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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.
NV Moxie Sparkling Shiraz RRP $

Dowie Doole DD Moxie Sparkling Shiraz NV

Who doesn’t love a good spurgles (sparkling Shiraz for the younger brigade)? Apparently, quite a few people, but as they...
Banker Shiraz RRP $

Dowie Doole The Banker Shiraz 2019

From the Tatachilla sub-region in McLaren Vale, the colour here is an opaque maroon. A wine of concentration, power and...
Architect Cabernet Sauvignon RRP $

Dowie Doole The Architect Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

From the team’s estate vineyard at Blewitt Springs, one of the most highly regarded sub-regions of McLaren Vale, this hails...
DD Cabernet Sauvignon RRP $

Dowie Doole DD Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Warm climate Cabernet has a place, especially from such a superb vintage as this. The wine spent time, eighteen months,...
DD Shiraz RRP $

Dowie Doole DD Shiraz 2021

Wines like this leave no question that Shiraz is divinely suited to the McLaren Vale region. This is from the...
DD Shiraz Grenache RRP $

Dowie Doole DD Shiraz Grenache 2021

A blend of fruit from two estate vineyards in McLaren Vale, the split is Shiraz 82%, with Grenache making up...
G&T RRP $

Dowie Doole G&T Grenache Tempranillo 2022

Whilst a ‘G&T’ might conjure up thoughts of a different drink, here it stands for Grenache and Tempranillo. Sourced from...
Roseì RRP $

Dowie Doole DD Rosé 2023

Like many of the new wave of fine Rosé wines we are seeing from across the land, the benchmark here...
Chenin Blanc RRP $

Dowie Doole DD Chenin Blanc 2022

The team believes that the fruit for this wine came from the oldest Chenin Blanc vineyard in the country, part...
TheDorrienBankCabernetSauvignonBottle

Hewitson The Dorrien Bank Cabernet 2022

From a vineyard planted in 1996 that came into the Hewitson fold in 2019, after several years of serious vineyard...
MonopoleShirazBottle

Hewitson Monopole Shiraz 2021

A single vineyard wine, the Shiraz here has all been cultivated from a single Shiraz vine, located in the Old...
BarrelBottle

Hewitson 1853 Barrel 2021

The annual blending of the barrels (sounds like an Aussie version of the running with the bulls), the team select...
OldGardenMouvedreBottle

Hewitson Old Garden Vineyard Mourvèdre 2021

The world’s oldest Mourvèdre vines, planted in 1853 in the Old Garden Vineyard, provide us with something a bit special....
Bethany Wines JGS Shiraz

Bethany Barossa Shiraz JGS 2022

A fine Barossa Shiraz from one of the oldest and most respected producers in the region, with the added benefit...
Peos Four Kings Chardonnay

Peos Estate Four Kings Chardonnay 2023

A youthful but intensely flavoured style of Chardonnay. As ever, the quality of fruit shines through. This has a pale...
Peos Four Aces Chardonnay

Peos Estate Four Aces Chardonnay 2023

Wild fermentation was followed by nine months maturation in French oak. Very pale straw in colour, the nose yields minerals...
Peos Four Kings Pinot Noir

Peos Estate Four Kings Pinot Noir 2023

An attractive crimson hue, the nose offers a cornucopia of exactly what one looks for with good Pinot – undergrowth...
Peos Four Aces Pinot Noir

Peos Estate Four Aces Pinot Noir 2023

A step up in the Pinot stakes here. Deep garnet colour, the wine is simply redolent with cherries, dark cherries,...
Peos Four Kings Cab Sauv

Peos Estate Four Kings Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Western Australian Cabernet is hard to beat as a delicious and appealing style of red and this is a fine,...
Mayfield Chardonnay NV

Mayfield Chardonnay 1815 Orange 2023

A fine, taut, poised example of a fresh and ever-so-slightly lean Chardonnay from a high altitude vineyard in the Orange...
Mayfield MrsCrawford PinotNoir NV

Mayfield Mrs Crawford Orange Pinot Noir

The high altitude vineyards in the Orange region in New South Wales enable quality Pinot Noir to be grown. This...
Wynns BL OldVines Shz Coon FB AUS SC

Wynns Coonawarra Old Vines Shiraz 2022

The annual Wynns Day release, the 5th June this year, is always one of the most anticipated days on the...
Wynns V&A Shz Coon FB AUS SC

Wynns Coonawarra V&A Lane Shiraz 2022

This particular road (or lane, if you prefer) dates back to 1851. The vines used here are not quite so...
Wynns V&AL CabShz Coon FB AUS SC

Wynns Coonawarra V&A Lane Cabernet Shiraz 2022

The great Aussie red blend, Shiraz and Cabernet, has long played a role in the great wines from Wynns. Today,...

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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