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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.
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Majella The Musician 2023

First released in 2004, this has been a wonderfully successful wine for the Estate, winning a truckload of bling. More...
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Majella Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

The team mature this classic Cabernet for a year and a half in a mix of old and new French...
Black Vinyl Reserve Cabernet Shiraz

Claymore Black Vinyl Reserve Cabernet Shiraz 2021

Terrific to see wines from this brilliant vintage still available, especially when they are so criminally cheap. Do not miss...
You'll Never Walk Alone GSM red label NV () resized

Claymore You’ll Never Walk Alone GSM 2024

One always has to respect people who follow their passion, even when it goes through lows as well as highs....
Sorby Adams The Vicar of Toft nv lowres

Sorby Adams The Vicar of Toft Barossa Shiraz 2022

Named in honour of the Reverend Augustus Crichton Adams, the Vicar of Toft in Cheshire in England from 1866 to...
Sorby Adams The Reverend Canon Shiraz nv lowres

Sorby Adams The Reverend Canon Barossa Shiraz 2022

The fruit here is a mix from the Barossa and Eden Valleys. The oak treatment is the same as for...
Estate Shiraz

Five Vineyard Shiraz 2024

Shiraz from the Port Phillip district of Victoria, specifically the sub-region of Plenty, the wine spends time in older French...
Estate Sangiovese

Five Vineyard Sangiovese 2024

From a single vineyard in the Plenty sub-region at Port Phillip in Victoria, this attractive Sangiovese spends time in older...
Merlot HR

Gioiello Estate Merlot 2023

Merlot from the Goulburn Valley region in Victoria, the wine spent eighteen months in French oak barriques for maturation, 20%...
Syrah HR

Gioiello Estate Syrah 2022

The family’s vineyard sits on the Goulburn River, on the lower reaches of Mount Concord in Victoria. Although the property...
Syrah HR

Gioiello Estate Syrah 2023

Shiraz, or Syrah if you prefer, from the Goulburn Valley in Victoria, which spent a year and a half maturing...
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Greenock Estate Angas King 1836 Clare Valley Reserve Shiraz 2023

A very fine Shiraz, confirming that the Clare Valley should really be included in discussions when it comes to our...
GE museum shiraz

Greenock Estate GE Barossa Shiraz 2018

A richly flavoured Barossa Valley Shiraz from old vines, which has spent considerable time maturing in French oak, the wine...
The Blewitt Sands District Grenache

D’Arenberg The Blewett Springs Grenache 2016

The vineyard sources for this district are dry grown with old bush vines. The vineyards sit some 200 metres above...
BW Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz NV

Brokenwood Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz 2024

This has long been the Hunter Valley’s most iconic red and this release continues with the standard of excellence that...
Katunga Chardonnay McLaren Vale HR

Pirramimma Katunga McLaren Vale Chardonnay 2021

With this subsequent vintage, the team move to just French oak for maturation and it is something in has worked...
Katunga Chardonnay McLaren Vale HR

Pirramimma Katunga McLaren Vale Chardonnay 2020

McLaren Vale Chardonnay is a rather curious beast. Obviously, we’re not likely to encounter the finesse and elegance that we...
The Blewitt Sands District Grenache

D’Arenberg The Blewett Springs Grenache 2022

Of the various districts included in this series, for me, Blewett Springs really does stand out. Production methods are the...
The McLaren Sand Hills District Grenache

D’Arenberg The McLaren Sands Hills Grenache 2022

The name of the wine sounds more like somewhere one would go for family holidays back in the 1950s. It...
The Beautfiul View District Grenache

D’Arenberg The Beautiful View Grenache 2016

The vineyards which provided the fruit for this wine are situated around 120 metres above sea level. The soil found...
The Beautfiul View District Grenache

D’Arenberg The Beautiful View Grenache 2022

There was a time when putting the word “Grenache” on a wine label was tantamount to putting a skull and...
The McLaren Sand Hills District Grenache

D’Arenberg The McLaren Sands Hills Grenache 2016

As with others in the series, the production methods are as previously noted. 2016 was a superb vintage for the...
BrownBrothers Patricia NV PinotNoir&ChardonnayBrut mL

Brown Brothers Patricia Sparkling Pinot Noir Chardonnay 2021

As anyone who has ever been to the vineyard can attest, this is cool climate viticulture. The wine spent five...
BrownBrothers Patricia NV CabernetSauvignon mL

Brown Brothers Patricia Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

A Victorian Cabernet which is more than worth flagship status. The majority of the fruit is sourced from the Bendigo...

Stories

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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...
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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...
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