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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.
MMCHXX NV Website Bottle Shot

Mezzacorona Maso di Mezzo Chardonnay 2022

All the world loves Chardonnay, or it should. And all the world grows and makes Chardonnay, or at least it...
CDROLD NV Website Bottle Shot

Les Dauphins Côtes du Rhône Rosé 2023

A Côtes du Rhône Rosé which is bronze/pink in colour. Lots of lifted aromas here with raspberries and spices to...
MONGSL NV Website Bottle Shot

Mottura Negroamaro Salento IGT 2022

Negroamaro continues to attract (favourable) attention in Australia and examples hailing from its home can only assist, especially when they...
CFIRTR NV Website Bottle Shot

Firman Teroldego Rotalian Riserva 2019

A serious example of this Italian red from the Trentino Alto Adige region, Teroldego Rotaliano received DOC status way back...
FAIRRR NV Website Bottle Shot

Feudo Arancio Riserva 2019

This is the team’s pointy end Nero d’Avola with grapes from two of their Sicilian estates. 30% of the wine...
QUIWGR NV Website Bottle Shot

Feudo Arancio Queto Pinot Grigio 2021

An organic Pinot Grigio from the Sambuca di Sicilia estate in the province of Agrigento on the island of Sicily....
QUIWGR NV Website Bottle Shot

Feudo Arancio Queto Grillo 2021

Organic Grillo from Sicily, a controlled fermentation for ten days in stainless steel tanks, followed by five days resting on...
QUIRNA NV Website Bottle Shot

Feudo Arancio Queto Nero d’Avola 2021

From Sicily, this is their organic Nero (wines under their Queto label are organic). These grapes are grown 300 metres...
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Hollick Shiraz 2021

Sourced from the estate’s 1975 plantings, the team like to give the wine twelve months of maturation, with 15% of...
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Hollick Ravenswood Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Ravenswood Lane will take you from the estate’s Neilson’s Block Vineyard to their Wilgha Vineyard, the two vineyards contributing to...
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Hollick Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

The fruit is sourced from a combination of their Wilgha and Neilson’s Block Vineyards in Coonawarra, which are located at...
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Hollick Wilgha Shiraz 2019

The team use the best Shiraz from their Wilgha Vineyard in Coonawarra for this, their prestige Shiraz, which then spends...
Midnight Rainbow

Dandelion Vineyards Midnight Rainbow of McLaren Vale Petite Sirah 2021

A guess but this might be the most expensive Petit Sirah (or Syrah) made in this country. That would put...
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Risky Business Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Something a little more conventional from the team, Margaret River Cabernet. Seriously good value drinking here. The colour is a...
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Risky Business Malbec 2021

Margaret River Malbec continues the theme from this winery, taking us down unfamiliar roads. A well named winery, but one...
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Risky Business Shiraz Tempranillo Grenache 2022

From the Margaret River region, this is a Spanish/French version of the famous Rhône blend with Tempranillo taking the place...
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Risky Business Tempranillo 2022

Frankland River Tempranillo may not be an obvious choice, but this wine suggests that it is a combination worthy of...
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Vinaceous Snake Charmer Shiraz 2022

Perhaps not a label one envisages encountering on CBD boardroom dining tables, but that would be their loss. That said,...
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Vinaceous Voodoo Moon Malbec 2022

If ever there was a winery where the labels attract as much attention as the contents, these guys must be...
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Zagora McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

For this easy drinking, well-crafted and good value McLaren Vale Cabernet, the wine saw a mix of fermentation techniques used,...
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Zagora McLaren Vale Shiraz 2021

The trend to the use of lighter bottles is seen with this thoroughly enjoyable McLaren Vale Shiraz. French oak was...
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Heirloom A’Lambra Shiraz Barossa Valley 2022

Similar winemaking here as with the other reds in the portfolio, but this is the flagship, sourced from their top...
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Heirloom Touriga McLaren Vale 2023

Touriga seems like one of those grapes destined to be a curiosity and yet, there seems no reason that it...
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Heirloom Shiraz Barossa 2022

The grapes used here were sourced from the team’s top Barossa Shiraz vineyard. Sorting by the bunch, wild yeasts in...

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...
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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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