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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.
ANCNRE NV New Website Bottle Shot

Anselmi Realda 2023

Most consumers think of white wines when they think Anselmi but this fine Cabernet Sauvignon proves that they have more...
SOTPVS NV Website Bottle Shot

La Sorda Rioja 2022

A youthful Temp from Rioja, with a touch of Graciano and Mazuelo, which will provide some thoroughly delicious drinking in...
VEIRBR NV New Website Bottle Shot

Vespa Bruno Primitivo Salento 2022

From Puglia, this is what we would call Zinfandel, and it is done well. One slightly jarring note – synthetic...
NCIRRP NV Website Bottle Shot

Nicolas Seccal Valpolicella Ripasso 2020

Valpolicella, made in their famous Ripasso style, should be on everyone’s radar. If it is not, this is a fine...
NCIRAM NV Website Bottle Shot

Nicolas Amarone Classico 2019

This is the big gun from the Veneto region – based near Verona, so think Romeo and Juliet, but would...
NCIRVA NV Website Bottle Shot

Nicolas Valpolicella Classico 2022

Valpolicella seems to be enjoying a bump in interest, deservedly so, as some producers of Amarone look to move to...
ANIWCC NV New Website Bottle Shot

Anselmi Capitel Croce 2022

Whites with texture. You love them or you don’t – theoretically, there is no wrong answer to that question, but...
ANIWSV NV Website Bottle Shot

Anselmi San Vincenzo 2023

Based on the region’s famous Garganega grape, this wine has almost a third of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc incorporated. This...
VEIRRO NV New Website Bottle Shot

Vespa Primitivo di Manduria 2022

Primitivo – Zinfandel as we know it – which is dubbed ‘di Manduria’, means it hails from southern Puglia. Under...
CETPVI NV Bottle Shot px x px

Campos di Viento Tempranillo 2022

Criminally underpriced, this is a ripe, delicious and ever-so-generous Tempranillo. A deep blood red hue, the nose weaves through roast...
ANSWIC Website Bottle Shot

Anselmi Capitelli 2022

An utterly delicious sweetie made from ripe Garganega, in the Passito style. The grapes will have been infected with noble...
AMTSXX NV Website Bottle Shot

Amigo de la Tierra Garnacha Tempranillo 2022

Organic Garnacha (Grenache) and Tempranillo here and they combine beautifully to make a wine that is sensationally priced. A case...
NFSPPF NV Website Bottle Shot

Nino Franco Primo Franco Prosecco 2023

The first thing consumers will notice when they look to open a bottle of this very fine Prosecco is that...
NFSPNO NV Website Bottle Shot

Nodi Franco Prosecco 2021

This is simply one of the most serious bottles of Prosecco I have ever encountered and it shows that the...
ANIWCF NV New Website Bottle Shot

Anselmi Capitel Foscarino 2023

Anselmi is one of the great names of Italian wine and for many of us, the leading producer of Soave...
VEIWBI NV New Website Bottle Shot

Vespa Bianca Terra Fiano Salento 2022

From the Puglia region of Italy and under Diam, this is a powerfully structured, and flavoured, style of white. Some...
Aramis The Bastion Shiraz

Aramis Wines The Bastion McLaren Vale Shiraz 2022

The estate’s flagship Shiraz, from their own vineyards in McLaren Vale, this is impressive drinking. Deep magenta in colour, the...
Aramis White Label Cabernet

Aramis Wines McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Some seriously good value drinking to be had here. Warm climate Cabernet Sauvignon is not everyone’s cup of tea (or...
Aramis The Revolution Cabernet

Aramis Wines The Revolution Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

A single vineyard McLaren Vale Cabernet from a fine vintage, the wine spent a year and a half maturing in...
Aramis White Label Shiraz

Aramis Wines McLaren Vale Shiraz 2022

Another wine of stunning value from this McLaren Vale star. An opaque maroon hue, it is a savoury, even slightly...
Lange FifthGen Riesling

Lange Estate Fifth Generation Riesling Frankland River 2024

Frankland River provides some of Australia’s most thrilling Rieslings and this sits comfortably among them. There is a very gentle,...
Lange Providence Road Chardonnay

Lange Estate Providence Road Chardonnay Frankland River 2024

An impressive Frankland River Chardy, the colour here is a deep yellow straw. The nose exhibits notes of spices, crushed...
The Protector NV

Haselgrove Protector McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

When it comes to the name, ‘Protector’, we are still dealing with Hazel twigs and the mythical beliefs of protection...
Catkin NV

Haselgrove Catkin McLaren Vale Shiraz 2023

Catkins are the bunches of Hazel flowers seen in late winter and believed to signify the origin of harvest. The...

Stories

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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...

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...

Duval on Grenache

The name, Duval, is and always will be inextricably linked with Grange. John Duval was chief winemaker at Penfold’s from...
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