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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.
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Angove Angel’s Rise Vineyard Shiraz 2020

This vineyard is located high in the Clarendon sub-region of McLaren Vale, at 305 metres above sea level. The vines...
Warboys Shiraz PNG Med png

Angove Warboys Vineyard Shiraz 2020

From McLaren Vale, the Warboys Vineyard, which is just 55 metres above sea level and has Shiraz planted back early...
Pirathon Shiraz Silver No Vintage()

Pirathon Shiraz 2019

Now dubbed Silver Label, but still a great value, cracking and delicious Barossa red, from a range of sub-regions, that...
Credaro Kinship Chardonnay

Credaro Kinship Chardonnay 2023

The fruit here is sourced from a few different vineyards in Margaret River. Fermentation is with natural yeasts with no...
Credaro Crowns Chardonnay

Credaro 1000 Crowns Chardonnay 2023

The fruit for this exciting Marg River Chardonnay is sourced from two vineyards, including one in the region’s dress circle...
Barossa Cellar Shiraz

Barons of the Barossa Barossa Cellar Shiraz 2021

The Barons are a group of local Barossa legends, who have been nominated for inclusion. Yes, they do wander around...
Wild Folk Nouveau Pinot Noir

Wild Folk Nouveau Pinot Noir 2023

Pinot Noir from Wrattonbully, this is made very much in the natural wine mode. The intervention in vineyard and winery...
Wild Folk Nouveau Shiraz

Wild Folk Nouveau Shiraz 2023

Shiraz from the Padthaway region, it is intriguingly packaged and as the name possibly infers, the wine is from the...
Take it to the Grave Pinot Noir

Take it to the Grave Pinot Noir 2023

Great value Pinot, the ‘Take it to the Grave’ label is a collaboration between Nicholas Cramption from Fourth Wave and...
Winebasket Sangiovese

Winebasket Sangiovese 2023

Pick up one of these two-litre flagons, neatly presented with their covering, and one can imagine hiking up into the...
Maretti Langhe Rosso

Maretti Langhe Rosso 2021

From Piedmont, and a terrific vintage there, the wine is a blend of 75% Barbera and 25% Nebbiolo. Fermentation is...
Love not War Pinot Grigio

Love not War Pinot Grigio 2022

A somewhat curiously named label, but I guess, whatever works. The concept sees winemakers from around the world, united by...
Maretti Pinot Grigio

Maretti Pinot Grigio 2022

Pinot Grigio from the Friuli Grave region (Grave del Friuli), near Austria and Slovenia, the wine sees whole bunch pressing...
Maretti Langhe Nebbiolo

Maretti Langhe Nebbiolo 2021

From Piedmont, this is a delicious Nebb. The fruit is sourced from the commune of Castiglione Falletto. Open fermenters, daily...
Little Giant Barossa Shiraz

Little Giant Barossa Shiraz 2022

Love the squat bottles for the Little Giant range, although they may not fit all cellar wine racks (you’ll just...
Maurice Grumier Ô Ma Vallee Blanc de Noirs NV

Maurice Grumier Ô Ma Vallée Blanc de Noirs NV

From family estates in the Vallée de la Marne, the blend is dominated by Pinot Meunier, supported by Pinot Noir....
Paddington Lane Savoury Rosé No

Paddington Lane Savoury Rosé No 2 2023

The aim here is a savoury style of Rosé, coming from a blend of Sangiovese and Nebbiolo, which have been...
Maurice Grumier Blanc de Venteuil Blanc de Blancs NV

Maurice Grumier Blanc de Venteuil Blanc de Blancs NV

Made from 100% Chardonnay from vineyards in Venteuil, 60% of the wine is based on the wonderful 2018 vintage –...
Winebasket Nero d’Avola

Winebasket Nero d’Avola 2023

A fine example of this emerging Italian variety, Nero d’Avola, from McLaren Vale, niftily presented in this covered two-litre flagon....
Maretti Barolo

Maretti Barolo 2019

Good Barolo, and this is certainly a fine example, is a thing of beauty. This is cracking value as well....
Syrah HR

Gioiello Estate Syrah 2019

A wine with a dark maroon hue, the nose offers chocolate, spices, cassis, dry herbs, cold tea, aniseed and black...
Mt Concord Syrah HR

Gioiello Mt Concord Syrah 2019

The grapes here hail from the lower slopes of Mt Concord, around an elevation of 651 metres in the Yea...
Old House Merlot HR

Gioiello Old House Merlot 2019

Always encouraging to see a straight Merlot stand up and reveal just what the grape can do on its own,...
Wallcliffe Sauvignon Blanc

Cape Mentelle Wallcliffe Sauvignon Blanc 2022

Another fine vintage in Margaret River has provided us with an excellent release of this elite Savvy, with fruit sourced...

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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