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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.
Indomitus Rosa

Gundog Estate Indomitus Rosa 2023

This rosé is a blend of 50% Canberra Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Shiraz from both Canberra and the Hilltops. Around...
Indomitus Semillon

Gundog Estate Indomitus Albus Hunter Valley 2023

Winemaker, Matt Burton, describes the philosophy behind the Indomitus range as ‘thoughtful experimentation’. Personally, I think he just wanted a...
Byron & Harold Gravity Black Chardonnay

Byron & Harold Gravity Black Label Chardonnay 2023

This has a slightly deeper straw colour than the White Label, although it is all a bit lineball. Here we...
Byron & Harold Gravity White Chardonnay

Byron & Harold Gravity White Label Chardonnay 2023

Pale straw in colour and powerful aromatics here with ginger, melon, lemongrass, figs, some appealing oak integration and stonefruit notes....
Untitled

Gomersal Wines Estate Shiraz 2018

The fruit for the Estate Shiraz comes from their Gomersal Vineyard in the Barossa Valley with 12 days fermenting on...
Untitled

Gomersal Wines Reserve Shiraz 2020

Barossa Shiraz, fermented on skins for ten days before 22 months’ maturation in a mix of new and older American...
Arila Gardens Gardens of Moppa Shiraz

Arila Gardens of Moppa Barossa Shiraz 2022

This wine is sourced from a combination of two vineyards in the Moppa district in the Barossa Valley. A small...
Castelli Riesling

Castelli Estate Porongurup Riesling 2018

This is a museum release and while it does exhibit some development, it certainly has a long way to go....
Castelli Riesling

Castelli Estate Mount Barker Riesling 2023

2023 was a very fine vintage for this region, later than usual. Free run juice only, with a cool fermentation,...
burge

Burge Family Winemakers Draycott Reserve Shiraz 2020

A barrel selection from the team’s oldest blocks of Shiraz, from their sites in the Barossa, this wine is only...

Podere La Cappella IGT Corbezzolo Sangiovese 2016

100% Sangiovese here from the family’s oldest vineyard, this was first made back in 1995. The vineyard sits at an...

Giacosa Fratelli Barolo Bussia 2017

A fine Barolo from one of the region’s most exciting districts that receives a lengthy maceration in a variety of...
genista take mickie white hires

Genista Taking the Mickie Barossa Shiraz 2022

The odd name hails from the fact that winemaker Lloyd Broom’s father thought they were taking the Mickie when Lloyd...
YeomanNV

Bec Hardy Pertaringa Yeoman Shiraz 2021

The vines here are of an unknown age, but the vineyard’s owners, the Osmond family, know that they are older...
Rifle&Hunt

Bec Hardy Pertaringa Rifle and Hunt Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Rather than this being a reject from the local fox and hounds club, the wine is named because the vineyard...
BHshirtemp

Bec Hardy Garden Series Shiraz Tempranillo McLaren Vale 2023

From the sandy soils of the family’s vineyard in the Blewitt Springs sub-region, fermentation of the two varieties was done...
OTT

Bec Hardy Pertaringa Over the Top Shiraz 2022

The vines here were planted in 1960, in a vineyard next to the very first one planted by Thomas Hardy...
giacosa barolo

Giacosa Fratelli Barolo Scarrone Vigna Mandorle 2013

Serious stuff here, a Riserva from 2013, opportunities for wines like these become rarer every day. Notes of coffee beans,...
roero

Giacosa Fratelli Arneis 2022

Fascinating to see the real thing – Italian Arneis in comparison with our local efforts and both have much to...
giacosa barbera

Giacosa Fratelli Barbera d’Alba Bussia 2022

Someone mentioned this as a wine for everyday drinking, if this is everyday drinking then bring it on. Too often...
barbaresco

Giacosa Fratelli Barbaresco Basarin 2019

Serious Barbaresco here. The house likes the elegance offered by 2018 and 2020, with 2016 the favourite (it is everyone’s...
querciolo podere

Podere La Cappella Chianti Classico Riserva Querciolo 2019

Made from 100% Sangiovese, the estate offers a Riserva every year, believing that they have the fruit to do so....
bruno

Podere La Cappella Bruno Toscana 2008

A rare beast, indeed; an IGT, only 400 bottles were made with many already sold. This was a true one-off...
chianti classico podere

Podere La Cappella Chianti Classico 2021

2021 is already being spoken about as one of the great vintages for Chianti and it might be early days...

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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