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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.
Rosé

Crabtree Watervale Rosé 2023

This is Crabtree’s first Grenache only Rosé. It has an alluring gentle pale pink colour and gives off notes of...
CapeBarren RareBird Shiraz

Cape Barren Rare Bird Shiraz 2018

The vines for this prestige Shiraz from McLaren Vale are all thirty-five years and older. The wine enjoyed fifteen days...
CapeBarren OldVine Shiraz

Cape Barren McLaren Vale Old Vines Shiraz 2019

This wine came from a mix of twenty selected French and American oak hogsheads. Deep maroon in hue, the extra...
CapeBarren NativeGoose Shiraz

Cape Barren McLaren Vale Native Goose Shiraz 2021

McLaren Vale Shiraz from a great vintage at this price – what is not to love? Opaque maroon in colour,...
CapeBarren NativeGoose CabSav

Cape Barren McLaren Vale Native Goose Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

This McLaren Vale Cabernet is good evidence that warm regions can make delicious Cabernet, even if it is different to...
CapeBarren NativeGoose ShirazGrenache

Cape Barren McLaren Vale Native Goose Shiraz Grenache 2021

Terrific value to be found here in this sumptuous blend of Shiraz and Grenache from McLaren Vale. Deep garnet in...
Ulithorne Paternus CabShiraz

Ulithorne Paternus Coonawarra McLaren Vale Cabernet Shiraz 2020

The wine is predominantly Coonawarra Cabernet, supported with a little McLaren Vale Shiraz. It is undoubtedly a wine built for...
Ulithorne Epoch Rose

Ulithorne Epoch Rosé 2023

Delicious rosé from a single vineyard in McLaren Vale. It is made from 100% Mourvèdre, which receives just four hours...
Reschke RSR Cabernet

Reschke R.S.R. Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

R.S.R. stands for Reschke Special Reserve and there is little doubt that this is a bit special. The grapes are...
Stonehaven Stepping Stone Riesling

Stonehaven Stepping Stone Riesling 2023

A blend of Coonawarra and Padthaway fruit, the wine uses free run juice after a cool fermentation. This is a...
Stonehaven Stepping Stone Malbec

Stonehaven Stepping Stone Malbec 2022

The fruit here comes from a combination of vineyards in Mundulla and Padthaway. Opaque purple in colour, love the perfumes...
Stonehaven Stepping Stone Cabernet

Stonehaven Stepping Stone Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

From a single vineyard on terra rosa soil over limestone, we have small batch fermentation before ten months in French...
Stonehaven LVR Chardonnay

Stonehaven Stepping Stone Limited Vineyard Release Chardonnay 2023

From Padthaway, 40% of the juice is racked to oak for fermentation, before the wine has eight months maturation in...
ArcheryRoad Cabernet

Archery Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

A fine warmer climate Cabernet from an excellent vintage, the fruit is harvested from a single site in the Barossa....
ArcheryRoad Shiraz

Archery Road Shiraz 2021

An exciting Barossa Shiraz which comes from a single site. After a ten day fermentation, the wine spent a further...
Reschke Bos

Reschke BOS Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon Single Vineyard 2016

Coonawarra Cabernet from a top vintage with some development, making it extremely well priced and ticking all the boxes. From...
LightsValley Colonel

Lights Valley Colonel Shiraz 2017

This wine spent a year maturing in a mix of French and American barrels and hogsheads, after fifteen days on...
LightsValley Shiraz

Lights Valley Shiraz 2021

A low-yielding, single vineyard provides the fruit for this fine Barossa Shiraz with twelve days skin contact before 18 months...
Reschke Vitulus Cabernet

Reschke Vitulus Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Deep magenta hue, the nose offers black fruits, leather, beefstock, cloves and mocha. There is balance throughout and a very...
Reschke Empyrean

Reschke Empyrean Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Almost a decade of development for this superb Coonawarra Cabernet, beloved of American critics (and quite a few local ones,...
Reschke Armenta Cabernet

Reschke Armenta Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Ten days on skins here, with time in small French oak barrels, this was harvested from the Henry Albert vineyard...
Reschke BullTrader Shiraz

Reschke Bull Trader Shiraz 2021

Shiraz grown on terra rossa soil in Coonawarra, from a 35 year old vineyard. 10 to 15 days on skins,...
DevittMoore CDB Cabernet

Devitt & Moore Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Coonawarra Cabernet with some development under its belt, two years in new French hogsheads and barriques (34%) with the remainder...
First Pick

1847 First Pick Shiraz 2020

A gorgeous decadence here and very much the wine for lovers of bold, forceful, blockbuster styles, chockful of generous fruit...

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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