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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.
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...
Parker First Growth NV Media Res

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...
Usual Suspects Parker Dichotomy Shiraz Mataro Media Res

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,...
Parker Block Media

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...
Parker Estate Terra Rossa Shiraz NV Media

Parker Estate Terra Rossa Shiraz 2024

Coonawarra Shiraz from the McLeod Rocky Block and the Kidman Old Block vineyards, the wine spent a year maturing in...
Parker Estate Terra Rossa Cabernet Franc NV Media

Parker Estate Terra Rossa Cabernet Franc 2025

This is a new release for the Parker Estate and an exciting one, as Cab Franc done well is a...
Gomersal Reserve Shiraz

Gomersal Wines Reserve Barossa Valley Shiraz 2022

From a fine vintage for the Barossa Valley, this wine sees the best part of two years in a combination...
GomersalRosevaleShirazNV

Gomersal Wines Rosevale Barossa Valley Shiraz 2022

Barossa Valley Shiraz from an excellent vintage, the name ‘Rosevale’ comes from the original home for the family, located in...
GomersalRieslingNV

Gomersal Wines Rosevale Clare Valley Riesling 2025

A fresh and youthful single vineyard Riesling from the Clare Valley, the wine exhibits a pale lemon hue with flecks...
Lange Estate Providence Road Riesling ()

Lange Estate Providence Road Frankland River Riesling 2025

Riesling from the ever-more exciting Frankland River region, the fermentation here was stopped with a hint of residual sweetness remaining,...
Ft Pinot Noir bottle shot

Austins 6ft6 Geelong Pinot Noir 2025

When Pinot Noir finally started to make a mark in this country, the aim of consumers was to find one...
Tapanappa Tiers M Vineyard Chardonnay

Tapanappa Tiers 1.5m Vineyard Chardonnay 2025

Brian Croser has noted the 2025 vintage as the warmest, driest and earliest in his career, a career which stretches...
Tapanappa Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay

Tapanappa Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay 2025

One Australia’s more famous Chardonnays and certainly one which influenced many wines which followed it. The vineyard was originally planted...
WISBPG NV Website Bottle Shot ()

Pig in the House Central Ranges Sauvignon Blanc 2025

The cooler climes of regions such as the Central Ranges in New South Wales have proved ideal for varieties such...
WISHEY NV Website Bottle Shot

PF Organic Shiraz 2024

Made under organic principles and preservative free, this Central Ranges Shiraz has much to recommend it. An opaque maroon colour,...
HESHXX NV Website Bottle Shot

Harewood Estate Shiraz 2022

Excellent value here for a very fine Shiraz from the Great Southern region in Western Australia, which already has several...

Stories

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There is surely no wine region in this country which has more elite wineries than Margaret River. The advantage for...
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...
PEN La Chapelle Grange winemakers barrels

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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