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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.
ZagoraCabSauv

Zagora McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

For this easy drinking, well-crafted and good value McLaren Vale Cabernet, the wine saw a mix of fermentation techniques used,...
ZagoraShiraz

Zagora McLaren Vale Shiraz 2021

The trend to the use of lighter bottles is seen with this thoroughly enjoyable McLaren Vale Shiraz. French oak was...
Heirloom Alambra Barossa Shiraz x

Heirloom A’Lambra Shiraz Barossa Valley 2022

Similar winemaking here as with the other reds in the portfolio, but this is the flagship, sourced from their top...
HV mclaren vale touriga x

Heirloom Touriga McLaren Vale 2023

Touriga seems like one of those grapes destined to be a curiosity and yet, there seems no reason that it...
hv barossa shiraz x

Heirloom Shiraz Barossa 2022

The grapes used here were sourced from the team’s top Barossa Shiraz vineyard. Sorting by the bunch, wild yeasts in...
HV mclaren vale shiraz x

Heirloom Shiraz McLaren Vale 2022

From low yielding vines in McLaren Vale, the wine sees bunch sorting, wild yeasts, hand plunging and sixteen months in...
hv adelaide hills pinot noir x

Heirloom Pinot Noir Adelaide Hills 2023

Wild fermentation here, basket pressing and 50% whole bunches, before time in French oak barriques for seven months. The colour...
adelaide hills chardonnay x

Heirloom Chardonnay Adelaide Hills 2023

The grapes for this excellent Adelaide Hills Chardy were sorted, bunch by bunch. Free run juice, wild yeasts and then...
DV MoonriseKingdom x

Dandelion Vineyards Moonrise Kingdom of McLaren Vale Shiraz Grenache Petite Sirah 2022

The Moonrise Kingdom all sounds a little like a kid’s fairy tale but there is nothing childish about this wine....
Dandelion FirehawkShz x

Dandelion Vineyards Firehawk of McLaren Vale Shiraz 2022

The fruit here hails from a single vineyard which overlooks Willunga in McLaren Vale, which the team believe provides their...
LionheartShiraz x

Dandelion Vineyards Lionheart of the Barossa Shiraz 2022

Much of the fruit for this stellar value Barossa Shiraz comes from vines more than a century old. Hand harvesting,...
Dandelion FarawayTreeGrenache x

Dandelion Vineyards Faraway Tree at McLaren Vale Grenache 2022

We are seeing more and more great Grenache from regions like McLaren Vale and the Barossa and this sits comfortably...
Le Cellier de Saint Louis X PROVENCE ROSE

Le Cellier de Saint-Louis Rosé 2023

This Rosé from Provence offers the reasonably typical blend of Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah. No malolactic fermentation to add to...
Brise Maritime Mediterranee IGP Rose

Brise Maritime Rosé IGP 2023

The grapes here, a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault, hail from the foothills of the Massif des Maures, in...
Lumière de Provence rosé NV

Lumiere de Provence Rosé 2023

This blend expands on the varieties usually included in Provence Rosé with Cinsault, Grenache, Rolle and Syrah. The vines are...
Anna Spinato Prosecco Brut Millesimato DOC

Anna Spinato Prosecco Brut DOC 2023

Prosecco from the Veneto region, fermented in tank over four weeks, the level of sugar sits at 11 grams/litre, which...
Unity Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Allegiance Unity Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

Superb Margaret River Cabernet here, with a little influence from French oak, integrating well. The team usually look to the...
Mosaique rosé CSL cl

Mosaique Organic Rosé IGP 2023

An intriguing mix of Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah from Provence make up this pleasing Rosé. Malolactic fermentation has been blocked...
Hesketh Twist of Fate Cabernet Sauvignon Low

Hesketh Twist of Fate Cabernet 2021

Cabernet from the southern parts of Coonawarra, fermentation was in stainless steel open fermenters for a week, before the wine...
Dangerous Type Merlot low res

Hesketh Dangerous Type Merlot 2021

From the Limestone Coast, and rather curiously named, this pleasing Merlot is an easy drinking cracker. Perfect for enjoying in...
Hesketh Adelaide Hills Regional Selections Pinot Noir low res

Hesketh Regional Selection Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir 2022

This is a fine example of Pinot Noir from the Adelaide Hills, one with considerable promise for the future. Crimson/garnet,...
Hesketh Woodside Gamay Low

Hesketh Woodside Gamay 2023

A new one for this line from the team at Hesketh, Gamay is finally starting to enjoy a place in...
Hesketh Wild at Heart Rose Low

Hesketh Wild at Heart Rosé 2023

The grapes here are from the Wrattonbully region, fermented dry in stainless steel to ensure freshness is at its peak....
Hesketh Adelaide Hills Chardonnay Low

Hesketh Lobethal Chardonnay 2022

The fruit for this very attractive Chardonnay is sourced from a couple of vineyards, at the north and south perimeters...

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...
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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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