Tasmanian family businesses combine to craft unique spirit

Two family owned Tasmanian drinks businesses have collaborated to create a limited-release spirit.

Invercarron Wines and Derwent Distillery have partnered to craft a Late Harvest Pinot Noir Gin.

Located just 12km apart as the crow flies, both producers call the foothills of Mount Dromedary home.

Derwent Distillery’s Robbie Gilligan said the mountain's cool climate and distinctive weather patterns play an important role in shaping the quality and character of both the Invercarron vines and the botanicals used in Derwent Distillery's award-winning spirits.

“The collaboration was inspired by a simple idea: create something exceptional while ensuring nothing goes to waste,” Gilligan told a Destination Southern Tasmania launch.

“Our team spent a couple of days hand-picking pinot noir grapes that mechanical harvesters were unable to reach, fruit growing close to vine posts or too low to the ground.

"Rather than being left behind, these grapes were given a second life.”

Invercarron’s Andrew Jones said the collaboration gave a new destination for grapes that would otherwise have remained to wither on the vine.

“It reflects the shared commitment of both Derwent businesses to quality, sustainability and making the most of every harvest,” he said.

“The fruit had remained on the vine until May, allowing an extended ripening period that intensified both flavour and colour. “rom approximately 120 kilograms of hand-picked grapes, each bunch was carefully sorted, with only the darkest, ripest fruit selected for the final spirit.”

Gilligan said the grapes were then married with a specially developed gin recipe.

“The resulting gin offers aromas of raspberry, ripe strawberry and red cherry, balanced with delicate floral notes of violet," he said.

"Traditional juniper, bright citrus and carefully selected botanicals provide structure and complexity, creating a gin that is both elegant and unmistakably Tasmanian.”

The small-batch release cost $75 for 500ml. 

See https://www.derwentdistillery.com.au/ and https://www.invercarronwines.com.au/

Check out a new series of Sydney wine and food experiences

Looking for some fun wine and food experiences in Sydney?

In the suburb of Willoughby, The Bridgeview Hotel is next month launching Bridgey & Barrel, a new monthly dining series celebrating wines, the story behind each bottle, and food.

To be held every second Thursday in the hotel's classic Dining Room, each event will be hosted by a different winemaker, winery ambassador or industry expert for $89 per person.

The series kicks off on Thursday, September 10, with wine family legends Tyrrell's Wines from Pokolbin in the Hunter Valley.

Guests will enjoy a guided tasting, complemented by a three-course menu from chef Rob Phillips.

The experience continues on October with Clarity Cru Wine Merchants showcasing Mudgee producer First Ridge, known for outstanding Italian varietals, before Audrey Wilkinson takes over on November 12, highlighting the its Hunter Valley drops.

Closing out the year, Clonakilla, one of Australia's leading cool-climate labels, will take the floor on December 10. The Bridgeview Hotel, 580 Willoughby Rd, Willoughby, NSW 2068

Bookings for September are now open HERE

AI bot can help you book the right hotel room

Sick of hearing about AI?

Join the club.

But digital travel platform Agoda has just introduced the Room Grid Bot, an AI-powered chat assistant designed to help travellers decide which room to book.

Available in the Agoda mobile app, the new tool recommends rooms suited to their specific needs.

Agoda says it offers travellers a wide selection of room options when booking a hotel, with room types and offers varying by occupancy, cancellation terms, meal inclusions, and price.

The Room Grid Bot addresses this by using travellers' current search details and the preferences they share in the conversation to recommend the most relevant options.

These recommendations appear directly within the chat, helping travellers narrow down their choices without needing to compare every listing manually.

Bookers can access the bot from the room-selection page after tapping "Select room" on a hotel's property page in the Agoda app. 

They can start a conversation by tapping the "Need help choosing a room? Let AI help you" banner without leaving the room-selection page.

Travellers can ask the bot to find options with specific inclusions, such as free breakfast, or to answer relevant property questions, such as check-in times. The Bot also highlights a "Best pick," helping them identify a suitable room based on their preferences more easily.

Idan Zalzberg, Chief Technology Officer at Agoda, said: "Choosing a hotel is only part of the booking decision. Travelers also need to find the right room for their trip, which can be challenging when many options are available.

"The Room Grid Bot helps narrow down those choices based on what travellers want and need, making it easier to identify and book the room that best suits their trip."

