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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.
MOONVINE SHIRAZ HI

Moonvine Shiraz McLaren Vale 2021

From a superb vintage for the region, the team operate under biodynamic principles. The colour here is an inky dark...
Crowded House Sauvignon Blanc

Crowded House Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023

Marlborough in the South Island of New Zealand, has undoubtedly become Ground Zero for Savvy lovers. These guys have been...
Hazeldene Block Pinot Noir

Oakridge 864 Block 1 Hazeldene Vineyard Pinot Noir 2024

This vineyard is planted to the MV6 clone. 3/4s of the berries are destemmed into an open fermenter on top...
Close Planted Block Syrah

Oakridge 864 Close Planted Block Oakridge Vineyard Syrah 2023

Planting here is at 5,200 plants per hectare. 70% of the grapes were destemmed into an open fermenter on the...
Winery Block Cabernet Sauvignon

Oakridge 864 Winery Block Oakridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

Once or twice in the past, I have wondered whether or not the top Oakridge wines were simply too perfect,...
Funder & Diamond Chardonnay

Oakridge 864 Drive Block Funder and Diamond Vineyard Chardonnay 2023

Yet another superb 864 Chardonnay from the 2023 vintage, this vineyard is planted to the P58 clone. The grapes are...
Henk Aqueduct Chardonnay

Oakridge 864 Aqueduct Block Henk Vineyard Chardonnay 2023

Unless someone has been living under a rock for the last decade, there is probably little point in me telling...
Renzaglia PinotGris

Renzaglia Pinot Gris 2024

From a high altitude vineyard, 900 metres above sea level, from a vineyard to the northeast of Orange, this is...
Renzaglia PinotNoir NV

Renzaglia Pinot Noir 2024

From the Patina Vineyard in the Central Ranges, this is the first release of Pinot Noir from the team. The...
Renzaglia GrenacheTempranillo NV

Renzaglia Grenache Tempranillo 2024

An intriguing blend of varieties, both were sourced from the biodynamic Wallington vineyard in Canowindra. The Tempranillo was fermented as...
Renzaglia Sangiovese

Renzaglia Sangiovese 2024

The Sangiovese fruit for this one came from the First Ridge team in Mudgee. After fermentation, the wine went to...
Fiano ()

Oliver’s Taranga Fiano 2025

Is there anything more annoying than when some poor contestant on Masterchef serves a bowl of ice cream and gets...
AnforeFiano

Oliver’s Taranga Anfore Fiano 2024

The team’s best Fiano is aged in three Terracotta anfore (Italian for amphora), hence the name. Corrina got the idea...
First Ridge Barbera NV ()

First Ridge Barbera 2023

From an elevated single vineyard in the Mudgee region in NSW, this is maroon/purple in colour. A most appealingly generous...
First Ridge Montepulciano NV

First Ridge Montepulciano 2023

The Mudgee region in New South Wales is proving to be an excellent source for local wines made with Italian...
The Coppermine Road Cabernet Sauvignon

D’Arenberg The Coppermine Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

A combination of new and older French oak barrels are used here to complete fermentation of this warmer climate Cabernet....
The Dead Arm Shiraz

D’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz 2020

This is one of the McLaren Vale’s iconic Shiraz, indeed iconic wines, although it has been significantly supplanted in the...
The Footbolt Shiraz New PNG

D’Arenberg Footbolt Shiraz 2022

The team keep the batches for this wine separate until blending. Traditional foot treading is used 2/3rds of the way...
The High Trellis Cabernet Sauvignon New PNG

D’Arenberg The High Trellis Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Again, traditional foot treading takes place 2/3rds  of the way through fermentation, with the fermentation then completed in old French...
The Derelict Vineyard Grenache PNG

D’Arenberg The Derelict Vineyard Grenache 2021

As with all wines from here, they have been endowed with weird and wonderful names, the details of which are...
The Wild Pixie Shiraz PNG

D’Arenberg The Wild Pixie Shiraz 2021

From the superb 2021 vintage, again we have a dollop of Roussanne co-fermented with the Shiraz. Fermentation is completed in...
The Ironstone Pressings GSM

D’Arenberg Ironstone Pressings GSM 2020

A compelling example of the Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre from the McLaren Vale, fermentation is completed in a mix of new...
shiraz nv

Holm Oak Shiraz 2023

The cooler year here added to the elegance and spiciness found in this wine. 10% whole bunches were incorporated into...
NV Chardonnay Protege

Holm Oak The Protégé Chardonnay 2025

This is the first Protégé Chardonnay made by the team since 2022. It is an unwooded style of Chardonnay, which...

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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