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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.
Farm Hand Organic Pinot Grigio

Farm Hand Organic Pinot Grigio 2025

The fruit is sourced from the Grigoriou family’s vineyards in the Monash Valley in South Australia. Fermentation in stainless steel...
Farm Hand Organic Rose

Farm Hand Organic Rosé 2024

Also from the Grigoriou family vineyards in the Monash Valley, but we are not made privy to the grape varieties...
Adelaide Hills Chardonnay

Little Giant Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2024

As ever, the Little Giant range is in what I think of as squat bots. They might not be traditional...
Gamay Adelaide Hills

Little Giant Adelaide Hills Gamay 2024

Beyond me why on earth we do not see a great many more examples of Gamay – was it that...
Buttery Chardonnay Adelaide Hills

Little Giant Buttery Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2024

Love the name here. Nothing subtle at all. Just a good old-fashioned clarion call to the silent throngs who loved...
Coonawarra Cabernet

Little Giant Coonawarra Cabernet 2023

Cracking value Cabernet from Coonawarra here in this squat bot. Maturation is usually conducted in a mixture of stainless steel,...
Little Batch Barossa Montepulciano

Little Giant Little Batch Barossa Montepulciano 2024

Montepulciano is a variety that is gaining a foothold across vineyards around Australia and the Barossa seems to be presenting...
Little Batch McLaren Vale Shiraz Mataro

Little Giant Little Batch McLaren Vale Shiraz Mataro 2023

The fruit here is sourced from a vineyard in the foothills of McLaren Vale at Willunga. Maturation is for around...
Bimbadgen Growers Shiraz

Bimbadgen Estate B Growers Shiraz 2022

This fine Hunter Valley Shiraz is the latest addition to the Growers range. The fruit hails from both the Upper...
BW Old Vines Semillon NV

Brokenwood 1899 Old Vines Semillon 2023

This 1.7 hectare vineyard was, no surprise here, planted in 1899, and sits opposite the famous Oakey Creek Vineyard. A...
BW Hunter Valley Shiraz NV

Brokenwood Hunter Valley Shiraz 2023

Maturation for this typically fragrant and elegant Hunter Shiraz was in French oak, 25% new, with 25% puncheons. The grapes...
BW Mistress Block Vineyard Shiraz NV

Brokenwood Mistress Block Vineyard Hunter Valley Shiraz 2023

As someone who has woken up next to the Mistress Block, I can confirm that it is a beautiful site,...
BW Oakey Creek Vineyard Chardonnay DV

Brokenwood Oakey Creek Vineyard Chardonnay 2024

Just the third release of a Chardonnay from this vineyard, famous as one of the great Semillon vineyards in the...
BW Chardonnay NV

Brokenwood Chardonnay 2024

The majority of the fruit used in this wine hails from Beechworth, with further material from the Hunter and the...
St Hugo Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon

St Hugo Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

The St Hugo Coonawarra Cab has long been a star performer for the region. From a wonderful year like 2021,...
StHugo Barossa Shiraz

St Hugo Barossa Shiraz 2022

Barossa Shiraz from the wonderful 2022 vintage gives this wine a wonderful headstart. This is all about plushness, generosity and...
St Hugo Coonawarra Cabernet Shiraz

St Hugo Barossa/Coonawarra Cabernet Shiraz 2022

The famous Aussie red blend of Cabernet and Shiraz from the famous Aussie red regions of Barossa and Coonawarra, all...
StHugo Barossa GSM

St Hugo GSM 2024

As ever, the St Hugo range, which picks the eyes out of regions, varieties and blends, provides us with some...
The Kay Chardonnay

Pike & Joyce The Kay Reserve Chardonnay 2023

This is the ninth release of the P&J single site reserve Chardy. A portion of whole bunches are used and...
WJJ Pinot Noir

Pike & Joyce The WJJ Reserve Pinot Noir 2023

This reserve Pinot Noir from Lenswood in the Adelaide Hills is only released from the best vintages. Fermentation was with...
Vue du Nord Pinot Noir

Pike & Joyce Vue Du Nord Pinot Noir 2024

Pinot Noir from Lenswood in the Adelaide Hills has established itself as one of the more exciting offerings on the...
Sirocco Chardonnay

Pike & Joyce Sirocco Chardonnay 2024

Fermentation here was with native yeasts in French oak. A tiny amount was allowed to undergo malo, to add to...
Descente Sav Blanc

Pike & Joyce Descente Sauvignon Blanc 2024

The standard old Savvy has been given a lift with a touch of complexity by the inclusion of a small...
Ceder Riesling

Pike & Joyce Ceder Riesling 2024

Lenswood Riesling which spent four months on lees, the fruit here came from a vineyard at a lofty 600 metres...

Stories

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...
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...
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