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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.
BrownBrothers Patricia NV CabernetSauvignon mL

Brown Brothers Patricia Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

The King Valley in Victoria provides half of the fruit for this very fine Cabernet Sauvignon, Brown Brothers’ prestige release,...
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Brown Brothers Zero > 0.5% Sauvignon Blanc 2025

Savvy from northeast Victoria, following the latest trend of no or low alcohol. In this case under half a percent....
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Brown & Co Oak Aged Chardonnay 2024

A simple style of Chardonnay which is aimed at providing full flavour and as much enjoyment as they could cram...
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Moss Wood Autrement Pinot Noir 2025

Every year, one hears the same question. Why are they bothering with Pinot Noir in Margaret River? The answer is...
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Moss Wood Ribbon Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

 Cabernet Sauvignon this Margaret River wine from the Ribbon Vale Vineyard may be, but it is very much the traditional...
MOSS WOOD White Background Deep Etch RV Merlot ()

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale Merlot 2023

This Margaret River Merlot from the Ribbon Vale Vineyard also enjoys the presence of 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet...
Leconfield McLaren Vale Shiraz

Leconfield Shiraz 2023

Leconfield have ventured beyond their Coonawarra borders and source Shiraz in McLaren Vale from their own Farm Block. The fruit...
Leconfield Blanc de Blancs

Leconfield Sparkling Blanc de Blancs NV

A sparkler made from Coonawarra Chardonnay is not something we see all that often, but this one really works very...
Leconfield Chardonnay

Leconfield Chardonnay 2024

If the Coonawarra region wasn’t so successful for reds, there is every chance we might see more Chardonnay. The cooler...
Krondorf King's Mantle Shiraz

Krondorf King’s Mantle Shiraz 2022

Krondorf have released their icon Shiraz for the first time since 2019 (not sure why we skipped 2021 but no...
Krondorf Settlers Old Vine Shiraz

Krondorf 121 Settlers Shiraz 2022

This offering celebrates the founding of the eponymous village in 1947. The vines which provided the grapes for this wine...
Pertaringa TipsyHill SV Caberner Sauvignon

Bec Hardy Pertaringa Tipsy Hill Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

The fruit for this excellent McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon is from the Blewitt Springs sub-region. The name comes from a...
Pertaringa Rifle & Hunt Cab Sauvignon

Bec Hardy Pertaringa Rifle & Hunt Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

The team have not named this wine in honour of some Downton Abbey-like hunt where gentlemen in tweed slaughter the...
Pertaringa BelongingToTheHills GSM

Bec Hardy Pertaringa Belonging to the Hills GSM 2024

If one wished to compare the two GSM releases under the Pertaringa label, I think today it would be line...
Pertaringa Two Gentlemen GSM

Bec Hardy Pertaringa Two Gentlemen GSM 2024

McLaren Vale GSM, the blend is 48% Grenache from Blewett Springs, 29% Shiraz from the Howard Vineyard in McLaren Vale...
Pertaringa Stage Left Merlot

Bec Hardy Pertaringa Stage Left Merlot 2024

The name for this appealing Merlot has nothing to do with Shakespeare and being pursued by a bear, but rather...
Garden Series Pinot Noir

Bec Hardy Garden Series Adelaide Pinot Noir 2025

The fruit for this rather delicious, if possibly a little simple, Pinot Noir comes from a single vineyard called The...
Pertaringa BelongingToTheHills ReserveShiraz

Bec Hardy Belonging to the Hills Reserve Shiraz 2023

Serious McLaren Vale Shiraz here, maturation was for a year and a half in a combination of new and older...
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Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier 2024

If one may start with the bottom line, the only reason that this one didn’t get 100 points is because...
Parker Estate Terra Rossa Merlot NV Media

Parker Estate Terra Rossa Merlot 2024

From a single vineyard in Coonawarra, maturation was for a year in a mix of new oak (10%), with the...
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Parker Estate First Growth Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

One of Coonawarra’s iconic Cabernets, the fruit is sourced from the Estate’s Abbey Vineyard. Maturation was over a period of...
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Parker Estate SBW Shiraz Mataro Coonawarra/Barossa 2023

SBW does not refer to a well-known footballer, but rather to Small Batch Winemaking. A blend of Shiraz and Mataro,...
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Parker Estate Block 95 2023

Block 95 was actually sourced from the Estate’s Abbey Vineyard in Coonawarra. Vines were planted in 1995. The blend is...
Parker Estate Kidman Block NV Media

Parker Estate Kidman Block Shiraz 2023

Only 120 dozen of this thoroughly enjoyable Shiraz produced. Maturation was in French oak hogsheads for a period of sixteen...

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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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