Australian winemakers are coming up rosé

 

It is not that long ago that rosé wines were something of a distraction for many Australian winemakers. 

A batch of leftover grenache, or shiraz: "fine, let's make a simple, sweet pink wine for the ladies to enjoy at cellar door". 

In the wake of the continued success of pale savoury rosés from Provence, however, Australia is now producing rosé wines in a variety of styles; most of them dry, some of them very stylish indeed. 

Sydney PR company Blend PR recently week put on a Zoom tasting of four new wave rosés, one each from Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia, all made from different grape blends, but all super food friendly. 

The wines featured were the 2023 Marchand & Burch, Oliver's Taranga and De Iullis Wines releases and the 2022 Yarra Valley rosé from Handpicked Wines.

It is an indication of just how seriously rosé is being taken nowadays that winemakers Nic Bowen, Corrina Wright, Mike De Iulliis and Peter Dillon all joined for the tasting. 

All four wines sit at between $28-30 on retail shelves and all are certainly worth a look. The two wines that saw oak, the Marchand & Burch and Handpicked, are candidates for short-term cellaring, while the other pair were ready to be enjoyed the day they were bottled.

The Marchand and Burch 2023 Villages Rosé is a pale and crisp blend of grenache, pinot noir and shiraz from the Swan Valley, Great Southern and Margaret River. 

The Handpicked Regional Selection 2022 Yarra Valley Rosé is 100% sangiovese from the Yarra and is aromatic with mineral notes.

Oliver's Taranga 2023 Chica Rosé is a savoury blend of McLaren Vale shiraz and mencia (with fiano lees in the ferment to add texture and complexity). 

The crisp, zippy De Iuliis 2023 Estate Rosé is 60% shiraz, 40% merlot, all from the Hunter Valley.   

"Rosé really was an afterthought for a very long time," says winemaker Mike de Iuliis. "Now it is given serious consideration. We used to make rosé from crap shiraz; now we make 3,000 cases and take it very seriously."

Marchand & Burch winemaker Nic Bowen agrees, saying. "There is a real push now to make rosés of complexity and interest. That said, all rosés should be easy to drink. You don't want anything that is too challenging as rosé is a lifestyle wine."

Peter Dillon from Handpicked tried pinot noir for his rosés but found it too "tutti frutti". "What we want is to make a wine that is savoury and interesting, and sangiovese is perfect for that," he says.

Corinna Wright from Oliver's Taranga says her wine showcases "florals and freshness" despite being from a warmer region. .

All four wines are thoroughly modern in style. Paleish, dryish and savouryish. 

Get some Lebanese takeaway in, and you have an instant feast with any one of the four.           .   

Top image: Agi Gob, Scop.io 

From bombers and bad guys to a new distillery

What was once one of the most notorious addresses in Belfast has been re-born as a whisky distillery.

The A-wing of Crumlin Road jail, which housed key figures during "The Troubles" in Northern Ireland, has been re-launched as a tourism attraction by its American owners.

Earlier this month, the new distilling operation was officially launched following $50 million investment by US-owned Belfast Distillery Company.

The A-wing will soon produce McConnell’s Irish Whisky, with the first bottles made in the facility expected to be available for purchase in 2029.

The launch has seen the revival of the McConnell’s Irish Whisky brand, which had a 150-year history but shut up shop due to the introduction of prohibition in the US in the 1930s.

The McConnell family had an involvement in the Belfast spirits trade dating back to the 18th century.

Joe Babiec, managing director of Belfast Distillery Company, said the final result had “exceeded expectations”.

It is hoped the venture will give tourism a boost in Belfast, with 100,000 visitors expected each year for tastings and tours.

Also known as HM Prison Belfast, and dubbed Europe's Alcatraz, prisoners held at Crumlin Road included future Irish head of state Eamon de Valera, Martin McGuinness, Michael Stone and Bobby Sands.

Major airline offers big apology

As it clears a backlog of around 30,000 delayed bags, Emirates Airline has issued a rare fulsome apology for its failings.

Airline president Sir Tim Clark admitted that the airline had let down its customers through a lack of contingency planning after the United Arab Emirates was last week hit by storms and unprecedented flooding.

"I would like to offer our most sincere apologies to every customer who has had their travel plans disrupted during this time," Clark said.

"On Tuesday, April 16, the UAE experienced its highest rainfall in 75 years.

"Lashing storm winds and rain disrupted activity across the cities. Our 24/7 hub in Dubai remained open, with flight movements reduced for safety, but flooded roads impeded the ability of our customers, pilots, cabin crew, and airport employees to reach the airport, and also the movement of essential supplies like meals and other flight amenities.

"We diverted dozens of flights to avoid the worst of the weather on Tuesday, and over the next three days we had to cancel nearly 400 flights and delay many more, as our hub operations remained challenged by staffing and supply shortages."

The chaos extended to suspending check-in for passengers departing Dubai, implementing an embargo on ticket sales, and temporarily halting connecting passenger traffic from points across the network coming into Dubai.

"We sent over 100 employee volunteers to look after disrupted customers at Dubai Airport departures and in the transit area, prioritising medical cases, the elderly and other vulnerable travellers," Clark said.

"To date, over 12,000 hotel rooms were secured to accommodate disrupted customers in Dubai, 250,000 meal vouchers have been issued, and more quantities of drinking water, blankets, and other amenities."

