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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.
LeoneChardonnay btt

Lou Miranda Estate Leone Chardonnay 2022

Barossa Chardonnay from a Rowland Flat vineyard, planted back in 2005. Fermentation and maturation were both in a combination of...
FierceIII PinotGrigioBV btt

Lou Miranda Estate Fierce III Pinot Grigio 2023

The grapes used here hail from a 1.2 hectare vineyard at Rowland Flat in the south of the Barossa, with...
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Cerbaiona Santinovo 2020

The new management expanded the wines on offer from this stellar estate, including a straight Merlot (San Vito) and this...
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Cerbaiona Brunello di Montalcino 2019

Cerbaiona is a small operation in Brunello di Montalcino which has achieved legendary status in a short time, for any...
Longboard Shiraz

Longboard Bellbrae Estate Shiraz 2022

Shiraz from Geelong, the wine has seen the influence of French oak. A dark purple colour, the nose is full...
Longboard Pinot Noir

Longboard Bellbrae Estate Pinot Noir 2022

Geelong Pinot Noir has a strong fan base for obvious reasons. This wine has a pale, warm ochre hue, aromas...
Longboard Rose

Longboard Bellbrae Estate Rosé 2023

From Geelong, this has a lovely burnt orange sunset colour. We have notes of spices, raspberries and fresh florals. There...
Longboard Pinot Gris

Longboard Bellbrae Estate Pinot Gris 2022

From the Bendigo region, this is a pleasing style of Pinot Gris. Deep gold in colour, we have notes of...
Lange Providence Road Cab Sauv

Lange Estate Providence Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

From a combination of estate and grower fruit, this is a wonderfully appealing Frankland River Cabernet. The parcels were fermented...
Lange Travelling Stock Route Cab Sauv

Lange Estate TSR Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

An appealing Great Southern Cabernet (some Merlot in the blend?), which is a little more rural than others in the...
Lange Providence Road Shiraz

Lange Estate Providence Road Shiraz 2022

A very attractive Frankland River Shiraz, there is no restraining the spiciness of this wine. A ruby crimson colour, together...
Lange Providence Road Chardonnay

Lange Estate Providence Road Chardonnay 2023

Chardonnay from the Frankland River region in the West, this is from the famous Gin Gin clone from Block 7...
Lange Travelling Stock Route Shiraz

Lange Estate TSR Shiraz 2022

A range of parcels of top notch Shiraz from the Frankland River/Great Southern are fermented discretely, with the inclusion of...
Lange FifthGen Shiraz

Lange Estate Fifth Generation Shiraz 2022

There will always be differences, subtle or otherwise, between Shiraz from the famous South Aussie regions and those from the...
Sunrach Shiraz NV

Haselgrove Sunrach Shiraz 2021

Great vintage in McLaren Vale gives this wine an early advantage. ‘Sunrach’ is the Celtic word for special, quite apt,...
Stockmans Ridge Rider Pinot Gris

Stockman’s Ridge Rider Pinot Gris 2023

Fruit here is from a young (planted 2012) vineyard in the Orange region, but a highly regarded one, being one...
Stockmans Ridge Primrose

Stockman’s Ridge Primrose Rosé 2023

This delicious and impressive Rosé is from a single vineyard, 100% Shiraz, at the lofty altitude of 950 metres in...
Byron & Harold The Protocol Chardonnay

Byron & Harold Protocol Chardonnay 2023

A fine Margaret River Chardonnay with a flick of French oak adding nutmeg to the mix, ensuring complexity and a...
Byron & Harold The Partners Chardonnay

Byron & Harold The Partners Chardonnay 2023

Fascinating to see this Great Southern Chardonnay alongside its sibling from Margaret River. Yes, it is not a competition, but…...
Moss Brothers Fidium Chardonnay

Moss Brothers Fidium Chardonnay 2023

The cracking Chardonnays from Margaret River just seem to be part of an endless production line – a great thing...
JARDIN AROMES ROSE JCM

Jardin d’Aromes Rosé 2022

This classic Rosé from the south of France is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Jean-Claude Mas is...
Shiraz NV

O’Leary Walker Clare Shiraz 2021

This superb Clare Valley Shiraz, which has been racking up the bling as they say in the classics, was sourced...
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon RRP $

Dowie Doole Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

From the team’s estate in McLaren Vale, this exhibits a deep red hue. There are notes of warm earth and...
Reserve Shiraz

Dowie Doole The Reserve Shiraz 2018

Serious stuff here, the stars have aligned with top notch Shiraz from some of the better vineyards in McLaren Vale...

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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