Avatar photo

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.
RF RF Chardonnay

Singlefile Free Run Chardonnay 2023

From the Great Southern region in Western Australia, the fruit received a gentle destemming before pressing into 225-litre Burgundian barrels...
RF RF Pinot Noir

Singlefile Free Run Pinot Noir 2023

The fruit is sourced from two vineyards in the Great Southern region, one from Denmark and one from Mt Barker....
SF GS Tempranillo

Singlefile Tempranillo 2023

West Aussie Temp is not the most common of wines, but that does not mean it isn’t a delicious one....
SF Family Reserve Chardonnay

Singlefile Great Southern Family Reserve Chardonnay 2023

From the Denmark sub-region, this is all class. The fruit was whole bunch pressed for fermentation in French oak, one...
OTO Prosecco Crown Top Front

OTO Prosecco NV

An enthusiastic and exuberant style of Prosecco. The colour is a very pale lemon hue. The nose exhibits notes of...
MadameMBlanc&BlancBottle()

Hewitson Madame M Adelaide Blanc & Blanc 2023

An intriguing blend of Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains and Sauvignon Blanc, 77% and 23% respectively, from vineyards in the...
MissHarryGSMBottle()

Hewitson Miss Harry Barossa Valley GSM 2023

The blend here is 35% Grenache, 33% Shiraz and 32% Mourvedre from the Barossa. 48% of whole bunches are included...
NedHenrysShirazBottle

Hewitson Ned & Henry’s Barossa Valley Shiraz 2022

This has intentionally been made to ensure it drinks well when young, as well as into the future. That it...
UngraftedGrenache()

Hewitson Ungrafted Grenache Barossa Valley 2023

Ungrafted Grenache from the Barossa, under cork, this saw maturation in older French oak barrels. The vines providing the fruit...
Allegiance Wines The Artisan McLaren Vale Shiraz NV

Allegiance The Artisan McLaren Vale Shiraz 2023

Sourced from fruit grown in a vineyard situated in the Willunga Foothills, which was planted thirty years ago, the wine...
Allegiance Wines The Artisan Coonawarra Cab Sauv NV

Allegiance The Artisan Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

The vineyard providing the grapes for this fine Coonawarra Cab hail from a single vineyard, a block near the north...
FRU Rioja Reserva

Faustino Rivero Ulecia Reserva 2018

From vineyards in Rioja Alt awith an average elevation of 700 metres, this is definitely a high altitude wine. A...
FRU Rioja Blanco

Faustino Rivero Ulecia Blanco 2023

This blend of Viura, Tempranillo Blanco and Garnacha Blanca helps disprove the myth that Spain can’t make delicious whites that...
FRU Rioja Joven

Faustino Rivero Ulecia Joven 2023

This youthful, fresh and bright style of red is a blend of Tempranillo and Garnacha, most of it from the...
FRU Rioja Rosado

Faustino Rivero Ulecia Rosado 2023

This appealing Rosé, or Rosado as it is known in Spain, is from a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Viura....
FRU Rioja Crianza

Faustino Rivero Ulecia Crianza 2021

A blend of Tempranillo and Garnacha from high altitude vineyards, fermentation here is in stainless steel before maturation for a...
FRU Rioja Gran Reserva

Faustino Rivero Ulecia Gran Reserva 2016

Again, a blend of Tempranillo and Garnacha, this is the pinnacle of the Rioja range. The colour is a deep...

Epic Negociants Semaphore Shiraz McLaren Vale No 40 2018

The colour here is a dark garnet. There are still some vanillin oak notes evident on the nose, but integration...

Epic Negociants Shiraz Barossa/McLaren Vale Shiraz No 58 2018

Deep maroon, the nose shows us some of the best characters of both regions with chocolate, licorice, dry herbs, beef...

Epic Negociants Cabernet Sauvignon Gneissec Rock Margaret River No 33 2020

Garnet ruby in colour, this is an earthy, fleshy style. The nose exhibits notes of red fruits, tobacco leaves, graphite...

Epic Negociants The Apollonian Margaret River Chardonnay 2021

 The Apollonian theory in Greek mythology apparently brings together opposing gods and brothers, which ties in neatly with this wine,...
Leconfield Manor House Cabernet Sauvignon

Leconfield Manor House Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

One of the great joys of doing this is tasting a wine, scribbling the notes and then checking for a...
Castelli Estate Great Southern Shiraz

Castelli Shiraz 2020

A very impressive Frankland River Shiraz, which is cracking value. Maturation was in a mix of French oak barriques and...
Brightlands PNG png

Angove Brightlands Shiraz 2020

An embossed bottle comes boxed and numbered – mine was 10 of 1,140. This prestige Shiraz from McLaren Vale is...

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...
winepilot