Penfolds unveils new collection from four corners of the globe

 

The invitations drop in late April. Hardly anyone declines. 

The Penfolds Collection 2026 Preview Tasting is one of the major wine tastings of the year. 

But attendees, brilliantly looked after, have certain rules that must be followed. 

Tastings are conducted by chief winemaker Peter Gago (below) and his team around the world. 

Australian trade media, journalists and educators tasted in Adelaide in June - at EOS by Sky City and then at Magill Estate. 

Others sniffed, sipped and spat in London, New York and Paris. The wines will be released on August 6. 

All of us who attended the tastings were all sworn to secrecy. No tasting notes to be published until today’s deadline. No sneaky social media bottle images.  

Everyone has had time to consider their notes - and thoughts. The 99s and 98s will flow freely today. Probably a 100 or two. 

What struck me most about the tasting was the way the Penfolds style is now reflected across a global range of wines: from the US to France and China. 

The bold and rich Bordeaux-style 2023 FWT (French Winemaking Trial) 585 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Petit Verdot shines, while the immediately approachable 2024 CWT (Chinese Winemaking Trial) Bin 521, a blend of cabernet and marselan, is absolutely outstanding and a tribute to the winemaking skills across the team.

“No longer a novelty, no fancy wordsmithing – all of these wines are unmistakably Penfolds, sourced from different hemispheres,” says Gago.

This year’s domestic release is anchored by the 75th Anniversary of Grange, with the outstanding 2022 released this year - as usual as a wine with four years of bottle age.

“The 2022 Grange assuredly authenticates its flagship role and 75th anniversary credentials," says Gago. "No pressure. Both timely and lucky - to avail such a stellar vintage in such a symbolic year.”

Marking three-quarters of a century since its first experimental vintage in 1951, the anniversary release pays tribute to Grange’s evolution from an experimental wine crafted by Penfolds maiden chief
winemaker, Max Schubert, to a global icon.

 


We lucky invitees were also able to taste several back vintages of Grange, all with that unmistakable line of quality. The imperious new release comprises 85% Barossa fruit, aided by McLaren Vale and Coonawarra material.  

Inky, rich, sumptuous. Take your pick of adjectives.

For those who do not have a grand to drop on a bottle, I can recommend the fulsome and inviting 2024 Magill Estate Shiraz and the brilliant 2023 St Henri Shiraz. 

The other stars of the release include brilliantly balanced cabernet sauvignons. The complex and fine 2024 Penfolds Bin 707 and its younger sibling Bin 407 - a definite cellar prospect - serve as outstanding examples of multi-regional South Australian blends.

For chardonnay lovers Yattarna and Bin 311, both from 2024, are both wines of purity and definition, while the 2025 Bin 23 Pinot Noir is arguably the best release of that wine yet.

"Nothing stands still," Gago says. Yet through thick and thin, across the years, these Collection wines stand tall." 

 

He's right.  

See www.penfolds.com.  

New luxury lodge to elevate the Saddles experience

Multi millionaire advertising mogul John Singleton is splashing out on The Grand Saddles Lodge, which will open this spring on NSW’s Central Coast. 

The opening will marking a new chapter for Saddles Mount White.

The luxury retreat will bring together "20 private villas, exceptional dining, an elegant piano bar, a restorative day spa and bespoke local experiences". 

The work aims to transform the Saddles precinct into a complete luxury destination where guests can stay, dine and reconnect with nature.

Saddles is Just under an hour from Sydney, where bushland meets the waterways of the Hawkesbury and the Central Coast begins. 

Set opposite the The Homestead at Saddles restaurant, The Lodge aims to offer "thoughtful luxury". 

Designed by Michelle Leslie alongside White + Dickson Architects, The Lodge seeks to reflect Singleton's appreciation for hospitality and his connection to the region. 

Hidden among the trees, The Lodge's villas have been conceived as peaceful retreats. Each villa features separate living spaces, an open fireplace, private terrace and plunge pool, while a communal infinity pool and pool bar overlook the surrounding bushland.

