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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.

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...
Purple Hands Thomas Rise BV Shiraz

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...
Allegiance The Fighter Tempranillo

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...
Allegiance Alumni CV Riesling

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...
The Artisan Reserve BV Shiraz

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...
DiFabioWinemakersSelection

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...
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Di Fabio Cellar Series Cabernet Franc McLaren Vale 2018

Intriguing combination of a solo Cabernet Franc with an extended period in the cellar and the colour here is a...
Rosily GrosVentre GrenacheShiraz NV

Rosily Estate Ventre Margaret River Grenache Shiraz Rosé 2025

Rosé based on Grenache (with some Shiraz, I believe) and grown organically from a single vineyard in the Wilyabrup sub-region....
Lot Cabernet Sauvignon

Pertaringa Understudy Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

Cabernet from a cooler vintage in a region such as McLaren Vale can do really well. The fruit used here...
Lot Cabernet Sauvignon

LOT 94 BSR Cabernet Sauvignon 2024

BSR stands for Blewett Springs Road, giving us a clue as to the McLaren Vale subregion from which these grapes...
Undercover Shiraz

Pertaringa Undercover Shiraz McLaren Vale 2023

Naming the wine ‘undercover’ is a nod to McLaren Vale’s history of providing first class red grapes to so many...
Scarecrow Sauv Blanc

Pertaringa Scarecrow Sauvignon Blanc 2025

This really is a family act. The vines which provided the grapes were 60% in the Kuitpo subregion of the...
Naturi PerSpritz

Naturi Vermouth Per Spritz

Native botanicals including rosella and citrus are seen to advantage here. The suggestion is over ice as an aperitif, but...
Naturi DirtyDry

Naturi Vermouth Dirty Dry

It comes as a surprise to some travellers in places like Spain to discover just how popular good Vermouth is....
Naturi Rosso

Naturi Vermouth Rosso

Botanicals, including fennel and nutmeg, are the go here, with a red wine base. Negroni, Manhattan or a variation on...
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Vinaceous Snake Charmer Frankland River Shiraz 2023

From the Russell Road Vineyard in Frankland River, the wine spent ten months maturing in French oak. This is cracking...
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Vinaceous Red Right Hand Shiraz Tempranillo Grenache 2023

A variation on the usual GSM blend, with Tempranillo included here, instead of the usual Mataro. The fruit is sourced...
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Vinaceous Voodoo Moon Malbec Frankland River 2023

Solo Malbec is always an intriguing style. Malbec is more common as a blender, this example from the Frankland River...
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Risky Business King Valley Pinot Gris 2025

From the King Valley in Victoria, fermentation was in stainless steel. The wine did spend time on lees prior to...
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Risky Business Mt Barker Luxe Riesling 2025

From a single vineyard in the Mount Barker region in WA, this is the ultimate small batch winemaking with only...
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Risky Business King Valley Prosecco NV

Prosecco has flourished in the King Valley in Victoria, very much a home away from its Italian home. It seems...

Stories

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...
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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...
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...
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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...
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