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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.
Schwarz Wine Co The Grower Shiraz NV

Schwarz The Growers Shiraz Barossa Valley 2023

A tribute to the work of the many growers in the Barossa Valley, who contribute so much behind the scenes....
bb rise shiraz

Barton Rise & Barton View Rise Shiraz 2021

From the Barton Rise and Barton View vineyards in the Barossa, yet again we see how good the 2021 vintage...
StJohns RoundPuzzle Shiraz NoVint

St Johns Round Puzzle Shiraz 2022

Another fine Shiraz from Margaret River, this wine shows that it does have the ability to age impressively. Putting a...
StJohnsBrook Shiraz NoVint

St Johns Brook Shiraz 2023

It has been said many times, but Margaret River Shiraz still hides in the shadow of its more famous sibling,...
StJohns Brook SauvignonBlanc NoVint

St Johns Brook Sauvignon Blanc 2024

A Margaret River Savvy, youthful and fresh, with a yellow straw hue. The nose is very much from the tropical...
StJohns RoundPuzzle CabernetSauvignon NoVint

St Johns Round Puzzle Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Well priced Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon should be on the radar of every wine lover. This example is a pleasure...
St Hallett Faith Shiraz

St Hallett Faith Shiraz 2024

Ask a dozen Australian winelovers and critics to name wines which appear, year after year, in their top value lists...
kaesler age of light cabernet sauvignon nv hr

Kaesler Age of Light Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Bordeaux barriques are used for the maturation of this fine, warm climate Cabernet from the Barossa Valley. Under cork, just...
Old vine NV Hi

Kaesler Old Vine Shiraz 2022

Barossa Valley Shiraz from old vine vineyards from one of the better vintages in living memory – what is not...
kaesler woms shiraz cabernet nv hr

Kaesler WOMS Shiraz Cabernet 2022

This the Kaesler interpretation of the great Aussie red blend, Shiraz and Cabernet, both from the Barossa Valley. Here, the...
cooper web

Cooper Burns Livingston Shiraz 2018

This is amazing value. A delicious Barossa Shiraz with some significant cellar time and hailing from one of the great...
Thompson Estate The Specialist Cab Sauv

Thompson Estate The Specialist Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

This is the Estate’s top Cab and hailing from a very fine vintage, much is expected. And much was delivered....
Altus Rise Ascension Shiraz

Altus/Rise Ascension Shiraz 2022

The colour here is a deep crimson/red. The wine is tight, poised and gives evidence of coiled power as the...
Altus Rise Ascension Shiraz

Altus/Rise Ascension Shiraz 2023

The colour here is a vibrant inky purple, while the nose is redolent of chocolate, plums and cassis, supported by...
Thompson Estate Cab Sauv

Thompson Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

A very fine Margaret River Cabernet, revealing, yet again, just why the region is so highly regarded for this variety....
Thompson Estate Shiraz

Thompson Estate Shiraz 2023

Yet another superb vintage in Margaret River – you’d think they’d get sick of them but I’ll wager they never...
Thompson Estate The Specialist Chardonnay

Thompson Estate The Specialist Chardonnay 2024

French oak barriques, a portion new, contribute to the overall class and quality of this seriously good Chardonnay from Margaret...
Thompson Estate Chardonnay

Thompson Estate Chardonnay 2024

Like this a lot. A fine Margaret River Chardy, we can see a small, but well-integrated contribution from quality oak....
Thompson Estate Four Chambers SB

Thompson Estate Four Chambers Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Four Chambers may seem a pleasant, if innocuous name for a range of wines, but it relates back to the...
Pirathon Gold Bottle Transparent

Pirathon Gold Label Shiraz 2021

Gold Label represents the prestige wines in the Pirathon range and has done since 2016. This is from a superb...
Monterra BlueLabel Grenache

Monterra Single Vineyard Grenache 2023

A single vineyard Grenache from the Blewitt Springs sub-region of McLaren Vale, this is a terrific example of what we...
Monterra Trio ShriazMataroGrenache

Monterra Trio McLaren Vale SMG 2022

A Shiraz dominant blend made famous in France’s Rhône and subsequently the great Aussie regions of the Barossa and McLaren...
Monterra DooleVineyard CabSauv

Monterra Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

From the Doole Vineyard in McLaren Vale, this warm climate Cabernet, typically full of flavour, spent time in French oak....
Monterra Reserve BDX

Monterra Reserve BDX 2022

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot from a very fine vintage for the McLaren Vale region, the...

Stories

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...

Duval on Grenache

The name, Duval, is and always will be inextricably linked with Grange. John Duval was chief winemaker at Penfold’s from...
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