chavy Chouet Bourgogne Rouge La Taupe 2022

There was a time when one would approach Bourgogne Rouge with the greatest trepidation. Thankfully, those days are long gone....
WT Pelassa San Pancrazio Barbera d'Alba Superiore DOC

Pelassa San Pancrazio Barbera d’Alba 2021

A friend once told me that not liking Barbera was like not liking puppies. He had a point. Good Barbera...
WT Mas Doix Les Crestes Grenache Blend

Mas Doix Les Crestes Priorat 2022

A visit to Priorat in Spain’s northeast should be on every wine lover’s bucket list. Spectacular scenery, wonderful food, great...

Stories

Penfolds Collection Credit Marten Ascenzo

Penfolds 2025 – Ken Gargett

Penfolds Bin 51 Eden Valley Riesling 2025 ($45)A classic Bin 51. It might be early days but this wine suggests...
MartenAscenzo Penfolds PenfoldsMediaPreview D

Penfolds 2023 – ‘The Aussies’

There is no release more anticipated by winelovers in Australia than the annual Penfold’s Collection and of course, most especially...

Artisans of the Barossa (2021 Grenache Project)

One of the more interesting projects currently afloat in Aussie wine at the moment, especially appropriate given the skyrocketing interest...

Alkina – The Curious Box of Paradoxes

Alkina is a curious box of paradoxes. Seemingly unlimited resources but still tiny; a small local operation yet part of...

Cumulus and Quilty & Gransden

They say that Disneyland is the happiest place on earth. Perhaps, but I would suggest that the Australian wine industry...

Greenock Creek New Releases 2021

It was back in 1984 that the first grapes were picked for the inaugural vintage from Greenock Creek wines. Taken...
winepilot