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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.
Castle Rock Estate Riesling

Castle Rock Estate Riesling 2024

This is a stunning Riesling and amazing value. It might sound like the proverbial broken record but anyone claiming to...
Castle Rock Estate Skywalk Riesling

Castle Rock Skywalk Riesling 2024

Rob Diletti is obviously having fun playing around with various styles of Riesling. This one, which is good value, is...
Castle Rock Estate RS Riesling

Castle Rock RS21 Riesling 2024

The name refers to the level of natural residual sweetness which Rob has left in the wine, balancing it with...
Castle Rock Estate Diletti Riesling

Castle Rock Diletti Riesling 2023

Another example of a winemaker playing with his food. Rob has fermented and matured, over ten months on lees, the...
Castle Rock Estate AW Riesling

Castle Rock A&W 2024

This is Rob’s annual tribute to his parents, Angelo and Wendy, who founded the estate. The fruit comes from the...
Hilltops Riesling

Gundog Estate Hilltops Riesling 2024

From the Hilltops region in New South Wales, the team use only the first press of 500 litres/tonne, before fermentation....
Hilltops Shiraz No

Gundog Estate Hilltops Shiraz  No 2 2023

The second Hilltops Shiraz made by the team hails from a vineyard in Boorowa, which is even cooler. The winemaking...
Hilltops Shiraz No

Gundog Estate Hilltops Shiraz No 1 2023

Interesting that a winery based in one of the warmer wine regions on the planet has such a fascination with...
Rare Game Shiraz

Gundog Estate Rare Game Shiraz 2023

This is the team’s flagship Hunter red and it continues to have as its inspiration, Hunter Burgundy. Younger wine lovers...
Shiraz

Gundog Estate Canberra District Shiraz 2023

It is not unfair to suggest that if anyone mentions Shiraz and the Canberra region that Clonakilla immediately springs to...
Flintlock Shiraz

Gundog Estate Flintlock Game Shiraz 2023

This is the Hilltops prestige release from the team, a superb cool climate red. It is a blend of the...
Marksman's Shiraz

Gundog Estate Marksman’s Game Shiraz 2023

If anyone needed convincing that exciting things are happening in Canberra (I speak only of wine, of course), aside from...
Rose

Gundog Estate Rosé 2024

The team have taken a multi-regional approach for this delicious Rosé, sourcing Cabernet Sauvignon from the Canberra district and Shiraz...
Reschke Bull Trader Merlot Mockup

Reschke Bull Trader Merlot 2024

A dark maroon hue for this fine Coonawarra Merlot. Notes of plums, a mix of red and black fruits, dried...
CapeBarren RareBird Shiraz

Cape Barren Wines Rare Bird Shiraz 2020

Each batch of fruit from McLaren Vale spent fifteen days on skins before fermentation in a mix of tank and...
DevittMoore WP CW CabSav

Devitt Moore CW Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

The fruit here, from a stellar vintage, comes from a single vineyard of terra rossa soil in Coonawarra. Maturation was...
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Angas King McLaren Vale Shiraz 2016

The mirror image of our Clare Shiraz, this is an opaque maroon hue. There is also evidence of oak here...
AKClareValleyShirazA

Angas King Clare Valley Shiraz 2016

Always a fascinating experience to compare and contrast wines – same grape/s, same maker, same vintage, same oak regime, same...
Bottle Image Galante Pinot Grigio

Galante Pinot Grigio 2023

Italian Pinot Grigio remains as popular as ever and it is easy to see why with crowd pleasers like this....
Castelli Estate NV Estate Sparkling TWP

Castelli Estate Sparkling NV

A very fine sparkler from the Great Southern region of Western Australia is not something we see every day. This...
CFV limited Shiraz Hi Res fix

Curtis Limited Series McLaren Vale Shiraz 2021

From a great region and a stellar vintage, expectations were high for this wine. And more than met. A cracker....
Churchview Estate The Bartondale Shiraz

Churchview The Bartondale Shiraz 2020

A superb example of how good Shiraz can be in Margaret River. Indeed, a wine which raises questions as to...
Churchview Estate The Bartondale Cabernet Sauvignon

Churchview The Bartondale Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

A classic and impressive Margaret River Cabernet, something the region does ever so well. The colour here is a dark...
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...

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...
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