Artis Pinot Noir 2021
A very fine Pinot from a single vineyard, the Jupiter Springs Vineyard, in the Kuitpo sub-region of the Adelaide Hills. 25 year old vines with
Author: Ken Gargett
This author has written 661 articles
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.
Trove Estate The Laurels Shiraz 2019
The ‘Laurels’ range from Trove Estate in the Margaret River, part of the Byron & Harold empire, is designed to represent wines worthy of receiving
Trove Estate The Laurels Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Margaret River Cabernet is one of the great wine styles offered in this country and this is a fine example. The team’s usual procedure is
Cloudbreak Pinot Noir 2021
Sourced from their vineyards in the Onkaparinga sub-region of the Adelaide Hills, which are at an altitude of between 365 and 400 metres above sea
Cloudbreak Chardonnay 2021
As exciting as their Pinot Gris is (and it is), Chardonnay should be a step up (and it is). Yet more evidence as to the
Pirie Late Disgorged 2011
No secret that Tasmania is making some of the world’s finest sparkling wines, second only to Champagne itself, and this is surely one of the
Kilikanoon Oath Grenache 2018
We recently looked at the excellent Walton’s Block Grenache from this producer, an old block of vines from the Clare. Now comes their Oath Grenache,
John Duval Eligo Shiraz 2018
Around 70% Eden Valley fruit and 30% Barossa, sourced from the sub-regions of Ebenezer and Moppa, the various parcels of grapes received discrete fermentation in
John Duval Integro Cabernet Shiraz 2018
Sourced from the ancient vines from Eden Valley, with yields which stubbornly refuse to exceed one tonne/acre, the blend is 92% Cabernet and 8% Shiraz.
Byron and Harold Late Harvest Orbus Riesling/Semillon 2018
From the southwest of Western Australia, this is a bit of a throwback but a welcome one. Late harvest Riesling and Semillons were once very
Curtis Vineyards Heritage Grenache 2021
The rise of Aussie Grenache continues to gather pace. Whether you prefer McLaren Vale or the Barossa hardly matters, we are seeing more and more
Johnston Shiraz 2020
Shiraz made by the O’Leary Walker team for $15? Someone is surely taking the proverbial here. These guys are consummate winemakers, from their time making
Howard Vineyard Blanc de Blancs 2021
A thoroughly pleasant example of a local sparkler, made in the Blanc de Blancs style (meaning made from only white grapes, in this case, as
Wits End Shiraz 2021
A pleasing and easy drinking Shiraz, made from Riverland fruit, blended with some McLaren Vale Shiraz. The winemaker is Renae Hirsch, perhaps better known for
Skillogalee Riesling 2014
I’m still not sure that there wasn’t a misprint somewhere along the line. A mature Clare Riesling from a top producer for this price ($25)?
Pindarie Montepulciano 2020
In recent years, a smattering of Monty’s (who is going to try and pronounce Montepulciano?) have appeared from Aussie wineries. Expect many more in the
Pindarie Tempranillo Sangiovese Shiraz 2020
Any wine crafted at the hands of well-known Barossa winemaker, Peter Leske, is always worth a look. This is a multi-national blend if ever there
Howard Vineyard Selection 400 Rosé 2021
Mt Barker (not the one in Western Australia) is situated at the southern end of the Adelaide Hills and is the biggest town in the
Lienert Vineyards Sieben Klon Grenache 2021
Sieben Klon. Does that not sound like a Star Wars villain? Fear not, it is simply German for ‘seven clones’. So it comes as a
Brown Hill Golden Horseshoe Chardonnay 2020
Good Margaret River Chardonnay is one of the jewels of the Aussie wine industry. And this is a good one. The usual process involves overnight
Brown Hill Ivanhoe Reserve Cabernet 2019
This straight Cabernet was hand-picked across a range of different levels of ripeness to add extra complexity to the wine. After the sorting table, fermentation
Brown Hill Bill Bailey Shiraz Cabernet 2019
The great Aussie blend is encountered less often in the West than we find throughout most of the rest of Australia. On this evidence, perhaps
Brown Hill Perseverance Cabernet Merlot 2019
The classic Margaret River blend, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, this is the most awarded wine in the Brown Hill portfolio. The team hand-harvest their best
Kilikanoon Meyman’s Cabernet 2020
This exciting Clare Valley winery continues to pump out cracking wines. The Meymans Block, 4 ½ hectares under vine, was planted back in 2000 as