Located within the main building at The Lodge, the restaurant will showcase the best of Australian produce, while evening activities will centre on Ned's, an intimate Art Deco-inspired piano bar. 

Beyond The Lodge, guests can wander walking trails through the surrounding bushland, visit nearby oyster farms, or explore the Hawkesbury River. 

Bookings for The Grand Saddles Lodge will open this spring.

Image: Ryan Linnegar

Action at last against train baggage bastardry

Don't you hate it when people put their bags on the seat next to them on a busy train?

And don't you hate it even more when they look the other way, or pretend to be asleep, when you need a seat? 

 
Dutch rail operator NS is striking back at the baggage bandits, introducing new luggage rules prohibiting passengers from placing bags on seats, even when trains are largely empty, news hub Travel Mole reports.

Travellers could previously use an empty seat for hand luggage but were expected to move their belongings if another passenger needed the seat. But people behave badly.

Under the revised policy, bags must now be kept on passengers’ laps or stored in the train’s luggage racks at all times.

The rail operator said the initial focus will be on educating passengers rather than enforcement. Posters will be displayed across the network, and conductors will remind travellers of the new rules. No fines will be issued for violations. For now. 

NS said the move is intended to tackle the growing problem of passengers occupying seats with luggage, particularly during busy commuting periods when available seating is limited.

The operator also noted that travellers are increasingly reluctant to ask others to move their bags, citing rising levels of aggression on public transport and in society more broadly.

Passenger advocacy group Rover welcomed the change, describing bags on seats as one of the most common complaints from rail users.

“It ranks among the top three frustrations for travellers,” Rover director Daan Zieren told Dutch broadcaster NOS.

He said passengers previously tended to remove their bags when trains became crowded, but that behaviour has become less common.

“Many people now pretend not to notice other passengers by looking out the window, while some simply refuse to move their bags,” he said.

Horizontal Festival expands its offering

Horizontal Festival has unveiled the full program for its 2026 return to Centennial Vineyards in the New South Wales Southern Highlands. 

The three-day event brings together chefs, winemakers, producers, musicians and makers for a long weekend celebrating the state's food and wine culture.

Running from October 2-4, the spring festival invites guests to move beyond the traditional food and wine festival experience with a program of tastings, conversations, immersive culinary experiences, live music, art and community events set among the vineyards of Bowral.

Named after the wine world's concept of a horizontal tasting, where different wines of the same vintage are explored side by side, Horizontal Festival is built around discovery. 

Throughout the weekend, guests will be encouraged to compare, question and connect, exploring the people, places and stories that shape every glass, every plate and every conversation.

Festival Creator and Director Amanda Fry said this year's program reflects the festival's ambition to create experiences that bring people closer to the food they eat, the wine they drink and the people behind them.

"The idea behind Horizontal Festival has always been simple: slow down, gather together and discover something new," Fry says. "We want people to taste wines they've never tried, meet producers they've never heard of and sit around tables where conversations happen naturally.

"This year's program is our most ambitious yet. It celebrates the extraordinary diversity of New South Wales through food, wine, music and shared experiences, but above all it's about creating moments of connection that people will remember long after the weekend is over."

New to the festival this year is Wine & Conversation, hosted by wine writer Nick Ryan. 

Across the festival hub, more than 80 wineries, distilleries, breweries and artisan producers will attend, including Bimbadgen, Lerida Estate, Dawning Day, Bilpin Cider, Bread & Brewery, Ester Spirits, Millsheds Distillery, Black Gate Distillery and Nine Circles Distillery, alongside gourmet food experiences from Amigos Food Truck, Fire 2 Flare, The Pines Gelato, Artisan Delish Salami, Sacred Sydney Honey, The Oyster Experience, Berry Donut Van and PhycoHealth.

Food luminaries include Matt Moran, Mark Best, Lyndey Milan and Argentine grill master Francis Mallmann. 

