Taste some of the best of the Tamar at one venue

If you love cool-climate wine and happen to be in Tasmania this weekend then you are in luck.

Many of the top producers from the north of the state will be offering their wares for tasting on Saturday at the Exeter Showgrounds in the Tamar Valley.

After a successful inaugural event in 2025, Taste of the Tamar returns.

The event is Once again organised by Tamar Valley Wine - with support from the West Tamar Council and Visit Northern Tasmania.

"We’re coming back bigger and better to sip, taste and celebrate the very best of the Tamar Valley," organisers say.

The event runs from 11:30am to 6:30pm with entry $20 plus booking fee.

A reusable $5 tasting glass will be available to purchase on site.

A range of masterclasses will also be on offer including Launceston Gastronomy' Wine and Food Pairing, and Pinot Noir and Chocolate: The Perfect Pairing

Wineries big and small will be on site, including sparkling specialists Clove Hill and Jansz, as well as Velo, Dalrymple, Grey Sands, Small Wonder, Moores Hill and Westella.

There will be wide range of food stalls on site and a program of live music acts

 

See https://www.tamarvalleywine.com.au/taste-the-tamar

Melbourne's new bar "for when you are not ready to go home"

Melbourne has no shortage of late-night drinking spots but here comes another one. 

edition Group will open Back of House on Friday night, Friday the 13th. 

It is promoted as a venue that pairs vinyl spinning DJs with noughties-classic cocktails with an Italian edge, and the kind of food chefs eat after a night out.

Back of House is tucked down Mornane Lane behind Florentino, off Bourke Street in the Melbourne CBD in the space previously home to Arlechin. 

Rebecca Yazbek, founder and CEO of edition Group, is upbeat about the new opening. 

“We wanted to add some mischief to the area," she says. "Florentino is about tradition and Back of House is the other side of that - the place you end up when you’re not ready to go home. 

"Melbourne is such a lively city, and we’re excited to add a late-night spot that’s fun and unpretentious, with great music, and drinks and food you actually want at midnight.”

The fitout is by Melbourne design studio Foolscap Studio, led by Adele Winteridge. 

The centrepiece is one long bar with an integrated DJ booth. 

DJs will perform from 6pm Thursday to Sunday, with the weekly line-up posted on Instagram. The records, curated by Fitzroy’s Plug Seven Records, range from soul to boogie with a sprinkle of Italo disco (oh dear!). 

edition’s group bars manager Felix Woods has drawn on the cocktails of the early 2000s for the drinks list, which follows the shape of a night out across four sections: Knock Off, Sit Back, Kick On and Wind Down.

“The inspiration behind the drinks is noughties classics with an Italian edge, bright and fun, simple construction with big, bold flavours. They’re drinks made for the dance floor. Drinks that drive a wedge between work and play,” said Woods.

In the kitchen, edition’s group culinary director Michael Greenlaw has built a menu "that’s fun, a little indulgent, generous and made for sharing".

“The menu is inspired by the food chefs enjoy after a night out, heavy on the cheese, big on the chilli and with a good amount of deep frying, says Greenlaw. "There’s even an ice cream sandwich with a completely unnecessary amount of whipped cream.” 

Sweet toothed patrons certainly might enjoy the Strawberry Campari Ice Cream Sandwich (above), while an early menu favourite of the Back of House team is deep-fried lasagne. 

It sits alongside saffron prawn toast with parsley, lemon and citrus salt; crispy mozzarella ravioli with vodka sauce; osso buco croquettes with gremolata; tinned fish with garlic bread, and fries with ‘pizza’ seasoning and pecorino.

For something more substantial there’s a meatball ciabatta with San Marzano tomato, basil pesto and lots of cheese. 

Back of House will be open from 5pm-1am Sunday to Thursday and 5pm-3am Friday-Saturday. No bookings, walk-ins only. For more information visit boh.melbourne 

New tour combines cycling and barging the lagoons of Venice

Is Venice on your bucket list? 

New for the 2027 season, UTracks has launched a summer-only bike and boat holiday through the islands and waterways of Venice aboard a fully air-conditioned electric barge.

The eight-day Venetian Islands Bike & Boat Premium Electric holiday combines cycling, island hopping and relaxed cruising through the fishing villages and waterways of the Venetian Lagoon.

Days are spent on mainly flat paths and quiet roads, exploring Burano, Murano, Pellestrina and Sant’Erasmo. There is also time to swim in the Adriatic or stretch out on a sandy beach.

Travellers spend seven nights aboard the Ave Maria Portegrandi, a modern electric barge designed for quieter, lower-emission cruising. 

