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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.
Churchview Estate Limited Release Cabernet Malbec Merlot Petit Verdot

Churchview Limited Release Cabernet Malbec Merlot Petit Verdot 2022

A complex Bordeaux blend from Margaret River, deep mauve in hue, and with pronounced aromatics, this has a long and...
BW Pinot Gris DV (no region)

Brokenwood Pinot Gris 2024

Brokenwood has long sourced quality grapes from all around Australia, which is very wise when you hail from a region...
BW ILR Reserve Semillon DV

Brokenwood ILR Reserve Semillon 2018

Always one of the superstars of Hunter Valley Semillon, the ILR is never released without at least a good five...
BW IV Mendoza Chardonnay DV

Brokenwood IV-Mendoza Chardonnay 2023

For the first time since 2016, the team have considered the fruit here – their vineyard neighbours Giaconda in Beechworth,...
BW Wade Block Vineyard Shiraz DV

Brokenwood Wade Block 2 Vineyard Shiraz 2022

This is the 22nd release from the Wade Block 2, in McLaren Flat – not bad for a vineyard just...
BW Verona Vineyard Shiraz DV

Brokenwood Verona Vineyard Shiraz 2022

The Verona Vineyard in the Hunter was first planted back in 1968. It is located across the road from the...
hilltopsshiraz

Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz 2023

This is ridiculous value. If the limited supply, or the price, of their iconic Shiraz Viognier puts you off, but...
Parish Vineyards Riesling

Parish Vineyard Sorell Riesling 2024

Tassie Riesling can suffer from the same malady as that from New Zealand, a little too much fierce acidity. Fortunately,...
Parish Vineyards Pinot Gris

Parish Vineyard Pinot Gris 2024

A superb Pinot Gris from the Evandale region in Tasmania, the cooler climate has done wonders for this grape. The...
Parish Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc

Parish Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Sauvignon Blanc from a warmer part of Tasmania – the cooler regions might just make the variety a little too...
Riposte Dagger PN NEW NV

Riposte The Dagger Pinot Noir Adelaide Hills 2024

We have had scimitars, stilettos and katanas, even a cutlass. Now daggers and sabres. A fine Pinot Noir from the...
Riposte Sabre PN NEW NV

Riposte Sabre Pinot Noir 2023

This is the next step up from the team in their Pinotsphere, and while it is already drinking beautifully, putting...
Mumm US Sparkling Napa Prestige Cuvee HR

Mumm Napa Prestige Cuvée NV

We don’t see a lot of sparklers from the Napa Valley in California, which is rather a shame as there...
YL Chardonnay SD

Yarraloch Chardonnay 2021

If anyone ever lost track of just how good the Yarra Valley can be for Chardonnay, the wines from this...
YL Chardonnay SD

Yarraloch Stephanie’s Dream Chardonnay 2021

This is the team’s pointy end Chardy and deservedly so. A cracking wine. Pale lemon gold in colour, with hints...
Riesling Traditionale small file size

Pikes Traditionale Riesling 2024

If there is a more reliable wine, which can provide better value than this one, anywhere in Australia, please let...
The Merle Riesling small file size

Pikes The Merle Riesling 2024

While the Traditionale is regularly one of the very best in its price bracket (and often well above it), The...
Il Premio Sangiovese small file size

Pikes Il Premio Sangiovese 2022

This price for an Aussie Sangiovese is really throwing down the gauntlet to Tuscany. There is nowhere to hide if...
The EWP Shiraz small file size

Pikes The EWP Shiraz 2022

Barrel selection is undertaken to compose this very fine Shiraz from their estate in the Polish Hill River sub-region. This...
The Hill Block Cabernet small file size

Pikes The Hill Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

From one of their oldest estate vineyards, now forty plus years of age, the cooler nature found here is partly...
The Vanguard Cabernet Sauvignon small file size

Pikes The Vanguard Cabernet 2021

Always very exciting to see a brand new wine from a top-notch producer, especially when it comes in as their...
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Curtis Cavaliere McLaren Vale GSM 2021

The famous Rhone blend done McLaren Vale style. And done seriously well. The colour here is a deep blood red....
ancestor bottle copy

Curtis Ancestor McLaren Vale Shiraz 2021

For me, this is the best Ancestor Shiraz from these guys I have yet encountered. In fairness, with the quality...
pasha mv shiraz bottle

Curtis Pasha McLaren Vale Shiraz 2019

The team notes that this wine is their homage to ‘old school’, to the glory days (which seems appropriate as,...

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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