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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.
Grenache Rose lowres

Hentley Farm Grenache RosΓ© 2026

Barossa Valley Grenache from the Seppeltsfield and Mount Crawford vineyards, which saw fermentation in older oak with wild yeasts, before...
NV The Old Legend Grenache compressed

Hentley Farm The Old Legend Grenache 2025

Barossa Grenache continues to prove itself incredibly versatile and wonderfully delicious. The fruit here came from the Seppeltsfield vineyard and...
NV BEAUTY NEW LABEL

Hentley Farm The Beauty Shiraz 2024

This Barossa Valley Shiraz from the excellent 2024 vintage came from a site on the eastern bank of Greenock Creek....
NV The Beast Shiraz

Hentley Farm The Beast Shiraz 2024

Β This is a bit special. Fully destemmed Shiraz from the Seppeltsfield Vineyard, fermentation was in French oak, 60% of it...
NV The Quintessential

Hentley Farm The Quintessential Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2024

An excellent example of the great Aussie red blend from the Barossa Valley, the split is 55% Shiraz and 45%...
Joshua Tree Riesling resized

Claymore Joshua Tree Clare Valley Riesling 2026

Clare Valley Riesling from a very fine vintage, this is excellent buying. A pale, shining lemon hue, the nose is...
Superstition Riesling

Claymore Superstition Reserve Watervale Riesling 2026

From a single vineyard in the Clare Valley, in the Watervale sub-region with vines of more than eighty years in...
Urban Hymns Riesling

Claymore Urban Hymns Reserve Riesling 2026

The fruit here is solely from the Gaelic Cemetery Vineyard in the Clare Valley. The team note that this wine...
Bec Hardy Lakeside Pinot Grigio

Bec Hardy Lakeside Pinot Grigio 202

The 2026 vintage throughout South Australia has been described as offering a long, warm, growing season with even ripening, with...
Bec Hardy BSR Lot Tempranillo

Bec Hardy Lot 94 BSR Tempranillo 2025

BSR stands for Blewitt Springs Road, with Blewitt Springs generally considered the most famous sub-region in McLaren Vale, due to...
Bec Hardy Scarecrow Sauvignon Blanc

Pertaringa Scarecrow Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2026

The wine is described as coming from the β€˜Adelaide’ region. In fact, 60% hails from the Battunga Vineyard in the...
Bec Hardy Rifle & Hunt Cabernet Sauvignon

Pertaringa Rifle and Hunt Cabernet Sauvignon 2025

Before anyone starts thinking that the name refers to some big game adventure in Africa, the true story is far...
Bec Hardy Yeoman Shiraz

Pertaringa Yeoman Shiraz 2024

A single vineyard Shiraz from McLaren Vale, the specific vineyard is the Leslie vineyard. The owners are unable to pinpoint...
Credaro Crowns Chardonnay

Credaro 1000 Crowns Chardonnay 2025

Margaret River Chardonnay from a single vineyard in the find Wilyabrup sub-region, this is from another thrilling vintage. The wine...
Credaro Crowns Syrah

Credaro 1000 Crowns Syrah 2025

A wonderful example of just how good Shiraz/Syrah can be in Margaret River, the fruit here is from the Kyella...
Credaro Crowns Cabernet Sauvignon

Credaro 1000 Crowns Cabernet Sauvignon 2024

A brilliant Margaret River Cabernet, which is largely from the Wilyabrup sub-region, maturation was for a year in French oak...
Jazz Rose nv lowres

Sorby Adams Jazz Eden Valley Pinot Noir RosΓ© 2026

Unlike true jazz, this wine is unlikely to divide its audience. Unlike true jazz, this is extremely appealing. Unlike true...
JELLIC~

Sorby Adams Jellicoe Eden Valley Riesling 2026

From the Craneford sub-region in Eden Valley, this is a pleasing Riesling, and one which augurs well for the vintage....
Gudilly Pecorino nv

Gudilly Pecorino 2026

To date, local examples of this intriguing variety have been very rare on the ground, but they have certainly piqued...
Gudilly GSM

Gudilly GSM 2026

A fine example of the famous Rhone blend, this is heavily dependent on Grenache, with 85% of the final wine...
DAOSA front

Daosa Picadilly Valley Blanc de Blancs 2022

The 12th release of this wine, it is 100% Chardonnay from the Bizot Vineyard in Piccadilly Valley. Under Diam. 2022...
DAOSA RosΓ©

Daosa Picadilly Valley RosΓ© 2023

Β A Piccadilly Valley sparkling RosΓ©, all estate fruit, this is 50% Meunier, 46% Pinot Noir and 4% Chardonnay. The closure...
Daosa Bl de Bl PRINT

Daosa Picadilly Valley Late Disgorged Blanc de Blancs 2018

Like it or not, many consumers will look at the price and tell themselves that this needs to be as...
thistledown fool on the hill grenache nv web ()

Thistledown Fool on the Hill Old Vine Eden Valley Grenache 2025

A confession. When I saw the name of this wine, I got a little bit excited. I thought it was...

Stories

James&Nat

Main Ridge Estate

Main Ridge Estate is a rather curious winery. Essential to the history of Mornington Peninsula and responsible for decades of...
winery door open bright x
There is surely no wine region in this country which has more elite wineries than Margaret River. The advantage for...
PEN NV SpeRel CabShiraz SouthAus Superblend B Duo Cork

Penfolds Superblend

Every Australian winelover will surely be aware of just how much Penfolds love to release special wines, whether they have...
PEN La Chapelle Grange winemakers barrels

La Chapelle Grange 2022

The second release of this extraordinary Rhone/Aussie blend, crafted by two of the world’s great wineries, Jaboulet and Penfolds, has...
AMW Collection

Appellation Marlborough Wine Announces 2025 Annual Collection

A benchmark selection of certified Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Appellation Marlborough Wine (AMW) has announced its highly anticipated Annual Collection for...
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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...
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