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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.
Bec Hardy Garden Series Shiraz

Bec Hardy Garden Series Shiraz 2024

One of the two vineyards in McLaren Vale which provides the fruit for this terrific Shiraz is the Lower Tintara...
Bec Hardy Garden Series Cab Sauv

Bec Hardy Garden Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2024

A warmer climate style of Cabernet, chock full of flavour and representing cracking value, the fruit for this wine hails...
Bec Hardy Lot Chardonnay

Bec Hardy Lot 94 BSR Chardonnay 2024

BSR refers to Blewitt Springs Road in McLaren Vale, the home of the vineyards for this fine, full-flavoured style of...

Hastwell & Lightfoot Tempranillo 2024

The Tempranillo vines from the McLaren Vale vineyard providing the fruit for this great value wine may be some of...

Hastwell & Lightfoot Barbara Rosé 2024

A delicious McLaren Vale Rosé from the famed Italian variety, Barbera, the colour here is a pleasing deep orange pink....
Wills Domain Mystic Spring Shiraz

Wills Domain Mystic Spring Shiraz 2023

A stunning value offering from Margaret River Shiraz, this spent nine months maturing in French oak. An opaque magenta, we...
Wills Domain Eightfold Chardonnay

Wills Domain Eightfold Chardonnay 2024

A fine Margaret River Chardonnay, which comes from a pair of local vineyards, Allan Rock and Wylco, with a dollop...
Wills Domain Eightfold Shiraz

Wills Domain Eightfold Shiraz 2022

A finely crafted Margaret River Shiraz which still has its best ahead of it. From the estate’s Block 6, it...
Wills Domain Paladin Hill Chardonnay

Wills Domain Paladin Hill Chardonnay 2024

A step up here, to a superb Margaret River Chardy which can sit among the regional stars. More than half...
Wills Domain Paladin Hill Shiraz

Wills Domain Paladin Hill Shiraz 2022

The team source fruit for their prestige Shiraz from Block 5 on the estate. It spends time maturing in French...
Wills Domain Eightfold Cab Sav

Wills Domain Eightfold Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

The great red grape of Margaret River is in the mood to impress here. Sourced predominantly from Yallingup Estate and...
Wills Domain Paladin Hill Matrix

Wills Domain Paladin Hill Matrix 2022

A regional star Cabernet, but there can be a dollop of Petit Verdot in some vintages. The wine spends a...
Cab Sauvignon

Watkins Cellar Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Langhorne Creek 2018

From my favourite underrated red region, Langhorne Creek, meaning we can expect flavour and value. This wine delivers both. From...
Shiraz

Watkins Cellar Reserve Shiraz Langhorne Creek 2017

From Langhorne Creek, amazing to see a really good wine which has been in the cellar for several years longer...
RB CAB SAUV V NV

Risky Business Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

Margaret River Cabernet for this price is either going to be one of the great bargains of the year or...
RISKY STG V

Risky Business Margaret River/Frankland River Shiraz Tempranillo Grenache 2023

European wine purists would have a fit looking at this wine. Their loss. Not only is it a rather uncommon...
RISKY TEMPRANILLO V NV

Risky Business Frankland River Tempranillo 2023

Tempranillo continues to gain a foothold in wine regions across Australia, and deservedly so. This example, from the Frankland River...
Usual Suspects Vickery Eden Valley Mason Woodcarvers Vineyard Riesling

Vickery The Reserve Watervale Riesling 2022

Stunning stuff from the team which has picked up the baton from our greatest Riesling producer, John Vickery. From the...
Hesketh Rules of Engagement Pinot Grigio Media

Hesketh Wines Rules of Engagement Pinot Grigio 2024

The fruit here is sourced from Wrattonbully, part of the Limestone Coast. The team’s intention is to get this in...
Hesketh Unfinished Business Pinot Noir Media

Hesketh Wines Unfinished Business Pinot Noir 2023

Pinot lovers are a curious lot. They’d often be much happier paying $50 or $100 for a bottle, or in...
Hesketh Bright Young Things Sauvignon Blanc Low

Hesketh Wines Bright Young Things Sauvignon Blanc 2024

From the Mount Gambier region, fermentation is in stainless steel and the wine is bottled early so the flavours and...
Hesketh Lost Weekend Chardonnay Media ()

Hesketh Wines Lost Weekend Chardonnay 2024

Sourced from vineyards scattered across the Limestone Coast region, fermentation was in stainless steel, while 20% spent four months maturing...
Hesketh Wild at Heart Rose Low

Hesketh Wines Wild at Heart Rosé 2024

There is good value to be had across this entire range of Hesketh Limestone Coast wines but perhaps none better...
Dangerous Type Merlot HIgh Res

Hesketh Wines Dangerous Type Merlot 2022

The fruit here was harvested from vineyards in the southern parts of Coonawarra, which enjoyed a superb vintage in 2022....

Stories

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...
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...
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