Get in line: upgraded Kew hotel

One of suburban Melbourne's few international hotels has undergone multi-million-dollar refurbishment.

The Sebel Melbourne Kew is transitioning to a "design-led hotel offering premium apartment-style accommodation".

Designed by Mel Porter Design, the interiors draw inspiration from the elegant, leafy suburb where it sits - Kew.

The new-look hotel features a full lobby upgrade and an enhancement of guest rooms and corridors.

The works have span all key areas of the hotel, including an improved arrival experience, alongside refreshed public spaces.

Guest rooms and apartments have new furnishings, updated lighting and new tech.

“The transformation of The Sebel Melbourne Kew marks an exciting new chapter for Regional Accommodation Group," says group managing director Dominic Quilligan.

"Our aim was to create a contemporary, comfortable environment where guests can relax, work and feel at home. We've taken care to ensure the refurbishment not only aligns with The Sebel and Accor brand standards but also reflects the unique character of Kew.

"The result is a hotel that delivers a premium guest experience while remaining authentic to its local surroundings.”

The hotel is ideal for those seeking proximity to the CBD and MCG without being in the city.

For more info visit ALL.com.

* The Sebel brand comprises over 30 properties across Australia, New Zealand, and China. www.thesebel.com.

All white on the night: surprising Kiwi wine stats

New Zealand wine is an economic powerhouse. 

Kiwi wines are exported to more than 100 countries and wine is New Zealand’s seventh-largest export. 

But the world isn't drinking much Central Otago pinot noir, or Hawke's Bay syrah. 

White wine accounts for approximately 95% of New Zealand’s global wine exports - an astonishing figure. Sauvignon blanc remains the country’s most exported variety, with pinot gris and chardonnay building up steam. 

Half the cash spent by Aussies on sauvignon blanc is on wine from New Zealand. That means Aussies drink more Kiwi savvy blanc than Aussie-produced savvy. 

Wine lovers worldwide are being invited to celebrate New Zealand’s white wines this May, marking three international wine days with a global salute. 

The Pour Yourself a Glass of New Zealand campaign will see tasting and activations around the globe. 

Timed to coincide with International Sauvignon Blanc Day (May 1), International Pinot Gris Day (May 17) and International Chardonnay Day (May 21 ), the campaign aims to shine a light on New Zealand’s signature white wine styles. 

“New Zealand has built a global reputation for producing refreshing, expressive, high‑quality white wines,” says Charlotte Read, general manager brand (what does that even mean?), New Zealand Winegrowers. 

“From sauvignon blanc to pinot gris and chardonnay, these wines reflect both the diversity of our regions and a modern approach to winemaking.”

Wine lovers are encouraged to join the celebration using #pouryourselfaglassofNZ, #greatwhitewinetoast, #whitewineemoji and #nzwine as social media hashtags.

For more info see www.nzwine.com/en/trade/glassofnz

The campaign also builds awareness ahead of Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand 2027, New Zealand’s flagship international wine event (February 2-4 2027). www.sauvignonnz.com. 

New resort offers a slice of rural Bali

The wait is finally over.

Almost 12 months after it was originally due to open, Accor has finally confirmed the opening of the long-awaited Novotel Bali Ubud Resort in Bali.

The resort is designed as a rural escape, 30 minutes from the centre of Ubud's vibrant centre, it is also close to the mountainous Kintamani district, and Mount Batur.

"Guests are invited to embrace a more balanced rhythm of travel - where nature, culture and modern comfort come together to support renewed energy and wellbeing," the hotel's promotional material says.

The design features hand-crafted Balinese artwork and natural textures.

Each of the 159 rooms features a private balcony overlooking forest vistas or the infinity pool.

Families and longer-stay guests can opt for larger configurations that offer added space and flexibility.

Dining experiences include Siralada, named after the Balinese words for salt and pepper, which "celebrates traditional heritage while embracing bold international flavours with Asian influences".

The Social Hub, located in the lobby, provides a welcoming space for relaxed moments with nutritious bites and refreshing drinks.

The resort offers a spa, a fitness centre, infinity pools with jungle panoramas, and a dedicated kids' playground.

Excursion offerings include cycling through scenic villages and trekking to the sunrise view of Mount Batur, to water rafting, waterfall explorations, Balinese dance lessons and Kwangen decoration. workshops.

Daily wellness rituals include yoga and meditation sessions, while guests can also enjoy private Balinese cooking classes.

“Travellers today are seeking balance, wellbeing, and authentic connections to the destinations they visit," says Garth Simmons, Chief Operating Officer, Premium, Midscale & Economy Division for Accor in Asia.

"Novotel has always created spaces where guests can recharge, reconnect, and experience life at their own rhythm. With the opening of Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, we are introducing this contemporary approach to one of the world's most culturally rich and naturally inspiring destinations. 

"Indonesia remains a key market for Accor, and this opening reflects both our confidence in its tourism growth and our commitment to experiences that resonate with the evolving needs of modern travellers.”

To celebrate its opening, Novotel Bali Ubud Resort is offering a special rate starting from IDR 2,300,000++ per room ($186++) per night in a superior room, inclusive of breakfast for two. This offer is valid for bookings made until April 30 for stays until June 30.

