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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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Alex Head The Contrarian Chardonnay Adelaide Hills 2025

Chardonnay from the Balhannah sub-region in the Adelaide Hills, Alex includes wines in his Contrarian Series when he has been...
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Alex Head Heart and Home Shiraz 2023

Fruit for this Shiraz, which also includes 9% Grenache, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Mataro, comes from some of the...
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Glaetzer Amon-Ra 2023

A classic old vine Shiraz from the Barossa Valley, specifically the Ebenezer sub-region, with the vines providing the fruit aged...
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Glaetzer Anaperenna 2023

A Barossa version of the classic Aussie red blend, 86% Shiraz and 14% Cabernet, the fruit came from the Ebenezer...
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Glaetzer Bishop 2023

Cracking Shiraz from the Ebenezer sub-region in the Barossa Valley, the vines which provided the fruit ranged in age between...
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Glaetzer Wallace 2023

An enticing Barossa Valley blend of Shiraz and Grenache, with an 84/16% split. From the Ebenezer sub-region, the Shiraz vines...
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Pikes The E.W.P. Shiraz 2023

This has been a go-to Clare Valley Shiraz for many years and this latest release will do nothing to dampen...
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Pikes The Hill Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

The Clare Valley is one of those regions that might be described as an all-rounder. Many of us automatically think...
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Pikes Il Premio Sangiovese 2024

The fifth release of this wine as part of their Reserve program, the name means, ‘the prize’, appropriately so. Sangiovese...
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Pikes Il Premio Sangiovese 2023

Always fascinating to be able to try the same wine from different vintages and Pikes have released both this and...
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Supercargo Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir 2025

A fresh and youthful Pinot Noir from the Adelaide Hills, which really stands out. Pale cherry red with a faded...
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Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge Syrah 2024

The same vineyard providing the fruit for a scintillating Riesling and a really superb Syrah/Shiraz – the French would have...
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Frankland Estate Olmo’s Reward 2023

The Estate’s flagship red, which they describe as a Bordeaux style blend, though the majority of the wine is Cabernet...
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Pepper Tree Wrattonbully Merlot 2022

Merlot from Wrattonbully has proved to be one of those under the radar varieties, just sneaking along and providing us...
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Pepper Tree Pinot Gris Wrattonbully 2025

A well-priced Pinot Gris from the Wrattonbully region, the colour is a lemon/straw with flecks of green throughout. The nose...
Pepper Tree Chardonnay Cool Climates

Pepper Tree Cool Climates Chardonnay 2024

The team described this is having fruit sourced from various cool climate regions, although we don’t know exactly which these...
Pepper Tree Limited Release Pinot Noir Orange OA

Pepper Tree Limited Release Orange Pinot Noir 2024

From Estate vineyards in the Orange region, this Pinot Noir has the benefit of fruit growing at a higher altitude,...
Pepper Tree Alternate Series Tempranillo Wrattonbully

Pepper Tree Alternative Series Wrattonbully Tempranillo 2023

Tell the Spanish that Tempranillo is an alternative variety and they would look at you as though you are insane....
Pepper Tree Cabernet Sauvignon Wrattonbully Coonawarra

Pepper Tree Wrattonbully and Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

The fruit here is sourced from the neighbouring Coonawarra and Wrattonbully regions, from an excellent vintage in both. The colour...
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Pepper Tree Cool Climates Shiraz 2022

Shiraz from cooler, but unidentified climes, this is a maroon/deep red hue. It exhibits notes of a dusty road, cranberries,...
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Pertaringa Belonging to the Hills GSM 2025

This might just be the most enjoyable version of this wine I’ve yet encountered. It is a cracker. The name...
NV Franca's Vineyard Tempranillo

Russell & Suitor Franca Tempranillo 2025

Spain’s most famous red variety is doing very nicely indeed, in Australia. This example is from the Riverland. Vibrant dark...
NV Franca's Vineyard Pinot Noir

Russell & Suitor Franca Pinot Noir 2025

Sourced from South Australian fruit and seeing a touch of French oak during production, this is a very pleasant and...
NV Franca's Vineyard Grenache

Russell & Suitor Franca Grenache 2025

South Australian Grenache, the team have operated on the basis of minimal intervention to allow the pure fruit flavours to...

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...
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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...
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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...
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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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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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