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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.
BelongingToTheHillsShiraz NV

Pertaringa Belonging to the Hills Shiraz 2024

The releases here, both Pertaringa and other, across several vintages, are as good as any I can recall from this...
Understudy Cabernet Sauvignon ()

Pertaringa Understudy Cabernet Sauvignon 2024

This is fabulous value for a warm climate Cabernet. The fruit is sourced from three vineyards – the Picnic Ground...
Bec Hardy Lot Tempranillo

Bec Hardy Lot 94 BSR Tempranillo 2024

BSR stands for Blewett Springs Road, Blewitt Springs normally being the sub-region in McLaren Vale which is a little cooler...
Hobbs Tin Lids Shiraz Aria Secca

Hobbs of Barossa Tin Lids Aria Secca Shiraz 2024

This wine is made as an Amaronesque Shiraz from the Barossa, which is rather intriguing. Amarone is one of those...
Thompson Estate Chardonnay

Thompson Estate Margaret River Chardonnay 2025

A fine Margaret River Chardonnay which underwent fermentation in a mix of new and older French oak barriques. Maturation is...
Thompson SSB()

Thompson Estate Margaret River SSB 2025

This is a quality white blend, the style they used to call ‘classic dry white’ (perhaps they still do in...
MB Field of Dreams Chard

Moss Brothers Field of Dreams Chardonnay 2025

Presumably the thinking here was that if you make it, they will come, although I know a few viticulturists who...
Moss Brothers Wild Garden Cab Sauv

Moss Brothers Wild Garden Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

Winelovers in Australia should be making certain that their cellars are jam packed with the wines from Margaret River from...
Marchand & Burch Mount Barker Chardonnay ()

Marchand & Burch Mount Barrow Chardonnay 2024

The Estate’s Mount Barrow vineyard is to be found at the eastern, higher altitude end of the Mount Barker sub-region....
Howard Park Flint Rock Pinot Noir

Howard Park Great Southern Flint Rock Pinot Noir 2025

West Australian Pinot Noir continues to impress, far beyond anything imaginable just a decade or two ago. The fruit for...
Howard Park Miamup Sauvignon Blanc Semillon

Howard Park Miamup Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2025

The Sauvignon Blanc which contributed to this blend was sourced from the southern reaches of Margaret River, as that is...
Howard Park Flint Rock Riesling

Howard Park Great Southern Flint Rock Riesling 2025

A cracking Riesling from the Great Southern region in Western Australia, which is also seriously good value. 2025 is proving...
hpchardonnay

Howard Park Miamup Chardonnay 2025

This is cracking value for an excellent Margaret River Chardonnay. From a selection of vineyards in the region, especially the...
Aylesbury Estate The Pater Series Chardonnay

Aylesbury Pater Series Chardonnay 2025

From the Ferguson Valley in Western Australia, the fruit is processed in small batches, whole bunch pressed and fermented. Maturation...
Cape Landing Single Vineyard Chardonnay

Cape Landing Blackwood Chardonnay 2025

This is a most impressive Chardonnay, albeit still very youthful, from Margaret River. Maturation was in French oak barriques, 37%...
Cape Landing Blackwood Syrah

Cape Landing Blackwood Syrah 2024

The team combined the same amount of whole bunch and destemmed fruit for fermentation, followed by maturation for ten months...
Cape Landing Blackwood Sauvignon Blanc

Cape Landing Blackwood Sauvignon Blanc 2025

This is definitely one of the most impressive Sauvignon Blancs to come across the tasting table this year. The fermentation...
Cape Landing Blackwood Cabernet Sauvignon

Cape Landing Blackwood Cabernet Sauvignon 2024

Margaret River Cabernet continues to astound winelovers around the globe, deservedly so. 2024 is a vintage coming into its own....
Cape Landing Single Vineyard Chardonnay

Cape Landing Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2025

A young and fresh Chardonnay from what is looking like another very good vintage in Margaret River. From a single...
CB Riesling NV pxpx

Cooper Burns Eden Valley Riesling 2024

The team here usually source the fruit for this wine from a single vineyard high in the Eden Valley. They...
CB Chardonnay NV pxpx

Cooper Burns Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2024

The subregion of Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills provides the fruit for this attractively flavoured Chardonnay. It is whole bunch...
MMIRTR NV Website Bottle Shot

Mezzacorona Maso di Mezzo Teroldego 2022

Teroldego Is an Italian red variety found usually in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol districts. Recent research suggests that in genetic terms,...

Highgate Barrel Selection Chardonnay 2023

From the Hunter Valley, this wine has experienced longer barrel ageing than the team usually provide. It basically means that...
SOTPVS NV Website Bottle Shot

La Sorda Vendimia Seleccionada 2023

There is an argument which suggests that wines develop in a style to match the local cuisine, obviously more so...

Stories

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...
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...
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