The launch builds on Agoda's growing suite of AI-powered tools across the hotel booking journey. The Property AMA (Ask Me Anything) Bot answers accommodation-specific questions - "can I have a room with balcony?" as travellers check out a property, while the Booking Form Bot addresses common questions during checkout.

* Agoda is owned by Booking Holdings, which is listed in the UN Database of businesses profiting from illegal Israeli settlements.

 

Adults-only Fiji resort offers holiday deal

Fancy a tropical pre- or post-Christmas escape?

If you are looking for a good deal on a luxury retreat, then one of Fiji's top adults-only resorts might be able to tempt you.

Stay five nights at Lomani Island Resort & Spa in Fiji's Mamanuca Islands and pay for four, saving 20% on your accommodation.

The offer includes daily breakfast, an outer-reef snorkelling trip, a dolphin safari, hand-line fishing, a village tour and kava tasting. Guests also receive free wifi, bottled water, evening turndown service and a Lomani beach bag.

The offer is valid for stays from November 1 to December 20, 2026, and January 4 to March 31, 2027. 

It costs from FJ$5440 ($3485) for five nights. But you'll need to book by August 31 using code LIR0726.

See www.lomaniisland.com

Chianti calls out to wine lovers

There can be little argument that Tuscany is one of the most beautiful wine regions on the planet.

Or that sangiovese-driven Chianti Classico is one of the most food friendly red wines.

Wine-loving travellers can experience both from September 10-13 when the delightful small town of Greve in Chianti welcomes the return of Expo Chianti Classico.

Held in the heart of Tuscany, the event is billed as one of the most important events dedicated to the iconic Tuscan wine, the Italian National Tourist Board reports.

Visitors are invited to meet winemakers from across the Chianti Classico territory, taste local wines and discover the vineyards, cellars and traditions behind every glass.

Throughout the festival, Greve comes alive with wine tastings, cultural events, local traditions and opportunities to meet the producers, all surrounded by the beautiful landscapes of the Tuscan countryside.

For more details see https://www.expochianticlassico.com/en

Image: Visit Chianti 

A by Adina offers tech-driven city centre living

 

Location is everything when choosing a hotel.

If you are planning meetings in the Sydney CBD then you probably don't want to be staying in Bondi, or Coogee, nice as those beach suburbs are.

If you want to enjoy Chinatown, the historic Rocks district and the Sydney Opera House, then a hotel in Parramatta is not appropriate.

A by Adina in Sydney is ideally located for just about all the city's main business and tourism destinations. 

It is directly opposite Wynyard station - a 15-minute train ride from the airport - within a short stroll of the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Circular Quay and The Rocks, and there is a light rail stop just 50 metres from the entrance. 

You'll enter via a walkway - with reception located on level 21 of the building. 

The accommodation is apartment style with our cosy, high-tech bedroom adjoining a living area with plenty of space to stretch out and enjoy a movie or a cocktail. We did both. 

The by A by Adina brand was launched by TFE Hotels in 2021 aimed at both corporate and lifestyle travellers. It's like having your own city crash pad. 

Team members are, sadly, known as curators, with each adopting a concierge approach. 

Very good most of them are, too, with the exception of the slow-moving and clearly uninterested breakfast room attendants. It's hard to be grumpy, though, after a night in one of the super comfy Dreamcatcher beds - and the a la carte breakfasts are very good.   

Rooms - ours was  a one-bedroom king apartment - are well thought-out with designer amenities, and clever interior design - you've got to love electric blinds and curtains. 

There's unlimited free wifi, a well-stocked mini bar, coffee machines & pods, a tea selection, Smart TV with Chromecast and plenty of power points and USB sockets. 

There is 24-hour reception, so someone is always on hand, in this case right downstairs from the excellent Dean & Nancy on 22 cocktail bar. 

There is also a swimming pool and fully equipped gym. 

In a first for TFE Hotels, A by Adina is using an integrated control system that seamlessly readies any one of its 194 apartments (82 studio, 104 one-bedroom, eight two-bedroom apartments) with air con and blinds the moment guests commence check in. Nice. 

A by Adina Sydney, 2 Hunter St, Sydney 2000. See https://abyadina.com/en/luxury-hotels/sydney

* The writer was a guest of TFE Hotels