For more info or to make a reservation, visit https://all.accor.com/hotel/A222.

Gibson sees an Italian accent as the way forward for the Barossa

Experienced Barossa viticulturist and wine producer Rob Gibson knows the industry needs to change.

For Gibson that means incorporating grapes more suited to increasingly warm regions to the usual varietals in Australia.

Gibson Wines has just released The Prospect, a shiraz montepulciano blend from the 2023 vintage.

It is a deliberate response to a rapidly warming Barossa - and contemporary tastes.

“The future comes every new vintage… challenging our skills and adaptability,” says Gibson.

"Warmer seasons and compressed harvests are no longer outliers. They are the working conditions."

For Gibson, blending has become a practical tool for resilience.

“As a viticulturist we try and predict the unpredictable," he said. "There is no crystal ball for the future. Gut instinct and experience lead the way.

"Montepulciano plays a central role. It holds structure and freshness through heat, bringing lift and savoury tension to shiraz’s depth and familiarity.

"Together, the varieties deliver clarity and balance without excess weight. The blend of shiraz and montepulciano reflects the cooler style of Barossa.

“The Prospect was born from a restless curiosity, seeking continued improvement in what we do and what we produce. 

”This is not experimentation for novelty’s sake. It is refinement. A wine built with the realities of climate in mind and with confidence in where the region is heading."

I've asked to try it, and will report back. 

The Prospect Shiraz Montepulciano 2023 is available now for $40 through Gibson Wines at https://gibsonwines.com.au/

Y Series links with American sports powerhouse

It seems like an unlikely collaboration: the behemoths of the National Football League in the US and leading Australian wine producers the Hill-Smith family.

Unlikely, but still a thing.

South Australian brand Y Series (Hill-Smith Family Estates) was today named as Official Wine of the NFL in Australia and New Zealand, marking the NFL’s first-ever wine partnership in Australia and Y Series’ largest sporting deal to date.

The multi-year agreement includes Y Series as Official Wine Partner of the 2026 NFL game in Melbourne on September 11 this year, including game day activations, in-game branding and game day pours at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

A limited-edition Y Series x NFL wine range will be available nationally later this year, along with a consumer promotion offering two Australian fans the opportunity to attend Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles next February.

Y Series, for those not familiar, is a range of wines in the $15-16 price range that offer excellent value for money.

Karl Martin, Chief Executive Officer of Hill-Smith Family Estates, said the partnership with the NFL marks a long-term play for the future of the brand, "tapping into one of the world’s most powerful entertainment platforms to drive cultural relevance and growth".

“This partnership with the NFL puts Y Series right where people want us - in big moments, shared rituals and time spent together. It’s about bringing wine into high-energy environments and showing up as part of how people celebrate, connect and unwind, on game day and beyond.”

Charlotte Offord, general manager of NFL Australia and New Zealand. said: “As we continue building towards our first-ever regular season game this September, we’re proud to be joining forces with Y Series to bring great Australian wine to the heart of game day." 

New home for Vivid Sydney's culinary showpiece

 The Vivid Sydney festival is about more than art and colour.

Food lovers are also catered for at Vivid Fire Kitchen, now in a new waterfront home in Barangaroo Reserve.

The culinary showpiece is being positioned as one of the centrepieces of Vivid Sydney 2026 with over 60 culinary voices and two new focal points, The Vivid Fire Pit and the Food for Thought stage.

Running every night of Vivid Sydney from May 22 to June 13 from 6-11pm, the free entry Vivid Fire Kitchen is being promoted as "a vibrant, casual dining hub inspired by the great Aussie backyard".

Highlights will include open-fire cooking demonstrations, talks, tastings and live music.

Vivid Sydney festival director Brett Sheehy promises: “Vivid Fire Kitchen has been reimagined for 2026 as a place you can return to again and again and have a different experience each night.

"Moving to Barangaroo Reserve and expanding the program has allowed us to bring together more voices, more ideas and more ways for audiences to engage with food - from open‑fire cooking and talks to tastings, music and light.

"With rotating chefs, themed nights and new stages, no two evenings are the same, and that sense of discovery is at the heart of what Vivid Sydney is about.”

The Vivid Fire Pit line-up features culinary heavyweights and rising stars including Mark Best, David Moyle, and Mark La Brooy.

Mark Best, executive chef of Infinity by Mark Best and featured Vivid Fire Pit chef on Saturday, May 30, says: “The Fire Pit is an opportunity to explore why cooking over flame is so special - it's elemental, expressive and deeply connected to place. Fire strips cooking back to its essentials and opens space for instinct, memory and collaboration."

The Food for Thought stage will focus on culture, creativity, sustainability and the future of food, brining together chefs, authors, restaurateurs, celebrity cooks and digital storytellers.

Featured Food for Thought panel hosts and guest chefs include Luke Mangan, Mike Bennie, Gary Walsh, Julie Goodwin, Adriano Zumbo and Emelia Jackson.

See https://www.vividsydney.com/vivid-fire-kitchen