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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.
HECHXX NV Website Bottle Shot

Harewood Estate Chardonnay 2022

A fine Chardonnay from the Denmark sub-region in the Great Southern. Barrel fermentation takes place in a combination of new...
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Harewood Estate Pinot Noir 2023

The fruit here is sourced from a couple of vineyards, selected blocks, from the Denmark sub-region. The Harewood vineyard was...
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Harewood Estate Porongurup Riesling Museum Release 2014

Always a joy to encounter an aged Riesling like this one. Pale straw in colour, despite a decade under its...
HESSXX NV Website Bottle Shot

Harewood Estate Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2022

Only free run juice used here with this blend of 55% Sauvignon Blanc and 45% Semillon from the Denmark sub-region...
HESHRE NV Website Bottle Shot

Harewood Estate Shiraz Reserve 2022

Western Australia just continues to throw up superb Shiraz and this is a cracker. Inky opaque purple hue, this is...
Hare and the Tortoise Pinot Noir

Hare and the Tortoise Pinot Noir 2023

Pinot Noir from the Yarra Valley is an Aussie classic. The fruit here was destemmed and then fermented in open...
Wild Folk Natural Pinot Noir

Wild Folk Natural Pinot Noir 2023

Another Yarra Valley Pinot Noir which is very much along the natural lines – wild yeast fermentation, unfined, unfiltered, nothing...
Hare and the Tortoise Pinot Gris

Hare and the Tortoise Pinot Gris 2023

King Valley Pinot Gris, this has seen whole bunch pressing and fermentation in tank. Deep gold in colour, the nose...
Take it to the Grave Pinot Grigio

Take it to the Grave Pinot Grigio 2023

Pinot Grigio from the Adelaide Hills. The label is a JV which focuses on high altitude vineyards. Whole bunch pressing,...
No Evil Rosé

No Evil Rosé 2023

The aim here is to employ fruit from certified organic vineyards with minimal additions. In this case, the fruit is...
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Oakridge Henk Chardonnay 2022

Similar winemaking was employed here, as we saw with the Hazeldene – all of which gives wine lovers the opportunity...
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Oakridge Willowlake Chardonnay 2022

The Oakridge range of Vineyard Series Chardonnays (and Pinots, for that matter) should be on every wine lover’s radar. This...
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Oakridge Willowlake Pinot Noir 2022

The Willowlake Vineyard, which contributes to the Vineyard Series, is north facing and located on red volcanic soils at Gladysdale...
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Oakridge Hazeldene Pinot Noir 2022

As with the Chardonnays, uniform winemaking throughout the Series ensures that wine lovers can see the impact of terroir without...
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Oakridge Henk Pinot Noir 2022

As with all of the wines in the Vineyard Series, the skill of Dave Bicknell, one of this country’s rock...
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Oakridge Hazeldene Chardonnay 2022

Moving now to the Hazeldene Vineyard, a north-facing site in the Yarra, with the wine seeing whole bunch pressing into...
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Curtis Cavaliere McLaren Vale Shiraz 2021

A very fine McLaren Vale Shiraz from a superb vintage, drinking beautifully now but offering even more down the track....
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Curtis Ancestor McLaren Vale Shiraz 2021

From 80-year-old vines and McLaren Vale, the grapes were gently destemmed and cold soaked for two weeks, before fermentation and...
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Curtis Queen of Hearts Rosé NV

A thoroughly enjoyable Rosé with an appealing neon pink colour. This is fresh, floral, fragrant and fruity while aromas of...
MOSSWOOD White Elsa

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale Elsa 2023

This is a wine which takes us into a different realm of Sauvignon Blanc, with whole bunch pressing, fermentation in...
MOSSWOOD White Chardonnay

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale Chardonnay 2023

This is the third release of the Ribbon Vale Chardonnay, which hails from Wilyabrup, a cooler location than the MW...
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Moss Wood Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

The Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon is always one of Margaret River’s best and this latest release is no exception. From...
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Singlefile Vermentino 2023

From the Mt Barker sub-region, the grapes spent eight hours on skins and then a slow fermentation in tank. A...
SF GS Malbec

Singlefile Great Southern Malbec 2023

One quarter of the fruit here went into new Bordeaux oak barriques with the rest in a mix of two...

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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