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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.
jj hahn reginald shiraz cabernet nv hr

JJ Hahn Reginald Shiraz Cabernet 2023

A Barossa version of the great Aussie wine blend, which will only add to the reputation which is superb and...
cwc hamlets shiraz nv

Curator Wines Hamlets Shiraz 2023

Nothing to do with tributes to Shakespeare, this is named as the fruit has been sourced from a number of...
curator marananga vineyard bv shiraz nv

Curator Wines Marananga Shiraz 2022

The original Curator range was created to exhibit the different terroirs throughout the Barossa. This wine hails from five discrete...
cwc bv seppetlsfield vineyard shiraz nv hr

Curator Wines Seppeltsfield Vineyard Shiraz 2022

For me, this is the absolute star of the range, among some serious competition. From a vineyard at Seppeltsfield, which...
Terra felix

Terra Felix Heathcote Shiraz 2017

Very rare to find a wine exhibiting this much age for such a giveaway price! The vines are just over...
GSM

Paisley Turntable Barossa GSM 2022

A lovely example of the famous Rhone blend, with 49% Grenache, 33% Shiraz and 18% Mataro. The latter two varieties...
DJchard

Paisley Amplifier Padthaway Chardonnay 2023

Like many of the Paisley wines, this Chardonnay has a name which works as a nod to the music industry,...
TEMP

Paisley Six Strings Langhorne Creek/Barossa Tempranillo 2023

An appealing mix of regions – Langhorne Creek and the Barossa – which combine to assist a very fine Temp...
Maeve Shiraz NV

Paisley Maeve Barossa Shiraz 2021

This single vineyard Barossa Shiraz is the team’s flagship, and deservedly so. The team usually give the wine an extensive...
Boombox Shiraz

Paisley Boombox Barossa Shiraz 2022

There is a dollop of Grenache usually included in this Shiraz by the team, and the use of oak seems...
Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon

Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

This has long been one of my favourite Cabernets from Coonawarra and this vintage will do nothing but enhance that....
mitchell riesling

Mitchell Watervale Riesling 2024

Clare Riesling from 2024 is going to make a lot of people very happy. It looks like we have another...
Pride of Erin Reserve Riesling

Erin Eyes Pride of Erin Riesling 2024

Another brand new and ever-so-young Clare Riesling, the colour is a pale straw. This gives every impression of being a...
Celtic Cross Cabernet Rose

Erin Eyes Cabernets Rosé 2024

A pale neon pink hue here for this fresh, crisp and clean Rose. Attractive aromatics, we have notes of dry...
Emerald Isle Riesling

Erin Eyes Emerald Isle Riesling 2024

Exciting to see the new 2024 whites starting to arrive, including this fine Clare Riesling. A very pale lemon here,...
Yalumba Barossa Grenache Rose

Yalumba Barossa Grenache Rosé 2024

Delicious Rosé from a variety which seems ideally suited to the style, although it is ideally suited to a number...
Yalumba Vine Vale Grenache Blanc No Vintage

Yalumba Vine Vale Grenache Blanc 2024

The sight of a bottle of Aussie Grenache Blanc is rarer than finding an honest politician, but the team at...
Yalumba Barossa Bush Vine Grenache NV

Yalumba Barossa Bush Vine Grenache 2022

Another of the many versions of Grenache, this one designed to provide slightly simple but utterly delicious drinking. Sourced from...
pinotnoir

Clonakilla Pinot Noir 2023

Whoever said nothing good ever comes out of Canberra obviously has not tried the wines from Clonakilla. What surprises even...
chardonnay

Clonakilla Tumbarumba Chardonnay 2023

Not all of the Clonakilla wines hail from the Canberra district. For Chardonnay, they have sourced fruit from the increasingly...
The Architect Cabernet Sauvignon

Dowie Doole The Architect Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

From the Dowie Vineyard in the Blewett Springs sub-region of McLaren Vale – Block C, if one wants to be...
The Architect Shiraz

Dowie Doole The Architect Shiraz 2021

With their Shiraz, it is also from the Dowie Vineyard in the Blewett Springs sub-region of McLaren Vale, this time...
Estate Merlot

Dowie Doole Estate Merlot McLaren Vale 2022

Deep garnet hue here, this is beautifully aromatic. There are notes of chocolate, violets, deftly handled oak, black cherries and...
SF GS Riesling ()

Singlefile Wines Great Southern Riesling 2024

Such an impressive Riesling from the Great Southern region, this has an attractive pale lemon hue, gleaming brightly. Very aromatic,...

Stories

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...

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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