But a lot of customers were extremely unhappy that Emirates had no plans to deal with the chaos and were left to fend for themselves in the airport. .

"We have put together a taskforce to sort, reconcile, and deliver some 30,000 pieces of left-behind baggage to their owners," Clark said.

"We know our response has been far from perfect. We acknowledge and understand the frustration of our customers due to the congestion, lack of information, and confusion in the terminals. We acknowledge that the long queues and wait times have been unacceptable."

Among the stranded baggage was that of Australians en route to Gallipoli for Anzac Day events. 

Personally, I'm not surprised. A while back I need information and help from Emirates' PR team. The response was underwhelming and I vowed to avoid them, where possible, in the future.

How Accor wants to reward young Indigenous hospitality talent

Accor, the largest hotel operator in Australia, has announced its new Accor Indigenous Hotel Traineeship to provide career pathways and development opportunities for young Indigenous talent.

Created in collaboration with various community and higher education partners, including Yugambeh Regional Aboriginal Corporation Alliance and Busy@Work, the Accor Indigenous Hotel Traineeship aims to redefine career prospects for Indigenous youth in the hospitality industry.

"Our Indigenous Hotel Traineeship is the culmination of significant dedication and support," says 

Accor Pacific Chief Operating Officer PM&E, Adrian Williams. 

"Our commitment to this program goes beyond training and education' it's a labour of love. We offer our trainees infinite avenues for career development and growth, a culture of inclusivity that is open to all, and open pathways to travel and work around the world, while respecting and valuing individual personalities. 

"Through this new traineeship program, we know we'll secure incredible talent who will enjoy a rewarding career with Accor.”

The inaugural group of trainees hails from south east Queensland, specifically the Gold Coast and Brisbane regions, with Accor planning to expand the program across Australia from next year.

Over the course of 12 months, the trainees will participate in a comprehensive full-time hotel-based traineeship, with theoretical components delivered by TAFE Queensland. Upon completion, trainees will complete a Certificate III in Hospitality Operations.

The traineeship offers a blend of classroom instruction and practical experience, with three training days per month, complemented by on-the-job training in various departments.

All trainees will undergo three four-month departmental block rotations in food and beverage, housekeeping, and front office, providing them with a complete understanding of hotel operations.

The Accor Indigenous Hotel Traineeship is aimed at individuals aged 17-25. 

The traineeship program forms part of Accor's Indigenous Careers Program, which has placed more than 2,500 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander team members into positions at Accor since its inception in 2015.

For more information visit careers.accor.com

Champagne? Caviar? Luxury?

 

Champagne? Caviar? A luxury island retreat? 

Luxury lodge Lizard Island in Tropical North Queensland has unveiled plans for a special couple of days over a long weekend in June.

Lizard Island - the northernmost resort on the Great Barrier Reef - will pair with family-owned Champagne Lallier and caviar producer Yarra Valley Caviar over the weekend of June 28-30. 

The weekend will include masterclasses, tastings and leisurely dining events. 

Guests are promised some of the finest vintages of the century-old Champagne house, along with caviar from a sustainable aquaculture farm. 

Renowned ceramicists The McCorry Collection will also be on hand across the weekend. 

Lizard Island general manager Mark Leslie said: "Lallier Champagne and Yarra Caviar are two prestigious culinary products whose producers pride themselves on small-scale, sustainable production, and the proof is in the superior - and thoroughly enjoyable - tasting experience.” 

Lizard Island has 40 suites and villas offering access to white-sand beaches and is a founding member of the Luxury Lodges of Australia collection.

Lallier is a 115-year-old Champagne house with its barrel hall in Ay and production facilities in Oger.

See https://www.lizardisland.com.au/

So you fancy a couple of winter nights in the Hunter Valley vineyards?

Fancy a couple of days in the Hunter Valley over winter?

The Hunter's newest premium accommodation destination, The Lane Retreat, Bimbadgen, has just released a Cosy Escape Package available from now until August 31.

The deal is priced from $243 per night when staying a minimum of two nights in a premium studio retreat and includes breakfast provisions for two people, a wood-fired pizza at Bimbadgen Pizzeria for two, a bottle of Bimbadgen Shiraz, Coco Nib Bon Bon chocolates and late check-out to midday.

The deal is subject to availability and some blackout dates may apply, so it might pay to book sooner rather than later.

The Lane Retreat, Bimbadgen, is set among 15 hectares of vineyards and natural bushlands I've visited and it is impressive. .

It has been developed by property and hospitality group Mulpha Australia and guests also have access to the Mulpha-owned Emma’s Cottage Vineyard boutique winery nearby.

The Lane Retreat offers 60 plush studio retreats with outdoor decks. Each studio retreat has a king bed, a bathroom with double rain head showers and Hunter bathroom amenities, a kitchenette with coffee maker, toaster, microwave and mini bar.

“The Lane Retreat has been designed to offer all the luxury and amenities guests can expect while ensuring the Hunter wine country and the natural environment remain the stars of the show," says Mulpha regional general manager of hospitality, Sophie Andrews.

“It will appeal to anyone looking for a genuinely restful, private retreat to recharge the batteries, as well as for weddings, family functions and corporate retreats just 2 hours’ drive (that's optimistic) from Sydney.

Book online at www.thelaneretreat.com.au