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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.
Watervale Riesling No Shadow No Vintage

Jeanneret Watervale Riesling 2023

From a fine vintage for the Clare Valley, this hails from one of its legendary sub-regions, Watervale, and a single...
Sevenhill NV

Jeanneret Sevenhill Riesling 2022

From the rather lofty altitude of 510 metres in the Clare Valley, this exciting Riesling is from one of the...

Bec Hardy Garden Series Shiraz McLaren Vale 2022

McLaren Vale Shiraz from a superb vintage, this is cracking value and delicious drinking. After destemming and then fermentation in...
paringa shiraz front fx

Paringa Shiraz 2022

We have seen enough vintages of this wine in recent years to know that the combination of value and flavour...
BW Indigo Vineyard Chardonnay DV

Brokenwood Indigo Vineyard Beechworth Chardonnay 2023

It is a very long time since this region had just one superstar performer and a number of wannabees. Now...
BW Shiraz Hunter Valley DV (no background)

Brokenwood Shiraz Hunter Valley 2022

Many will remember this wine from years gone by, when it was a high quality quaffer and bargain buying. Someone...
BW Rayner Vineyard Shiraz DV HR

Brokenwood Rayner Vineyard McLaren Vale Shiraz 2022

In the Hunter, 2021 and 2022 were both excellent vintages with the more recent year considered the better of the...
BW Stanleigh Park Vineyard Semillon DV

Brokenwood Stanleigh Park Vineyard Semillon 2022

This is the first release of a single vineyard Semillon from this estate, situated in the Lovedale sub-region, since 2013....
Mania Pinot NV

Mania Pinot Noir 2023

From the Tamar Valley region in Tasmania, fermentation is with wild yeasts, followed by maturation for ten months in French...
RIESLING

Woods Crampton Riesling 2023

The fruit for this fresh and attractive Riesling is sourced from three higher altitude vineyards in the Eden Valley, around...
Fontavera delle Venezie DOC Pinot Grigio

Fontavera delle Venezia Pinot Grigio 2023

Brightly coloured and fun label for this organic Pinot Grigio, from vineyards at the foothills of the Alps. Whole bunch...
Barossa Valley Shiraz

Woods Crampton Barossa Shiraz 2022

The fruit here is from a single, low yielding and dry grown vineyard situated in Eden Valley. Cold soaking and...
Mania Chadonnay

Mania Chardonnay 2022

From a single vineyard in the Tamar Valley, this is cracking value. Whole bunch pressing to older French oak, for...
El Payador Malbec NV

El Peyador Malbec 2023

Mendoza Malbec is a crowd-pleasing style. Specifically, 60% from the Lujan de Cuyo sub-region and the remainder from the Uco...
Brandini Alta Langa DOCG Brut

Brandini Alta Langa Brut Metodo Classico DOCG 2019

The region now has something like 65 producers, from barely anything not so long ago. It is not often one...
Brandini Barolo Annunziata DOCG

Brandini Barolo Annunziata DOCG 2018

From a wonderfully elegant vintage, this is a single vineyard Barolo from the La Morra sub-region. Fermentation in stainless steel,...
Ghostgum Pinot Noir Web Square

Southern Light Vineyards Ghostgum Pinot Noir 2022

The four blocks of Pinot Noir were planted between 1994 and 2021. Cropping is deliberately kept extremely low to encourage...
Ghostgum Chardonnay Web Square

Southern Light Vineyards Ghostgum Chardonnay 2022

A relatively new operation out of Mornington Peninsula, the Main Ridge sub-region, which is producing some seriously good wines. The...
DSW Mars Express Shiraz ST bottle shot

Dewey Station The Mars Express Shiraz 2022

From a mix of Barossa vineyards, 40% Altona and 60% Ebenezer, with nine months maturation in a mix of French...
DSW Venus Express GSM ST bottle shot

Dewey Station The Venus Express GSM 2021

My pick of the Dewey Station trio. A mix of 65% Grenache, 27.5% Shiraz and 7.5% Mataro from a range...
shiraz

O’Leary Walker Polish Hill River Armagh Shiraz 2022

The fruit here is sourced from two of the most exciting sub-regions in the Clare Valley, Armagh and the Polish...
chardonnay nv

Holm Oak Chardonnay 2023

The fruit for this fine Tasmanian Chardonnay was sourced from two discrete blocks (three different clones) and gently pressed, before...
wizard chardonnay nv

Holm Oak The Wizard Chardonnay 2023

A step-up here, and vintage conditions allowed the team to increase production of their prestige Chardonnay to six barrels (five...
Stockmans Ridge Signature Range Left Bank

Stockman’s Ridge Signature Range Left Bank 2022

From Orange, this wine pays homage to the wonderful Left Bank Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant wines from Bordeaux. It is a blend...

Stories

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...
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...
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