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.
The Patroness Chardonnay

Corryton Burge The Patroness Chardonnay 2022

This Adelaide Hills Chardonnay sees a mix of new and older oak, with batonnage, to ensure as much texture and...
NEW Corryton Barossa Shiraz NonVin

Corryton Burge Barossa Shiraz 2021

Barossa Shiraz from a cracking vintage at this price… what is not to love? A real mix of oak here...
NEW Corryton Barossa Grenache NonVin

Corryton Burge Barossa Grenache 2023

This is a seriously good value Barossa Grenache. Deep magenta hue, the nose gives gentle aromas, notably raspberries and strawberries,...
NEW Corryton Adelaide Hills Pinot Gris NonVin

Corryton Burge Adelaide Hills Pinot Gris 2023

The wine receives a lick of time in old French barriques to enhance the complexity, texture, and interest. It helps...
NEW Corryton Eden Valley Riesling NonVin

Corryton Burge Eden Valley Riesling 2023

The fruit for this excellent Eden Valley Riesling comes from the family’s homestead vineyards and the century-old Nitschke vineyard. The...
Organic Cab Sav

Vinifera Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

The team like to use multiple sources of oak for their Cabernet, both French and American. Dark maroon colour for...
Madeleine

Vinifera Sparkling Madeleine Mudgee 2023

Sparkling wine from Mudgee is not a commonly encountered category and this example is from organically grown Chardonnay. The colour...
Thompson Estate Chardonnay

Thompson Estate Chardonnay 2023

An absolutely cracking Marg River Chardonnay, which has spent time in a mix of French oak barrels, both new and...
Thompson Estate The Specialist Chardonnay

Thompson Estate The Specialist Chardonnay 2022

This is the team’s prestige Chardonnay. Being Margaret River, that means much is expected. And much delivered. Their best fruit...

Thompson Estate The Specialist Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

The estate’s prestige Cabernet, only 3,075 bottles made. Crimson/red hue, the nose gives us an earthy complexity, even at this...
Thompson Estate Cab Sauv

Thompson Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Now we have a step up, as one would expect. Deep crimson colour with aromas of cherries and a mix...
Wine Unplugged Pacha Mama Pinot Gris

Pacha Mama Pinot Gris 2023

From northeast Victoria, the King and Alpine Valleys, the wine saw a few hours skin contact which allowed it to...
Wine Unplugged Pacha Mama Chardonnay

Pacha Mama Chardonnay 2023

A very smart Yarra Valley Chardonnay here, whole bunch pressing followed by 12 hours settling. A wild ferment in puncheons...
Wine Unplugged Pacha Mama Pinot Noir

Pacha Mama Pinot Noir 2023

A fresh and vibrant Pinot from the Upper Yarra Valley, specfifically the Full Moon Vineyard which was planted in 2001....
Altus Rise Ascension Cabernet Sauvignon

Altus/Rise Ascension Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Margaret River Cabernet goes from strength to strength, this is yet another very fine example and one which is very...
Twisted Trunk Shiraz

Glen Eldon Twisted Trunk Shiraz 2021

The grapes here come from ancient, and yes twisted, vines, originally planted in 1865. The wine makes a compelling argument...
Altus Rise Ascension Chardonnay

Altus/Rise Ascension Chardonnay 2023

A fine Chardonnay from the Margaret River, from an excellent vintage (which seems compulsory for the region). The fruit saw...
lilpr

Precious Little Marananga Shiraz 2021

The grapes for this wine come from a section of a single vineyard in the Marananga sub-region of the Barossa,...
pr ries

Precious Little Clare Valley Riesling 2023

From the Auburn sub-region in the Clare Valley, off twenty-five year old vines, with a long and cool ferment in...
Alkoomi Icon Jarrah Shiraz

Alkoomi Jarrah Shiraz 2018

The wine enjoys extended skin contact before a year and a half maturing in French oak barrels, and subsequently resting...
Alkoomi Icon Blackbutt Cabernet Sauv

Alkoomi Blackbutt Cabernet Malbec 2018

A blend of both Cabernets, Sauvignon (50%) and Franc (25%), with Malbec (25%) in its usual role as a cameo...
Alkoomi Collection Malbec

Alkoomi Malbec 2021

Always interesting to encounter a straight varietal Malbec, this one spends a year maturing in new French oak. Dark maroon...
Alkoomi Collection Cab Sauv

Alkoomi Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

The wine spent fourteen months maturing in new French oak. A crimson/maroon hue, the nose gives us dark berries, leather,...
Alkoomi Icon Wandoo Semillon

Alkoomi Wandoo 2017

Semillon from Frankland River but made as an iconic style and a very different beast to what we see from...

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