With a maximum of 24 guests, it features a panoramic saloon, outdoor sundeck and onboard dining showcasing traditional Italian dishes and regional ingredients.

UTracks general manager Kate Baker said the trip offers a different way for Australians to enjoy one of Europe's most popular destinations.

“Europe is still hugely appealing at this time of year, but travellers are far more conscious of the heat and how it affects their holiday,” Baker said.

“With this itinerary, you can explore Venice's colourful islands by bike, stop for a swim in the Adriatic and return to the comfort of your floating accommodation.”

Departures will run from June 26 to August 14 with English-speaking tour leaders. 

https://www.utracks.com/Italy/Bike-Barge/Venetian-Islands-Bike-Boat-Premium-Electric

Tomich serves up its new tasting facility

There is a new name in a familiar space with Tomich Wines opening their new tasting room in the Adelaide Hills. 

The Tomich family is the new owner of the former Nepenthe cellar door and vineyard in Balhannah - and it will reopen from Saturday as The Crest at Tomich.

It's in an easy spot to access: Shaw + Smith is across the road, The Lane is next door and Hahndorf is five minutes away, Randal Tomich reported on LinkedIn..

The property was once Balcrest, where Alfred E. Haigh of Haigh’s Chocolates ran a horse stud in the 1930s. Hence the new name.

"Four generations ago, our family put vines in the ground," Tomich Wines said . "This week we begin a new chapter."

"We’re investing in the Adelaide Hills, in South Australian wine and in the local economy that depends on both. The whole existing team is staying with us, because you don’t buy a place like this and leave its heart behind.

"[Third-generation winemaker] Jack [Tomich} and the winemaking team gain new cool-climate parcels of pinot noir and chardonnay. And we get to look after a piece of South Australian history."

The Tomich family will still operate in its tasting facility on King William Road in the Adelaide suburb of Unley. 

Nepenthe no longer has a cellar door but its wines can be purchased online. 

See https://tomich.com.au/ - but they need to update the website to reflect the latest news. 

Burgundy winemakers optimistic for 2026

Despite the hottest and driest vintage on record, Burgundy winemakers are predicting 2026 will produce outstanding wines.

Harvesting began as early as August 8 - the earliest on record in the region - in the Mâconnais for Crémant de Bourgogne, following unprecedented weather conditions but although heat and drought reduced yields, quality looks promising. 

Initial tastings from some of the world's great chardonnay and pinot noir vineyards reveal wines of remarkable aromatic purity, bursting with flavour and already displaying a fine balance, industry group the Bourgogne Wine Board reported. 

First tastings showed "wines of remarkable aromatic purity, bursting with flavour and already displaying a fine balance. The white wines stand out for their roundness and suppleness". 

They added: "Winegrowers across the region agree: the reds are magnificent. They combine intensity and aromatic richness with harmonious structure and beautifully maintained balance". 

"We look back at a year unlike any other, in which adaptability was the watchword for Bourgogne winegrowers".

New partnership will see Accor rock hard

 

Global hotel giant Accor and Hard Rock International are joining together for global partnership covering loyalty, distribution, and international development.

The partnership is being promoted as enhancing the loyalty programs for both ALL Accor and Unity members, while broadening Hard Rock's distribution network. 

In addition, Ennismore, a fast-growing lifestyle hospitality company, will provide development and operational support, strengthening the growth opportunities for the Hard Rock brand portfolio. 

Guests can already experience the benefits of this partnership at Hard Rock Hotel New York, an iconic destination that reflects the energy and hospitality of the global brand

Hotels within the Hard Rock brand portfolio, including Hard Rock Hotels, Reverb by Hard Rock, Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos, and Hard Rock Hotel & Residences, will have the option to join the globally renowned ALL Accor distribution and loyalty platform, gaining access to over 125 million ALL Accor members worldwide. 

Accor will connect participating Hard Rock hotels to its global sales and distribution network, broadening the brand's reach, while Hard Rock continues to operate its own direct marketing and distribution channels.

“Hard Rock has always believed in the power of music, entertainment and hospitality to bring people together, and this partnership carries that spirit to more guests, in more places, than ever before,” said Jim Allen, chief executive officer of Hard Rock International. 

“Together with Accor and Ennismore, we are opening a new chapter for our brand, one that will introduce Hard Rock to exciting new destinations around the world and give Unity by Hard Rock members expanded access, reciprocal benefits and unforgettable new ways to experience our resorts.”

Image: Hard Rock Hotel New York lobby. Supplied