Avatar photo

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.
Windowrie The Mill Shiraz

Windowrie Central Ranges The Mill Shiraz 2023

This is my pick from the full range of their recent releases. A deep crimson colour here, the nose reveals...
Block Shiraz

Tenafeate Creek Wines Block 5 Shiraz 2021

As one might expect from the flagship wine, this is the pick of the range. The grapes are sourced from...
Basket Press Shiraz

Tenafeate Creek Wines Shiraz 2022

The grapes here hail from four discrete sites, all low yielding, in the One Tree Hill region. After basket-pressing, the...
Montepulciano Bottle Shot

Tenafeate Creek Wines Montepulciano 2022

From a single, low-yielding vineyard in the One Tree Hill region, after fermentation the wine saw basket-pressing and then a...
Warramunda LivZac Syrah

Warramunda Liv Zak Syrah 2020

The team here use both whole berries and whole bunches in the ferment, which is with wild yeasts. 100% Yarra...
Windowrie Sakura Rosé

Windowrie Central Ranges Sakura Rosé 2024

A very pale pink hue here for this appealingly fragrant Central Ranges Rosé. A wine that is subtle, gentle and...
Windowrie Sakura Picpoul Blanc

Windowrie Central Ranges Sakura Picpoul Blanc 2024

Great to see grapes like this emerging for drinkers to try. Originally from the Rhone and Languedoc in France and...
Windowrie Sakura Sauvignon Blanc

Windowrie Central Ranges Sakura Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Sauvignon Blanc from the Central Ranges is becoming more of a thing, which is a good thing. The colour is...
Windowrie Pig In The House Pinot Gris

Windowrie Central Ranges Pig in the House Central Ranges Organic Pinot Gris 2024

Another thoroughly enjoyable white from the Central Ranges which is organic, this one is a pale lemon hue. The nose...
angas cb

Angas King 1836 Clare and Barossa Valleys Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

A multi-regional blend from the Clare and Barossa Valleys, there is lots to love here. The colour is a deep,...
angas shiraz

Angas King 1836 Clare Valley Reserve Shiraz 2021

Exciting Shiraz from a stunning vintage for the Clare Valley. The colour here is an opaque maroon. We have notes...
frederick

Frederick BLK 398 Shiraz Grenache Barossa Valley 2021

For me, of all the wines from their latest release, this is the one that most excited me. Limited in...
Warramundan Estate LivZac Malbec

Warramunda Liv Zak Malbec 2023

Older French oak is used for this fine Yarra Malbec, for a little over a year’s maturation. A deep crimson...
Warramundan Estate LivZac Malbec

Warramunda Liv Zak Malbec 2022

Fascinating to see two vintages of Yarra Malbec from this team available at the same time. Take your pick. For...
Sauvignon Blanc NV

HaselGrove Sauvignon Blanc First Cut Adelaide Hills 2024

Fruit for this crisp Savvy hails from the northern part of the Adelaide Hills. The First Cut series wines represent...
Pinot Grigio NV

HaselGrove Pinot Grigio First Cut Adelaide Hills 2024

Free run juice which was cold settled for 72 hours and then racked off lees. Deep straw hue, the nose...
Ros'e

HaselGrove Alternative Series Rosé Grenache McLaren Vale 2023

The versatile Grenache fronts up yet again with this pleasing Rosé. Six hours on skins and then three months on...
Premium Bella Vigna NV

HaselGrove Bella Vigna McLaren Vale Shiraz 2021

A delicious McLaren Vale Shiraz. This spent a year and a half in a mix of French oak, new and...
Zema Shiraz hpx

Zema Estate Shiraz 2019

This fine Coonawarra Shiraz was fermented on skins for ten days before fifteen months in a mix of French and...
Zema Cabernet Sauvignon hpx

Zema Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Homework for the week. Take a bottle of this and a bottle of their Estate Shiraz, both 2019 and both...
CB GSM NV

Cooper Burns Barossa Valley GSM 2022

The blend is 70% Grenache, 15% Shiraz and 15% Mataro. A deep garnet hue for this Barossa blend, the nose...
CB Shiraz NV

Cooper Burns Museum Release Barossa Valley Shiraz 2013

Good luck finding many wines of this age hitting the shelves, so kudos to the team here for undertaking the...
Rie High trans

Cooper Burns Emmy Lou Eden Valley Riesling 2023

From a single vineyard in the Eden Valley, this Riesling actually saw partial fermentation in older oak before ageing on...
sterling shiraz

Cooper Burns Sterling Barossa Valley Shiraz 2019

A deep garnet/red hue to this fine Barossa Shiraz. The nose is showing red fruits, coffee grinds, warm earth tones,...

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...
winepilot