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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.
Churchview Estate SOLI Cabernet Sauvignon

Churchview Soli Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

An attractive garnet maroon for this delicious and cracking value Margaret River Cabernet. The nose offers notes of graphite, black...
Churchview Estate St Johns LR CabBlend (CMPVM)

Churchview St John’s Limited Release Cabernet Malbec Petit Verdot Merlot 2021

A terrific version of the Bordeaux blend here. Crimson/cherry colour, the nose weaves through herbal notes, black cherries, cloves, coffee...
Churchview Estate St Johns LR Chenin Blanc Vintage Brut

Churchview Limited Release Sparkling 2022

Chenin Blanc seems to get far more respect in the West than it does in the rest of the country,...
Z Force

Zonte’s Footsteps Z Force Shiraz 2019

I have a vague recollection of a TV show from the earliest days of my existence which was either called...
Apple Betty Chardonnay

Zonte’s Footsteps Apple Betty Chardonnay Adelaide Hills 2022

Adelaide Hills Chardonnay from a cracking vintage and a top producer, what is not to like. One assumes that there...
Chocolate Mousseux

Zonte’s Footsteps Chocolate Mousseux Sparkling Shiraz NV

The name for this cracking sparkling Shiraz seems so obvious that it is amazing no one has used it before....
BH GardenSeries Shiraz

Bec Hardy Garden Series Shiraz 2023

An utterly delicious McLaren Vale Shiraz in a vibrant dark purple. The nose is full of notes of chocolate biscuits,...
BH GardenSeries CabSauv

Bec Hardy Garden Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

Enjoyable warm climate Cabernet from McLaren Vale. Dark maroon hue, this gives us notes of dried herbs, bay leaves, cold...
StageLeft MerlotNV

Pertaringa Stage Left Merlot 2023

For the Merlot fans amongst us, this wine is proving itself to be a most reliable offering, year after year....
TwoGentlemens GSMNV

Pertaringa Two Gentlemen’s GSM 2023

A delicious example of the famous Rhône blend done McLaren Vale style. Three parcels from different vineyards across McLaren Vale...
pk Twin Valleys Reserve Chardonnay mL

Twin Valleys Single Site Reserve Chardonnay 2023

The fruit for this wine has been sourced from a single site in Victoria’s King Valley. Attractively packaged, the wine...
Chardonnay

Cloudbreak Adelaide Hills Nouveau Chardonnay 2023

Adelaide Hills offers some cracking Chardonnay. This example is shining yellow, an elegant, leaner, lighter style with notes of lemon,...
Cloudbreak Sauvignon Blanc

Cloudbreak Adelaide Hills Nouveau Sauvignon Blanc 2023

An easy drinking style of Savvy from the Adelaide Hills, the colour is pale lemon/lime. There is weight, interest and...
Pinot Gris

Cloudbreak Adelaide Hills Nouveau Pinot Gris 2023

A fresh and rather refined style of Pinot Gris from the Adelaide Hills, there is a supple texture with notes...
Cloudbreak Pinot Noir

Cloudbreak Adelaide Hills Nouveau Pinot Noir 2023

Fresh and youthful Pinot from the Adelaide Hills for early drinking. This is a step up from a simple quaffer....
Syrah

Cloudbreak Adelaide Hills Nouveau Syrah 2023

Shiraz from the Adelaide Hills, or Syrah as it is often dubbed to differentiate it from the big, bold Barossa...
B Cloud Break Chardonnay

Cloudbreak Adelaide Hills Limited Release Chardonnay 2022

Love the stumpy bottles. Surely they’ll catch on, at least to an extent. The wine, from the Adelaide Hills, is...
B Cloud Break Pinot Noir

Cloudbreak Adelaide Hills Limited Release Pinot Noir 2022

Again with the stubby bottle – love them. Pinot Noir from the Adelaide Hills, with a 5% contribution of Gewürztraminer....
Penny's Hill The Agreement Sauvignon Blanc

Penny’s Hill The Agreement Sauvignon Blanc 2023

Adelaide Hills Savvy, this is near transparent in colour and a fresh, crisp and attractive example of one direction the...
Penny's Hill Malpas Road Merlot

Penny’s Hill Malpas Road Merlot 2022

McLaren Vale Merlot from the Malpas Road vineyard planted in 1991. The wine is a deep maroon hue, while the...
Penny's Hill Cracking Black Shiraz

Penny’s Hill Cracking Black Shiraz 2022

The wine spent fifteen months in French oak barrels before selection for the final blend. The colour a near black/purple,...
Penny's Hill Edwards Road Cabernet Sauvignon

Penny’s Hill Edwards Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

This is a single site Cabernet from McLaren Vale, planted in 1993. Ten days on skins, after pressing the fermentation...
HeritageSeries OVGren

Lou Miranda Estate 1917 Centenarian Old Vine Grenache 2023

There has been a veritable influx of cracking older vine Grenache from the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale in recent...
GoldenLionShirazBV btt

Lou Miranda Estate Golden Lion Shiraz 2020

Appealing Barossa Valley Shiraz, with a dark magenta/garnet hue. The nose exhibits notes of dry herbs, chocolate, warm earth and...

Stories

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...

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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