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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.
Hirsch Hill Pinot estate

Hirsch Hill Estate Pinot Noir 2024

The wine enjoys a brief stint in French oak, but it is certainly not intrusive in any way. The colour...
Hirsch Hill chard collection

Hirsch Hill Estate Chardonnay 2024

Yarra Valley Chardonnay is one of the gems of Aussie wine and this is an impressive example. It relies on...
The Chateau Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Château Tanunda The Château Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

The Cabernet vines used here are from an estate vineyard in the Eden Valley, 32 select rows. After fermentation, the...
The Chateau Single Vineyard Bethanian Shiraz NV

Château Tanunda The Château Bethanian Shiraz 2023

So named as it hails from the sandy loam soils on Bethany Creek (Bethanian is the name used by some...
Year Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Château Tanunda 50-Year-Old Vines Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

The grapes are destemmed but not crushed, before spending a week on skins. Eventually, the wine spends a further year...
Year Old Vines Shiraz NV

Château Tanunda 50-Year-Old Vines Barossa Shiraz 2022

A year and a half in a mix of new and older French barriques, has seen a wine of grace...
Year Old Vines Shiraz NV

Château Tanunda 100-Year-Old Vines Barossa Shiraz 2022

A wonderful expression of old vine Barossa Shiraz, grapes from these ‘centurion’ vines are fermented in small open fermenters with...
mT mORIAC

Mount Moriac Geelong Pinot Noir 2023

Under new management with the wines now made by Kelly Pearson, with almost half of their Geelong vineyards planted to...
Cirillo Black Label Shiraz

Cirillo Black Label Shiraz 2024

Still very early in its evolution, the wine is a deep, dark maroon in colour. The nose is all spices...
Pertaringa Heritage Series Reserve Shiraz

Pertaringa Reserve Shiraz Heritage Series McLaren Vale 2022

A superb Shiraz from a great vintage in McLaren Vale, the wine spent twenty months maturing in a mix of...
Domaine de La Janasse Chateauneuf du Pape Tradition

Domaine de la Janesse Châteauneuf du Pape 2022

This is exciting stuff. A cracking Châteauneuf du Pape from a superb vintage for the region, from a highly respected...
Serraluna Montepulciano d'Abbruzo

Serraluna Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2023

A delicious Montepulciano, highlighting the joy that Sangiovese can offer. Deep purple in colour, the nose offers rose petals, chocolate,...
Bodegas Salentein Barrel Selection Malbec

Salentein Malbec 2022

An utterly delicious Argentinian Malbec, showing why the variety is so highly regarded there. The colour for this wine is...
Serraluna Toscana Rosso

Serraluna Toscana Rosso 2022

Rather cutely dubbed a Baby Super Tuscan, as the wine does include both Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, both of which...
Bodega Volcanes De Chile Reserva Pinot Noir

Bodega Volcanes de Chile Reserva Pinot Noir 2022

Wines from volcanic soils are the latest hot thing, which is more than understandable given the quality of many of...
Domaine Chavy Chouet Bourgogne Blanc Les Femelottes

Domaine Chavy-Chouet Les Femelottes 2022

The fruit here is sourced from older vines, averaging forty years of age, and the wine spent ten months maturing...
Domaine AF Gros Hautes Cotes De Nuits Bourgogne Blanc

Domaine AF Gros Bourgogne Hautes Côtes du Nuits 2022

A famous name in the Burgundy region, deservedly so as they are responsible for some wonderful wines, this is a...
La Foule 'Pays d’Oc' Pinot Noir

La Foule des Bourgs Ensoleilles Pinot Noir 2023

From the Pays DOC, the hills of Limoux, Languedoc, this is a rather delicious Pinot Noir, definitely worth seeking out....
Tres Naus Cava Brut Reserva

Tres Naus Brut Reserva Cava NV

Cava is a much underappreciated style of sparkler, especially in this country. A blend of Xarel lo, Macabeo and Parellada,...
Armstrong Pinot Noir

Armstrong Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2024

This attractive Yarra Pinot spent time in a mix of French oak, old and new. The colour is a gleaming...
Armstrong Rose

Armstrong Grampians Rosé 2024

A cooler climate style of Rosé, quite finely structured and more elegant than many of its peers, this is a...
La Lutte Rose

Armstrong La Lutte Victorian Rosé 2024

The fruit for this fresh Rosé hails from vineyards in Victoria. The colour is a pale, vibrant pink, while the...
Malbec NV

Knappstein Clare Valley Malbec 2022

Wines made from a single varietal, Malbec, are somewhat, shall we say, variable in quality. So it is always a...
Pinot Gris

Knappstein Clare Valley Pinot Gris 2024

A lot of regions have stuck up their hand to claim they are Australia’s best Pinot Gris district. The Clare...

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...
PEN La Chapelle Grange winemakers barrels

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...
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...
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