Avatar photo

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.
Bimbadgen Growers Chardonnay

Bimbadgen Estate B Growers Chardonnay 2022

This attractive Upper Hunter Valley Chardonnay saw fermentation in oak barriques, before ten months maturation on lees. The oak was...
Bimbadgen Growers Semillon

Bimbadgen Estate B Growers Semillon 2024

It will come as a surprise to no one that the Semillon in the Growers range comes from the Hunter...
Bimbadgen Growers Pinot Gris

Bimbadgen Estate B Growers Pinot Gris 2024

The Growers Range represents the best fruit sourced from various locations, mostly the Hunter Valley, but not for all of...
Alter Shiraz

Bimbadgen Estate Alter Shiraz Pinot Noir 2022

Interesting to see that blending these two varieties is becoming more and more popular. It worked many years ago and...
La Luna Shiraz

Bimbadgen Estate La Luna Shiraz 2021

Hunter Valley Shiraz designed to offer immediate gratification, though it will certainly handle a few years in the cellar. It...
Bimbadgen Limited Release Sangiovese

Bimbadgen Estate Limited Release Sangiovese 2023

Sangiovese from the Lovedale sub-region in the Lower Hunter, this is under cork. Maturation was in old French oak. Crimson...
First Terrain Shiraz

Bimbadgen Estate First Terrain Shiraz 2021

From McLaren Vale fruit, the wine enjoyed a ten day ferment, before fourteen months maturing in French oak barriques. Wonderful...
La Luna Pinot Gris

Bimbadgen Estate La Luna Pinot Gris 2022

Hunter Valley Pinot Gris here, with fermentation in stainless steel. The result is a thoroughly enjoyable wine to drink without...
Bimbadgen NV Cuvee

Bimbadgen Estate Hunter Valley Cuvée NV

A sparkler dominated by Semillon with some Chardonnay in support, a 65/35 blend, the fruit all hails from the Upper...
Bimbadgen NV Sparkling Semillon

Bimbadgen Estate Sparkling NV

A non-vintage sparkler made from Semillon, harvested from both the Upper and Lower Hunter Valleys. For the colour, imagine a...
Ghostgum Chardonnay Halliday

Ghost Gum Southern Lights Chardonnay 2023

The third release of the Ghost Gum wines from Mornington Peninsula, more specifically the legendary Main Ridge sub-region, and great...
Ghostgum Pinot Noir Halliday

Ghost Gum Southern Lights Pinot Noir 2023

Pinot Noir from the Mornington Peninsula is one of this country’s most exciting styles of red. Three blocks combined to...
Auld Family Wines Family Series Pinot Gris ()

Auld Family Wines Eden Valley Pinot Gris 2025

Their second release of this wine, it is fresh and certainly youthful. The colour here is close to water, tints...
Black Magic Women NV x

Claymore Black Magic Woman Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Dry grown vines provided the fruit for this classic Clare Cabernet, which spent two years maturing in French oak. From...
Wynns Single Vineyard Limited Edition CabFranc Coonawarra AUS FB SC

Wynns Cabernet Franc 2024

This is the first time we have seen a straight Cabernet Franc from Wynns and it is a cracker, suggesting...
Four Chambers Cabernet

Thompson Estate Four Chambers Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

The name comes from a nod to the history of cardiology with the founding family. As with all wines from...
Thompson Estate Cab Sauv

Thompson Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

The full array of the glories of Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon are on display here – take advantage. The colour...
Thompson Estate The Specialist Cab Sauv

Thompson Estate The Specialist Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

A stellar Margaret River Cabernet. 3,075 bottles. Dark cherry red with a maroon rim. The immediate impression here is of...
Thompson Estate The Specialist Chardonnay

Thompson Estate The Specialist Chardonnay 2024

Those who have not encountered this wine previously need to rectify that as soon as possible, especially if they are...
Thompson Estate Chardonnay

Thompson Estate Chardonnay 2024

Margaret River Chardonnay is one of this country’s great wine styles. These guys are relative newcomers to the pointy end...
Hobbs Gregor Shiraz

Hobbs Gregor Barossa Ranges Shiraz 2023

Always an intriguing style with Barossa Ranges Shiraz semi-dried in the manner we see in certain Italian regions, known as...
Hobbs Shiraz

Hobbs 1905 Barossa Ranges Shiraz 2023

Barossa Shiraz from a block planted back in 1905, this is fermented in 500-litre vats with wild yeasts, before two...
Head The Brunette

Head The Brunette Shiraz 2023

For grapes to make the cut for this wine, they must come from vineyards which outperform every year and which...
Head Red Shrz

Head Red Shiraz 2023

The barrels used here were largely ex-Chardonnay, which is an interesting twist. The vineyards which provided the fruit – there...

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...
winepilot