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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.
SF SV Mount Barker Pinot Noir

Singlefile Wines Single Vineyard Mt Barker Pinot Noir 2023

West Aussie Pinot continues to emerge into the mainstream, though it is yet to settle on any particular style –...
SF SV Mount Barker Fume Blanc

Singlefile Wines Single Vineyard Albany Fumé Blanc 2024

Adopting the name that the Mondavi team in California used so many years ago to distinguish worked, more complex examples...
SF LR The Pamela Riesling

Singlefile Wines The Pamela Porongurup Riesling 2023

The fruit here is from a single vineyard, the Misery Hill Vineyard, now 27 years of age and situated at...
SF LR The Philip Adrian Cabernet Sauvignon

Singlefile Wines The Philip Adrian Frankland River Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

From the Riversdale Vineyard in Frankland River, which was planted back in 1997, this is the team’s flagship. 100% Cabernet...
SWC Chardonnay NV

Slow Wine Co Chardonnay 2021

A taut and poised Chardonnay from the Orange region in New South Wales, this is deep gold in colour with...
First Ridge Barbera

First Ridge Barbera 2022

The team source their Barbera from the very highest parts of their Mudgee vineyards, at about 600 metres. After a...
Mayfield JontyMetOtto CabFranc NV

Mayfield Vineyard Jonty met Otto Cabernet Franc 2023

Straight Cab Franc is not something we see a lot of in Australia, but done well, and this one certainly...
First Ridge Fiano

First Ridge Fiano 2024

Fiano continues to make an impression – a good one – seemingly wherever it is grown in this country. An...
SWC Reserve PinotNoir NV

Slow Wine Co Reserve Pinot Noir 2021

A fine Pinot Noir from Orange, this is a pale ochre hue. The nose offers aromas of dried herbs, mushrooms,...
Mayfield ThreeBoys CabernetBlend NV

Mayfield Vineyard Three Boys Cabernet Blend 2023

A Cabernet Sauvignon dominant blend here (75%), supported by 15% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, from the Orange region. After...
Riposte Katana Chard NEW NV

Riposte The Katana Chardonnay 2023

Adelaide Hills Chardonnay, fermentation is usually in French oak barriques with a percentage new. A portion of the juice is...
Riposte Stiletto PG NEW NV

Riposte The Stiletto Pinot Gris 2024

From the Adelaide Hills, the team usually include some pressings here and ferment part of the free run juice in...
Riposte Scimitar Riesling NEW NV

Riposte The Scimitar Riesling 2024

A fine single vineyard from an excellent vintage in the Clare Valley. For those convinced that every year gets hyped...
shiraz viog

Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier 2023

Put simply, this is one of Australia’s greatest wines, year after year, and one of only a handful that can...
riesling

Clonakilla Riesling 2024

When the critics get excited about Aussie Riesling, they so often neglect the gems coming from the Canberra district. A...
o'riadashiraz

Clonakilla O’Riada Shiraz 2023

Cool climate Shiraz from the Canberra district, the wine is a tribute to an Irish hero, Sean O’Riada, a musician...
Cape Barren InFlight Cabernet

Cape Barren Inflight McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

A warm climate Cabernet with a good few years under its belt shows that this variety can do very well...
Cape Barren OldCoach Shiraz

Cape Barren Old Coach Road McLaren Vale Shiraz 2021

The fruit for this richly flavoured McLaren Vale Shiraz comes from a single vineyard, with vines in excess of 35...
Ulithorne Singularis Shiraz

Ulithorne Singularis McLaren Vale Shiraz 2019

The name sounds more like something that Captain Kirk might be talking about on Star Trek than a fine McLaren...
Reschke Merlot LC

Reschke Merlot 2024

An appealing Merlot from the Limestone Coast, there is a hint of oak here, but it is understated and well...
Schoolhouse BlockA Shiraz

Schoolhouse Block A2 Coonawarra Shiraz 2021

A very fine Shiraz from Coonawarra, from an excellent vintage, this is a near opaque maroon in colour. The nose...
MagareyLane CW Shiraz

Magarey Lane Coonawarra Shiraz 2022

From a single vineyard in Coonawarra, and a top vintage, the colour here is a near black hue. It is...
Cape Barren InFlight ShirazGren

Cape Barren Inflight McLaren Vale Shiraz Grenache 2022

From a superb McLaren Vale vintage, this blend is a cracker. An inky dark purple hue, the nose gives us...
WatervaleNV

O’Leary Walker Watervale Riesling 2024

From a pair of Clare Riesling masters, comes a masterful pair of Clare Rieslings. This Watervale Riesling is simply superb....

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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