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.
Aylesbury Estate The Pater Series Chardonnay

Aylesbury Pater Series Chardonnay 2025

From the Ferguson Valley in Western Australia, the fruit is processed in small batches, whole bunch pressed and fermented. Maturation...
Cape Landing Single Vineyard Chardonnay

Cape Landing Blackwood Chardonnay 2025

This is a most impressive Chardonnay, albeit still very youthful, from Margaret River. Maturation was in French oak barriques, 37%...
Cape Landing Blackwood Syrah

Cape Landing Blackwood Syrah 2024

The team combined the same amount of whole bunch and destemmed fruit for fermentation, followed by maturation for ten months...
Cape Landing Blackwood Sauvignon Blanc

Cape Landing Blackwood Sauvignon Blanc 2025

This is definitely one of the most impressive Sauvignon Blancs to come across the tasting table this year. The fermentation...
Cape Landing Blackwood Cabernet Sauvignon

Cape Landing Blackwood Cabernet Sauvignon 2024

Margaret River Cabernet continues to astound winelovers around the globe, deservedly so. 2024 is a vintage coming into its own....
Cape Landing Single Vineyard Chardonnay

Cape Landing Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2025

A young and fresh Chardonnay from what is looking like another very good vintage in Margaret River. From a single...
CB Riesling NV pxpx

Cooper Burns Eden Valley Riesling 2024

The team here usually source the fruit for this wine from a single vineyard high in the Eden Valley. They...
CB Chardonnay NV pxpx

Cooper Burns Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2024

The subregion of Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills provides the fruit for this attractively flavoured Chardonnay. It is whole bunch...
MMIRTR NV Website Bottle Shot

Mezzacorona Maso di Mezzo Teroldego 2022

Teroldego Is an Italian red variety found usually in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol districts. Recent research suggests that in genetic terms,...

Highgate Barrel Selection Chardonnay 2023

From the Hunter Valley, this wine has experienced longer barrel ageing than the team usually provide. It basically means that...
SOTPVS NV Website Bottle Shot

La Sorda Vendimia Seleccionada 2023

There is an argument which suggests that wines develop in a style to match the local cuisine, obviously more so...
CETPVI NV Bottle Shot px x px

Campos de Viento Tempranillo 2024

Tempranillo is the great red variety of Spain, and this is a fine example of what great value it can...
KKPNXX Website Bottle Shot

Kuru Kuru Pinot Noir 2022

Central Otago Pinot Noir which represents more than fair value. The colour is a pale russet with a fading rim....
HEPNDM NV Website Bottle Shot

Harewood Estate Denmark Pinot Noir 2025

Denmark may be more famous for Riesling and Shiraz, but this sub-region in the Great Southern district of Western Australia...
TVPGXX Website Bottle Shot

Tarras Pinot Gris 2025

Pinot Gris that is almost unrecognisable in comparison to so many of the wishy-washy efforts available today. This is from...
TVPNCA Website Bottle Shot

Tarras The Canyon Pinot Noir 2021

The fruit for the team’s flagship Pinot Noir is sourced exclusively from a single vineyard, The Canyon Vineyard, at Bendigo...
WISHPG NV Bottle shots

Pig in the House Central Ranges Organic Shiraz 2024

Researching this wine as best as I could, nowhere can I find any suggestion that there has been any Viognier...
FAIRNA NV Website Bottle Shot ()

Feudo Arancio Nero d’Avola 2024

Each release of this full flavoured red from Sicily, made from the Nero d’Avola grape, simply confirms that it surely...
MOPRSL NEW NV Website Bottle Shot

Mottura I Classici Primitivo del Salento 2024

The variety perhaps better known in Australia as Zinfandel, this is from the Puglia region of Italy. Under an agglomerate...
CFMODB NV Website Bottle Shot

Castel Firmian Daben Moscato Rosa 2020

From the Trentino region, this is a rarely seen but most intriguing style, Moscato Rosé. Under Diam, it is an...
vin sol ignis tempranillo

Vin Sol Ignis Tempranillo 2024

Tempranillo comes in a range of guises, from bright, fresh and youthful to deep, dense and destined for serious ageing....
vin sol florus fiano

Vin Sol Florus Fiano 2025

It has taken an extraordinarily short period of time for McLaren Vale Fiano to challenge some of the very best...
DOMESTIC DH Grenache NV

Three Dark Horses Grenache 2024

McLaren Vale Grenache from the Romano Vineyard, which sits on sandy loam soil with vines which are seventy-five years of...
Reschke Bos Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Reschke Bos Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Coonawarra Cabernet which has already had a good stint in the cellar before release, this is from the Henry Albert...

Stories

winery door open bright x
There is surely no wine region in this country which has more elite wineries than Margaret River. The advantage for...
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...
Webicon

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...
winepilot