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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.
Parishes Cabernet Shiraz

Parishes Cabernet Shiraz 2021

The great Aussie red wine blend, justifiably famous and much loved, takes on a little extra sheen when it is...
Parishes Merlot

Parishes Merlot 2022

Lovely, delicious and approachable Merlot from Langhorne Creek. The wine spent a year and a half in oak. Dark maroon...
Mattiske Shiraz

Chateau Tanunda Mattiske Shiraz 2021

Barossa Shiraz from the famed Stonewell sub-region, in a vineyard adjacent to Mattiske Road, the grapes were destemmed but not...
Lloyd Brothers Western Block Reserve Shiraz Web

Lloyd Brothers Shiraz Western Block 2 2021

This is the prestige release from the team with the fruit, from this wonderful vintage, coming from Block 2 on...
Lloyd Brothers McLaren Vale Estate Shiraz Web

Lloyd Brothers Estate Shiraz McLaren Vale 2022

Quality fruit from a top region and a great vintage. As they say in the classics, what is not to...
Hills & Coast McLaren Vale Shiraz NV Web

Lloyd Brothers Hills & Coast Shiraz McLaren Vale 2022

A very dark maroon/purple colour here. The nose gives us concentrated notes of dried herbs, chocolate, plums, spices, coffee grinds,...
Lloyd Brothers Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir Syrah Web

Lloyd Brothers Pinot Noir Syrah Adelaide Hills 2022

An intriguing blend here, one which was quite popular many decades ago. 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Syrah, wines like...
Lloyd Brothers Adelaide Hills Syrah Web

Lloyd Brothers Syrah Adelaide Hills 2022

An opaque magenta here, the nose reveals notes of warm earth, dark berries, cloves, leather, spices, chocolate and aniseed, there...
Kirrihill CVCab NV

Kirrihill Regional Series Clare Cabernet 2022

The team selected fruit from several Cabernet sites in the Clare Valley which then underwent small batch fermentation for eight...
Churchview Estate SOLI Cabernet Sauvignon

Churchview Soli Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

An attractive garnet maroon for this delicious and cracking value Margaret River Cabernet. The nose offers notes of graphite, black...
Churchview Estate St Johns LR CabBlend (CMPVM)

Churchview St John’s Limited Release Cabernet Malbec Petit Verdot Merlot 2021

A terrific version of the Bordeaux blend here. Crimson/cherry colour, the nose weaves through herbal notes, black cherries, cloves, coffee...
Churchview Estate St Johns LR Chenin Blanc Vintage Brut

Churchview Limited Release Sparkling 2022

Chenin Blanc seems to get far more respect in the West than it does in the rest of the country,...
Z Force

Zonte’s Footsteps Z Force Shiraz 2019

I have a vague recollection of a TV show from the earliest days of my existence which was either called...
Apple Betty Chardonnay

Zonte’s Footsteps Apple Betty Chardonnay Adelaide Hills 2022

Adelaide Hills Chardonnay from a cracking vintage and a top producer, what is not to like. One assumes that there...
Chocolate Mousseux

Zonte’s Footsteps Chocolate Mousseux Sparkling Shiraz NV

The name for this cracking sparkling Shiraz seems so obvious that it is amazing no one has used it before....
BH GardenSeries Shiraz

Bec Hardy Garden Series Shiraz 2023

An utterly delicious McLaren Vale Shiraz in a vibrant dark purple. The nose is full of notes of chocolate biscuits,...
BH GardenSeries CabSauv

Bec Hardy Garden Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

Enjoyable warm climate Cabernet from McLaren Vale. Dark maroon hue, this gives us notes of dried herbs, bay leaves, cold...
StageLeft MerlotNV

Pertaringa Stage Left Merlot 2023

For the Merlot fans amongst us, this wine is proving itself to be a most reliable offering, year after year....
TwoGentlemens GSMNV

Pertaringa Two Gentlemen’s GSM 2023

A delicious example of the famous Rhône blend done McLaren Vale style. Three parcels from different vineyards across McLaren Vale...
pk Twin Valleys Reserve Chardonnay mL

Twin Valleys Single Site Reserve Chardonnay 2023

The fruit for this wine has been sourced from a single site in Victoria’s King Valley. Attractively packaged, the wine...
Chardonnay

Cloudbreak Adelaide Hills Nouveau Chardonnay 2023

Adelaide Hills offers some cracking Chardonnay. This example is shining yellow, an elegant, leaner, lighter style with notes of lemon,...
Cloudbreak Sauvignon Blanc

Cloudbreak Adelaide Hills Nouveau Sauvignon Blanc 2023

An easy drinking style of Savvy from the Adelaide Hills, the colour is pale lemon/lime. There is weight, interest and...
Pinot Gris

Cloudbreak Adelaide Hills Nouveau Pinot Gris 2023

A fresh and rather refined style of Pinot Gris from the Adelaide Hills, there is a supple texture with notes...
Cloudbreak Pinot Noir

Cloudbreak Adelaide Hills Nouveau Pinot Noir 2023

Fresh and youthful Pinot from the Adelaide Hills for early drinking. This is a step up from a simple quaffer....

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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