Shardonnay anyone? Brits keen on wine names for their kids

Wine-loving Brits remain keen on giving their children vinous-related names - but their spelling is not always spot on. 

An analysis by trade newsletter the drinks business found that Margaux is now the most popular wine-related name for a baby, having overtaken Chardonnay, which grew in popularity after a character of that name starred when Footballers’ Wives aired on TV in 2002.

db analysed three decades of birth registrations in England and Wales looking for names borrowed from a grape, a region, a style of wine or the label of a famous bottle. 

Where parents had spelt the same name in different ways, they pooled the variations and counted them as one name, so the six spellings of Chardonnay and the three of Sherry each appear only once in the rankings. 

Margaux comes out on top with 922 registrations, every one of them a girl. The name barely registered in the late 1990s, when it was given to four babies in 1996, but it climbed steadily through the 2010s and reached a high of 102 in 2024 before easing to 88 last year.

It is also the French spelling of Margot, of course, so db says it is impossible to say how many parents had the Médoc commune or its first-growth wine in mind.

 
Chardonnay, in second place with 631 registrations across its six spellings, came in as Chardonay, Shardonnay, Chardonnai and other bizarre spellings. 

Sherry was third with across Sherry, Sherrie and Sherri, followed by Shiraz, Tawny, Cristal, Syrah, Tuscany, Petrus and Champagne. 

There were also three unfortunate boys named Dionysus after the Greek God of Wine. That's cruel. 

Lufthansa Group spreads its wings

The fast-growing Lufthansa Group is to add another airline to its collection. 

The Portuguese government this week selected Lufthansa’s offer in the privatisation process for TAP Air Portugal.

With the intended initial acquisition of a minority stake, Lufthansa Group is pursuing a clear strategic agenda: to support TAP Air Portugal’s growth while preserving its national identity and to sustainably strengthen Portugal’s connectivity, Lufthansa said in a statement. 

Lufthansa Group airlines are: Lufthansa (Germany), Austrian Airlines (Austria), Brussels Airlines (Belgium), Swiss International Air Lines (Switzerland) and ITA Airways (Italy).

“TAP Air Portugal is a strong and profitable airline, our long-standing partner in Star Alliance and internationally successful as a leading carrier on South Atlantic routes," says Carsten Spohr, chairman of the executive Board and CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa AG. 

"It is known for its outstanding employees and has a compelling business model. 

"With today’s decision, the Portuguese government has paved the way for TAP Air Portugal to continue this success story together with Lufthansa Group. 

"At the same time, this allows us to consistently pursue our internationalisation strategy and sustainably strengthen our position in the South Atlantic market. Our company has enjoyed a close and trusted partnership with Portugal for many years. 

"For decades, we have invested in the country, created and secured highly skilled jobs, and connected Portugal with Europe and the world. We look forward to a shared future with TAP Air Portugal and to continuing our constructive cooperation with the government in Lisbon.”

Lufthansa Group has offered a purchase price of €1.025 billion for a 44.9% stake. This amount could increase to up to €1.2 billion for the acquisition of a 49.9%. 

Lufthansa Group airlines currently offer 353 weekly flights to six destinations in Portugal. 

Geelong hotel takes a stand for mental health

It is good to see a hotel taking action to benefit the community. 

Holiday Inn & Suites Geelong by IHG has partnered with Deakin University for a project called Help Change the Future of Mental Health Research. 

Holiday Inn & Suites Geelong will donate $1 per guest night over three years from October 1, contributing to a PhD scholarship at Deakin University focused on studying schizophrenia and related mental health disorders.

The contributions will fund the Franze Family PhD Scholarship in Mental Health Research, supporting an emerging researcher at Deakin IMPACT to identify and repurpose existing medicines as potential treatments for schizophrenia and related disorders.

Deakin IMPACT is one of Australia's leading mental and physical health research institutes, with more than 400 researchers developing innovative diagnostics, treatments and therapies.

Hotel general manager Kruno Velican said initiative is a way to extend the hotel's positive impact beyond guests' stays, noting that individual contributions of $1, multiplied across thousands of guest nights, could collectively fund meaningful research.

“Hotels are ultimately about people," Velican says. "We welcome people through our doors every day, look after them for a night or two, and hopefully make their lives just a little better while they are with us. 

"I kept asking myself: could we make that impact last beyond their stay? This partnership is our answer. For the next three years, every room we sell will contribute to research that may one day change someone's life. One dollar isn't a lot on its own. But one dollar, multiplied by every guest, every room and every night, becomes something powerful.

“Schizophrenia and mental health don't affect only one person. These disorders touch families, relationships, and entire communities. Behind every diagnosis is a human being, and around that person are people who love them and hope for a better future. We cannot conduct the research. We cannot discover the treatment. But we can help someone who can."

More on Holiday Inn & Suites Geelong at the hotel’s website. 

Cullen showcases the benefits of biodynamics

Several leading winemakers adhere to biodynamic principles, which they say improve vineyard health and create better wines. 

Cullen Wines in Margaret River, Western Australia, are at the forefront of organics and biodynamics in Australia and are about to release a pair of sustainable white wines that demonstrate the similarities, and differences, of wines made using the biodynamic calendar. 

