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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.
Windowrie—PINH SB

Windowrie Pig in the House Sauvignon Blanc 2025

An organic Savvy from the Central Ranges in New South Wales, the colour is a gleaming pale lemon. Quite a...
Clare Valley Cabernet Malbec (NV)

Knappstein Cabernet Malbec 2023

A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Malbec, the fruit comes from estate vineyards in the north of the...
Clare Valley Malbec (NV)

Knappstein Malbec 2023

Always intriguing to see a solo varietal Malbec. It has long been used as a blending component in the Clare...
Enterprise Vineyard Cabernet (NV) transparent

Knappstein Enterprise Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

From an absolutely superb vintage for the region, this is a single vineyard Cabernet, the Enterprise Vineyard which was planted...
BW Semillon NV

Brokenwood Hunter Valley Semillon 2025

The Hunter Valley doesn’t always enjoy as many brilliant vintages as some other regions (I’m looking at you, Margaret River),...
The Feral Fox Pinot Noir PNG

D’Arenberg The Feral Fox Pinot Noir Adelaide Hills 2023

Local foxes have apparently developed a liking for Chester Osborn’s prized Pinot Noir grapes and so he gave them a...
The Biophilic Silurian Cinsault PNG

D’Arenberg The Biophilic Silurian Cinsault 2023

The extraordinary array of weird and wonderful names which Chester Osborn has bestowed on his wines at D’Arenberg is well...
BW Wade Block Vineyard Shiraz DV

Brokenwood Wade Block 2 McLaren Vale Shiraz 2023

From McLaren Vale, maturation of this fine Shiraz was in French oak puncheons, one-quarter of them new, for sixteen months....
BW Wondalma Vineyard Chardonnay NV

Brokenwood Wondalma Chardonnay Tumbarumba Chardonnay 2024

This Tumbarumba vineyard, the Wondalma Vineyard, was planted in 1992. A mix of two clones of Chardonnay, the fruit is...
BW ILR Reserve Semillon DV

Brokenwood ILR Reserve HV Semillon 2019

Named after their former long term winemaker and Hunter legend, Iain Riggs, this is Brokenwood’s prestige Semillon and, indeed, always...
Sebastian Shiraz LR

Brini Limited Release Sebastian Shiraz Single Vineyard McLaren Vale 2014

With more than a decade under its belt, this McLaren Vale single vineyard Shiraz is definitely worth exploring. The colour...
Christian Shiraz

Brini Christian Shiraz 2016

From a great vintage for the McLaren Vale region, the colour here is a dark, deep maroon. Notes of warm...
Christian Shiraz

Brini Christian Shiraz 2017

As with all of the Brini wines, this is estate grown on their Blewitt Springs vineyard in McLaren Vale. The...
Bond Road Chardonnay ()

Hollick Bond Road Chardonnay 2024

A most impressive Chardonnay from the Coonawarra region, fermentation was in French oak followed by a further six to eight...
Coonawarra Pinot Noir ()

Hollick Premium Coonawarra Pinot Noir 2024

For those who enjoy a little blind tasting fun with their wine loving friends, a Pinot Noir from Coonawarra might...
Coonawarra Sauvignon Blanc ()

Hollick Premium Coonawarra Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Plenty of life in this enjoyable Coonawarra Sauvignon Blanc, which is soft and approachable. It does remain a little more...
OLD VINES CAB SAV ()

Hollick Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

The fruit here is selected from vineyards at the cooler southern end of Coonawarra, which is where the Estate has...
Wrattonbully shiraz ()

Hollick Wrattonbully Shiraz 2022

The team’s Shiraz vineyard in Wrattonbully offers similar shallow terra rossa soils over limestone, as is found in Coonawarra. The...
Coonawarra Shiraz ()

Hollick Premium Coonawarra Shiraz 2022

A far more traditional style of Shiraz here, the colour is a blood red/maroon. On the nose, we have attractive...
The Gondolier Barbera

Hollick Pushing the Boundaries Barbera 2024

Good Barbera is a woefully underrated wine, and this is a good Barbera. The grapes come from the Estate’s Italian...
The Bard Shiraz

Hollick The Bard Shiraz 2022

Labelled as Limestone Coast, the fruit is actually a blend from both Wrattonbully and Coonawarra. Dark maroon with a russet...
IMG Edited

Hollick Premium Coonawarra Syrah 2023

Traditionally in Australia, the use of Syrah instead of the much more usual Shiraz on a label indicates a more...
MitchellPepper

Mitchell Peppertree Vineyard Clare Valley Shiraz 2019

A fine Clare Valley Shiraz which already has the benefit of half a dozen years development, quite amazing when one...
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Daosa Blanc de Blancs 2021

The 2021 vintage is proving to be a superb one in the Adelaide Hills for table wines, and it looks...

Stories

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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...
Penfolds Collection Credit Marten Ascenzo

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...

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...
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