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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.
Altus Chardonnay

Ulithorne Altus Chardonnay 2021

This finely crafted Chardonnay has been sourced from a single vineyard in the Adelaide Hills with fermentation in stainless steel...
Schoolhouse Shiraz

Schoolhouse Shiraz 2020

Coonawarra Shiraz, the wine sees extended skin contact, before being pressed into a mix of French and American oak hogsheads,...
Schoolhouse Cab

Schoolhouse Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Near black in colour, so black it seems blue, the fruit for this fine Coonawarra Cabernet has been sourced from...
Empyrean Cabernet

Reschke Empyrean Cabernet 2016

For those whose Latin is not up to scratch, Empyrean means the highest sphere in which the purist elements of...
Staff Chardonnay NV

HaselGrove Staff Chardonnay Adelaide Hills 2023

The fruit here was pressed into a combination of new (30%), and older (70%), French oak hogsheads and puncheons, followed...
MMIRTR NV Website Bottle Shot

Mezzacorona Maso di Mezzo Teroldego 2021

The Italian red variety, Teroldego, may not be a household name in Australian drinking circles just yet, but for those...
FASWHP NV Website Bottle Shot

Hekate Passito 2019

Named after Hekate, a Greek goddess who was the guardian of youth (no wonder I’d never heard of her). She...
MMCHXX NV Website Bottle Shot

Mezzacorona Maso di Mezzo Chardonnay 2022

All the world loves Chardonnay, or it should. And all the world grows and makes Chardonnay, or at least it...
CDROLD NV Website Bottle Shot

Les Dauphins Côtes du Rhône Rosé 2023

A Côtes du Rhône Rosé which is bronze/pink in colour. Lots of lifted aromas here with raspberries and spices to...
MONGSL NV Website Bottle Shot

Mottura Negroamaro Salento IGT 2022

Negroamaro continues to attract (favourable) attention in Australia and examples hailing from its home can only assist, especially when they...
CFIRTR NV Website Bottle Shot

Firman Teroldego Rotalian Riserva 2019

A serious example of this Italian red from the Trentino Alto Adige region, Teroldego Rotaliano received DOC status way back...
FAIRRR NV Website Bottle Shot

Feudo Arancio Riserva 2019

This is the team’s pointy end Nero d’Avola with grapes from two of their Sicilian estates. 30% of the wine...
QUIWGR NV Website Bottle Shot

Feudo Arancio Queto Pinot Grigio 2021

An organic Pinot Grigio from the Sambuca di Sicilia estate in the province of Agrigento on the island of Sicily....
QUIWGR NV Website Bottle Shot

Feudo Arancio Queto Grillo 2021

Organic Grillo from Sicily, a controlled fermentation for ten days in stainless steel tanks, followed by five days resting on...
QUIRNA NV Website Bottle Shot

Feudo Arancio Queto Nero d’Avola 2021

From Sicily, this is their organic Nero (wines under their Queto label are organic). These grapes are grown 300 metres...
hollick coonawarra shiraz nv

Hollick Shiraz 2021

Sourced from the estate’s 1975 plantings, the team like to give the wine twelve months of maturation, with 15% of...
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Hollick Ravenswood Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Ravenswood Lane will take you from the estate’s Neilson’s Block Vineyard to their Wilgha Vineyard, the two vineyards contributing to...
HOLLICK OLD VINES CAB SAV RGB MASKED

Hollick Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

The fruit is sourced from a combination of their Wilgha and Neilson’s Block Vineyards in Coonawarra, which are located at...
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Hollick Wilgha Shiraz 2019

The team use the best Shiraz from their Wilgha Vineyard in Coonawarra for this, their prestige Shiraz, which then spends...
Midnight Rainbow

Dandelion Vineyards Midnight Rainbow of McLaren Vale Petite Sirah 2021

A guess but this might be the most expensive Petit Sirah (or Syrah) made in this country. That would put...
RB CAB SAUV V NV

Risky Business Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Something a little more conventional from the team, Margaret River Cabernet. Seriously good value drinking here. The colour is a...
RISKY MALBEC V

Risky Business Malbec 2021

Margaret River Malbec continues the theme from this winery, taking us down unfamiliar roads. A well named winery, but one...
RISKY STG V

Risky Business Shiraz Tempranillo Grenache 2022

From the Margaret River region, this is a Spanish/French version of the famous Rhône blend with Tempranillo taking the place...
RISKY TEMPRANILLO V NV

Risky Business Tempranillo 2022

Frankland River Tempranillo may not be an obvious choice, but this wine suggests that it is a combination worthy of...

Stories

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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...

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...

Duval on Grenache

The name, Duval, is and always will be inextricably linked with Grange. John Duval was chief winemaker at Penfold’s from...
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