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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.
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Kirrihill VSS Leasingham Cabernet Malbec 2021

A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Malbec – this includes 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2024 vintage and...
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Kirrihill EB’s The Squire Clare Shiraz 2022

The team’s flagship Shiraz, the grapes are harvested from the oldest block on the Schrober’s Vineyard, not surprisingly known as...
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Kirrihill VSS Leasingham Shiraz 2022

From the Schrober’s Vineyard in the southern part of the Clare Valley, the team have incorporated 10% of 2024 Shiraz...
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Kirrihill VSS Watervale Riesling 2025

The fruit here hails from an estate vineyard which was planted in the 1970s in the Watervale subregion, called Slate...
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Brothers at War The Old Man Eden Valley Syrah 2023

From a range of vineyards in the Eden Valley region, this Syrah has 10% Grenache included. Maturation is in 500-litre...
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Brothers at War Some Other Guy Barossa GSM 2023

From the Springton, Eden Vale sub-region, this is a blend of 55% Grenache, 35% Shiraz and 10% Mataro. Maturation was...
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Riposte The Dagger Pinot Noir 2025

Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir, the colour here is a crimson/garnet. The nose has some sappy and briary notes, but is...
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De Iuliis Hunter Valley Semillon 2024

Mike de Iuliis has established himself as one of the Hunter Valley’s leading winemakers, crafting exciting Semillon (and more). The...
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McGuigan Bin Series 9000 Hunter Valley Semillon 2015

Hunter Semillon with a decade under its belt is a tragically underrated style of wine, but on the positive side,...
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McGuigan Bin Series 9000 Hunter Valley Semillon 2017

From the excellent 2017 vintage, another Hunter Sem with considerable time under its belt, though with the promise of many...
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Alleanze Prosecco Brut DOC 2024

Fermentation for this fresh and zippy Prosecco was with natural yeasts over four weeks. The team leave a little residual...
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Pertaringa Lakeside Pinot Grigio 2025

2025 saw the earliest grape harvests in South Australia for a very long time. The grapes underwent a cool ferment...
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Zema Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

An absolutely cracking Coonawarra Cabernet from the wonderful 2021 vintage, this has to be one of the bargains of the...
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Zema Shiraz 2021

The latest collection from the Zema winery in Coonawarra is from the exceptional 2021 vintage. That alone should have people...
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Zema Cluny Cabernet Merlot 2021

The blend here is 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 7% Malbec and 7% Cabernet Franc. The wine spent eighteen months...

Craggy Range Martinborough Te Muna Sauvignon Blanc 2024

A Savvy from the Martinborough region in New Zealand, rather than the more familiar Marlborough, yet it still offers the...

Craggy Range Te Muna Road Vineyard Pinot Noir Martinborough 2024

From the Te Muna Road vineyard in Martinborough, for me, this is one of the very best Pinots we have...
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Purple Hands Thomas Rise Barossa Valley Shiraz 2022

A small but quality producer, though we’d expect nothing less with Craig Stansborough – who has made his name making...
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Dom des Feraud Prestige Rosé Côtes de Provence 2024

An intriguing blend of Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Syrah and a dollop of Rolle (perhaps better known to us as...
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Allegiance The Fighter Hilltops Tempranillo 2024

From a single vineyard in the Hilltops region of NSW, this is a cracking example of how well Tempranillo can...
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Allegiance Alumni Clare Valley Riesling 2023

A fine Clare Valley Riesling, named as a tribute to friendship. Hard not to raise a glass to that. The...
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Allegiance The Artisan Reserve Barossa Valley Shiraz 2022

Each release of this wine seems to offer an elegance that we don’t see in every Barossa Shiraz. The colour...
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Di Fabio Cabernets 2018

From a great vintage and single vineyard in McLaren Vale, the wine spent time maturing in a mix of new...
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Di Fabio Winemaker’s Selection Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc Merlot 2018

The traditional Bordeaux blend from McLaren Vale, from an excellent vintage, and the time in cellar has been to its...

Stories

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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...
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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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