Tickets and full details at www.horizontalfestival.com.au 

Where to find global insider tips on where to eat

Tip  

Surely the last thing the world needs in another restaurant app?

Well, yes and no.

World of Mouth has just launched WoM Concierge - a new restaurant discovery tool that aims to help food-loving travellers find restaurants recommended by more than 800 chefs, food writers, restaurateurs and sommeliers around the world.

Instead of relying on anonymous ratings or popularity rankings compiled by diners with dubious tastes, Concierge is deisgned to let users describe what they are looking for and receive recommendations backed by named experts whose taste they can trust.

The expert network includes names such as Albert Adrià, Massimo Bottura, Will Guidara and Ana Roš. Impressive.

It came up a little short when I asked for seafood dining in Hobart, but it did come up with my long-time favourite Juveniles as an option when I asked for a Paris wine bar choice, and it named the excellent Saint Peter for a fish dinner recommendation in Sydney.

World of Mouth boasts that it starts from a different place: the person behind the recommendation
matters.

WoM Concierge is a restaurant discovery chat built on recommendations from more than 800 experts - food writers, chefs, restaurateurs and sommeliers around the world. 

"Twenty years ago, when you landed in a new city, you called the one person who knew where to eat," says Kenneth Nars, creative director and co-founder of World of Mouth. 

"We wanted to re-create that on a global scale. The technology is new, but the behaviour is ancient." 

So ask where to eat pizza in Naples (just about anywhere is the right answer), and the Concierge might point you to 10 Diego Vitagliano - one of Massimo Bottura's favourite pizzerias, and tell you why it stands out. 

Ask for a natural wine bar near Tokyo Station or a traditional spot in Lisbon, and you'll get considered recommendations. 

"Asking WoM Concierge where to eat feels surprisingly personal - it's like asking a chef friend who knows all the best places," says Santiago Lastra, chef patron at KOL in London.

The core idea is simple: some of the world's leading voices in food are now one question away. But looking at bigger cities get better answers right now.

"We've been building our expert community for years, and it's based on a shared mission," says CEO says Saku Tuominen. "We want to give visibility to places that deserve to be seen, not to the ones that pay for it.

"With Concierge, we can now do that in a far more personal and useful way."

At launch, Concierge is free to try in a web browser and works anywhere in the world. Check out www.worldofmouth.app

Australians continue their love affair with Hong Kong

Australian travellers have long had a love affair with Hong Kong - and it shows no signs of ending. 

Australian arrivals to Hong Kong have continued to grow year-on-year with the latest Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) statistics for January-June 2026 showing a 20% lift. 

A total of 267,000 Aussies headed to Honkers. 

January 2026 saw the biggest increase of 32% with 71,000 Australian visitors heading to Hong Kong in that month alone, continuing the momentum of late 2025. 

The Hong Kong Sevens and Easter break saw a strong-performing April with 55,000 Australian travellers; June was also a highlight month for market growth with a 24% jump.

HKTB director for Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific, Karen Macmillan, said: “After seeing a double-digit increase year-on-year in 2025 for Australian and New Zealand visitors to Hong Kong, it’s really pleasing to see this growth continue from such a competitive base.

“Known as ‘Asia’s World City’, Hong Kong’s year-round event calendar, as well as HKTB’s positioning of the destination as a diverse hub for extended stopovers and longer stays, saw overnight arrivals from Australia increase by 17% over the same period, and 11% from New Zealand.

“Hong Kong is already known for its world-class dining, shopping and accommodating offering, but we’ve also been working to communicate its breadth of outdoor experiences such as hiking trails and island hopping, as well as its incredible cultural offering and unique festivals.” 

Globally, HKTB registered a year-on-year increase of 13%, with 26.7 million visitors for the first half of 2026.

To stay updated on what’s happening in Hong Kong, visit www.discoverhongkong.com

Image: Victoria Harbour Sunset, John Huang