Vanya Cullen is a believer, and adherent to biodynamic wine production, which uses organic farming methods while also employing soil supplements prepared according to biodynamics founder Rudolf Steiner's formulas, following a planting calendar that depends upon astrological configurations, and treating the earth as "a living and receptive organism."

The two new releases are the 2025 Kevin John Legacy Series Fruit Day Chardonnay ($350), of which  646 bottles were produced, and the 2025 Kevin John Legacy Series Full Moon Fruit Day MOSH Chardonnay, also $350, and with a similar minuscule number of bottles produced. 

I'm no expert on biodynamics but Vanya Cullen and her team report "a set of whites with lifted perfume, texture and depth, slightly softer natural acidity than 2024 making them delicious even in their youth, and a Kevin John Chardonnay that looks especially powerful and refined. Across the board, 2025 trades the sheer heat and power of 2024 for classical perfume and balance. These wines will drink beautifully now and evolve gracefully in the cellar". 

The Legacy Series wines are made only in outstanding vintages using small parcels of fruit from single blocks. 

The grapes for these two wines were hand picked on biodynamic fruit days seven days apart. The first harvest was also on a Full Moon “Moon Opposite Saturn Harvest” astral event. 

Only a biodynamic-approved puncheon of each wine was selected. 

Winemaking was quirky, or innovative, with whole bunches placed in clay amphorae lined with beeswax for two days before pressing. The juice was then transferred to a biodynamic flower day puncheon to complete fermentation. Both wines were unfined and unfiltered. 

Both are tight, taut and terrific, impressively integrated, impressive biodynamic ambassadors, and would make a fabulous Christmas present for a serious wine lover. 

My favourite: for drinking now the fruitier Fruit Day. For the cellar: the higher tension Full Moon Fruit Day. 

These 2025 Kevin John Legacy Series Fruit Day wines will be available at cellar door and online from October 28 and released to distributors Mezzanine on November 1. See https://cullenwines.com.au/

A toast to 30 years of Sculpture by the Sea

One of Sydney’s most iconic cultural events - Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi - is this year celebrating its 30th anniversary.

The exhibition is held annually during spring on the cliffs overlooking Bronte Beach to Bondi Beach via Tamarama for three weeks from late October to early November.

Over 100 sculptures are spread across the coastal walk, which is transformed into a seaside art gallery, promoted as the world's largest free public outdoor sculpture exhibition.

The exhibition runs until November 2 and Sydney Brewery has crafted a commemorative The Sculpture by the Sea Bondi Lager.

Sydney Brewery owner Dr Jerry Schwartz said that Sydney Brewery’s long connection to the eastern suburbs community meant the specially crafted Bondi Lager was the perfect way to commemorate both Sculpture by the Sea’s 30th anniversary and the 10th anniversary of the Sydney Brewery partnership.

“Ever since we produced our first brews back in 2005, we’ve adopted Sydney-centric suburb puns and local alliterations for our craft beers and ciders - it’s all about capturing Sydney’s remarkably fresh and fun lifestyle,” he said.

“I’m hoping those who visit Sculpture by the Sea will add a taste of the festival to their visual appreciation of the great art that is always produced for the event.

“The 30 years of Sculpture by the Sea have been very impressive, and it has built a global reputation, which Sydney Brewery has enjoyed contributing to over the past decade.

“The new limited-edition Bondi Lager is the perfect accompaniment to the outdoor cultural event, where art, community and the spectacular Bondi coastline come together seamlessly and spectacularly."

All change on London's famous Oxford Street

Oxford Street in London, one of the most famous shopping precincts in the world, will begin a major pedestrianisation project later this month. 

From October 26, close to a kilometre of the shopping thoroughfare will be closed to all vehicles ahead of the busy Christmas shopping season.

No buses. No taxis. I see anger ahead.

The first phase will cover the stretch between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street, with buses, taxis, bicycles and other vehicles all banned to create a pedestrian plaza in one of Europe’s busiest retail districts, news hub Travel Mole reports.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the transformation would help strengthen Oxford Street’s appeal to shoppers, businesses and visitors, with the new traffic-free zone marking the beginning of a wider regeneration plan.

The project aims to establish a greener public space where major international retailers sit alongside new workplaces, leisure attractions and cultural events. 

Future activities could include sports, fashion and other entertainment experiences, expanding Oxford Street’s role beyond traditional shopping.

Khan said the project had received strong support from Londoners and businesses, describing it as an opportunity to create a world-class pedestrian destination and reinforce the street’s position as a leading retail and leisure location.

But  the plan faces opposition from Westminster City Council, which has raised concerns about the practical implications of removing traffic from the main thoroughfare.

Tim Barnes, the council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for growth and planning, said that although a timetable had finally been announced, significant questions remained about how the scheme would operate.

The council wants urgent clarification on vehicle access, air pollution, street cleaning and public safety. It also fears that traffic displaced from Oxford Street could spill into smaller surrounding roads, potentially increasing congestion and creating environmental and economic problems for nearby communities and businesses.

I wonder how shoppers laden with Christmas presents will react to finding they can't hail a taxi.