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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.
shiraz nv

Holm Oak Shiraz 2023

The cooler year here added to the elegance and spiciness found in this wine. 10% whole bunches were incorporated into...
NV Chardonnay Protege

Holm Oak The Protégé Chardonnay 2025

This is the first Protégé Chardonnay made by the team since 2022. It is an unwooded style of Chardonnay, which...
wizard chardonnay nv

Holm Oak The Wizard Chardonnay 2024

2024 was an excellent vintage in Tasmania, certainly warmer than the preceding year. The juice underwent a wild fermentation in...
wizard pinot noir nv

Holm Oak The Wizard Pinot Noir 2023

From the cooler 2023 vintage, a range of clones were used to increase the complexity. 30% whole bunches are included...
riesling NV

Holm Oak Riesling 2025

The vineyard at the team’s estate in the Tamar Valley, which was used to provide the fruit for this Riesling,...
rosé nv

Holm Oak Rosé 2025

Rosé from Pinot Noir, 80% of the grapes were destemmed and cold soaked for a day and a half, prior...
vin sol suavis gsm

Vin Sol Suavis GSM 2024

This Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre blend from McLaren Vale is a deep maroon with a crimson rim. The nose gives us...
NV Saint Nic GSM

Geoff Merrill Saint Nic GSM 2022

A McLaren Vale version of this famous blend, the split is 56% Grenache, 28% Shiraz and 16% Mourvèdre. The wine...
gm bush vine sgm nv

Geoff Merrill Bush Vine SGM 2019

Another version of this blend, this time with Shiraz dominant. The wine spends almost two years in a mix of...
gm gw cabernet sauvignon nv

Geoff Merrill G&W Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

This wine is a blend of fruit from Coonawarra and McLaren Vale. The “G” is for the Graymoor Vineyard in...
gm reserve cabernet sauvignon

Geoff Merrill Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Not many wineries can offer its fans wines that are almost a decade in age, at a price more than...
Eddystone Point Pinot Noir

Eddystone Point Pinot Noir 2024

This delicious Tasmanian Pinot Noir spent time maturing in quality French oak. The colour is a vibrant crimson. This is...
Eddystone Point Chardonnay

Eddystone Point Chardonnay 2024

From a range of Tasmanian sub-regions, including Coal River Valley, Derwent Valley and the East Coast, fermentation was in oak...
Eddystone Point Pinot Gris

Eddystone Point Pinot Gris 2024

Pinot Gris from the excellent 2024 vintage across Tasmania, this comes, more specifically, from the Derwent Valley sub-region. Fermentation was...
Eddystone Point Sauv Blanc

Eddystone Point Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Tasmanian Sauvignon Blanc which combines some lovely tropical notes with the more traditional herbal characters. A glimmering lemon hue, this...
Fiano

Crabtree Fiano 2025

The Italian white grape, Fiano, continues to grow in popularity and deservedly so. This example from the Watervale subregion in...
Semillon

Crabtree Semillon 2025

Clare Valley Semillon is not a particularly common style, but it works well here. Maturation was in large format oak....
RC Riesling

Crabtree RC Riesling 2025

Only made in the very best vintages, the fruit is from their Cellar Door block on the estate, in the...
Estate Riesling

Crabtree Estate Riesling 2025

The grapes for this Watervale Riesling are from vines between 23 and 47 years of age. The colour here is...
Miceli Iolanda Pinot Grigio

Miceli Iolanda Pinot Grigio 2023

Named after the family’s youngest daughter, this is a fine Pinot Grigio from the Mornington Peninsula. Winemaking includes the use...
Knappstein bottle shots

Knappstein Shiraz 2023

An absolutely cracking Clare Valley Shiraz here, the fruit is from estate vineyards in the north of the Valley. The...
Knappstein bottle shots

Knappstein Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

From estate vineyards in the northern reaches of the Clare Valley, the vines are in excess of thirty years in...
Knappstein bottle shots

Knappstein 1878 Transcendence Clare Riesling 2025

Wonderful to see producers treating Riesling with the reverence and seriousness that we see with almost every other variety. It...
Knappstein bottle shots

Knappstein Clare Valley Riesling 2025

The fruit for this fine Riesling comes from a range of vineyards across the Clare Valley, all estate. Yet another...

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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