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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.
KOO CHD EST NV MED TN Horizontal

Kooyong Estate Chardonnay 2025

The Estate’s Faultline and Farrago blocks provided the fruit here, which was subsequently blended. The grapes underwent a gentle whole...
KOO PIN EST NV MED

Kooyong Estate Pinot Noir 2025

The Estate Pinot Noir is a combination of fruit from a number of blocks – Meres, Haven, Ferrous and Nord....
PPE CHD Estate BLN NV MED TN

Port Phillip Estate Balnarring Chardonnay 2025

The Balnarring Vineyard enjoys considerable maritime influence from the Western Port Bay. The Vineyard was established in 1997 and the...
PPE CHD Estate RHL NV MED TN

Port Phillip Estate Red Hill Chardonnay 2025

The Estate’s vineyard at Red Hill has three parcels of Chardonnay, the largest, which is 1.3 hectares, is the oldest...
PPE CHD SV Morillon NV MED TN

Port Phillip Estate Morillon Chardonnay 2024

The fruit for this flagship Chardonnay comes from a parcel which is just 0.1 hectares, situated within the oldest Chardonnay...
PPE PIN Estate BLN NV MED

Port Phillip Estate Balnarring Pinot Noir 2025

Planted in 1997, the original Pinot Noir vines were added to, by the inclusion of a higher density planting in...
Chardonnay D'Aloisio's Vineyard Burton McMahon

Burton McMahon Yarra Valley D’Aloisio Chardonnay 2024

The D’Aloisio Vineyard is to be found in the Seville township in the Yarra Valley, on red volcanic soil. It...
Pinot Noir Syme on Yarra Vineyard Burton McMahon

Burton McMahon Yarra Valley Syme Pinot Noir 2024

The Syme on Yarra Vineyard is located in the Upper Yarra Valley, on the red volcanic soils of Seville. The...
Chardonnay Lusatia Park Burton McMahon

Burton McMahon Yarra Valley Lusatia Park Chardonnay 2024

This vineyard is located in the Woori Yallock sub-region of the Yarra Valley, sitting at 180 metres above sea level....
Pinot Noir Lusatia Park Burton McMahon

Burton McMahon Yarra Valley Lusatia Park Pinot Noir 2024

Lusatia Park is located in the Woori Yallock sub-region of the Yarra Valley. The clone used is MV6. The team...
barrel selection shiraz

Burge Family Winemakers Barrel Selection Shiraz 2022

From the excellent 2022 vintage, the fruit is sourced from two Barossa Valley vineyards, 89% from 100-year-old vines in Seppeltsfield...
Cimicky Cellar Selection Shiraz

Cimicky Cellar Selection Shiraz 2022

A very fine Barossa Shiraz from an excellent vintage, maturation is for a period of between eighteen and twenty-six months...
Cimicky Cellar Selection Shiraz ()

Cimicky Reserve Shiraz 2021

Encouraging to see that there are still wines from the sensational 2021 vintage in the Barossa which are available. It...
Heritage Block Grenache lowres

Hentley Farm Seppeltsfield Vineyard Heritage Block Grenache 2024

The vines in what is known as C Block in this Seppeltsfield vineyard were planted in the 1990s, a heritage...
Rock Hill Shiraz

Conte Estate Rock Hill Shiraz 2022

Winery may be more familiar with this in its previous guise as the Vine Shed Shiraz. From a fine McLaren...
Arila Gardens Gardens of Moppa GSM

Arila Gardens Moppa GSM 2024

From the Moppa sub-region in the Barossa Valley, the split here is 64% Grenache, 34% Shiraz and 2% Mataro. The...
Arila Gardens Moppa Saperavi NV

Arila Gardens Moppa Saperavi 2024

The fruit used here came from the Nietschke Moppa Estate Vineyard. Fermentation was in small open top fermenters for nine...
Single Vineyard Shiraz NV

Arila Gardens Single Vineyard Shiraz 2024

This really is a bit special. From the Arila Gardens vineyard, the team include a small percentage of whole bunches...
Arila Gardens Single Vineyard Grenache

Arila Gardens Single Vineyard Grenache 2024

A single vineyard wine from the Arila Gardens property, these vines were planted in 1900. The team incorporated small percentage...
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Paisley Texture Reserve Shiraz 2023

The team’s flagship Shiraz is sourced from three parcels in the Barossa Valley, 66% from Koonunga, 22% from Ebenezer and...
Temp

Paisley Six Strings Tempranillo 2024

The Tempranillo used for this wine is sourced from the Eden Valley. 2024 was an excellent vintage in the region....
DJshiraz

Paisley Boombox Shiraz 2023

Barossa Shiraz, including fruit from Angaston, various techniques are incorporated here, including pre-fermentation maceration, the use of whole bunches and...
GSM

Paisley Turntable GSM 2023

Celebrating a previous connection with music, the blend here is 48% Grenache, 36% Shiraz and 16% Mataro, all from the...
shiraz NV ()

Paisley Silk Shiraz 2022

Continuing the Fashionable Fabrics theme, this aptly named Shiraz is sourced from the sub-region of Ebenezer on the Barossa Valley...

Stories

PEN NV SpeRel CabShiraz SouthAus Superblend B Duo Cork

Penfolds Superblend

Every Australian winelover will surely be aware of just how much Penfolds love to release special wines, whether they have...
PEN La Chapelle Grange winemakers barrels

La Chapelle Grange 2022

The second release of this extraordinary Rhone/Aussie blend, crafted by two of the world’s great wineries, Jaboulet and Penfolds, has...
AMW Collection

Appellation Marlborough Wine Announces 2025 Annual Collection

A benchmark selection of certified Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Appellation Marlborough Wine (AMW) has announced its highly anticipated Annual Collection for...
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The Barossa Wine Guide 2026

By Ken Gargett, Andrew Caillard MW and Tony Love The Barossa is unquestionably Australia’s most famous wine region. Certainly not...
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...
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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...
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