Why you should be drinking a fiano today

Fiano is a white grape variety from the Campania region of southern Italy that is also grown on Sicily and has been gaining recognition around the world. 

In Australia, it is grown in several vineyards in McLaren Vale - where it was first planted in 2001 - and also in the Riverland, the Clare Valley, and in the Hunter Valley. 

In Argentina, producers in the La Rioja region, north of Mendoza, have also enjoyed success with fiano. 

October 16 is International Fiano with Oliver's Taranga, one of the major producers in Australia, behind a major push to promote the variety. 

Notably aromatic, fiano is known as a grape that can stand heat spikes - important as global warming increases. 

Corrina Wright, winemaker at Oliver's Taranga and known as the "Queen of Fiano", said sales increased last year as part of a Fiano Festa campaign, which is being repeated in 2026. 

"Crisp, textural, full of flavour and perfectly at home in our Mediterranean climate, fiano has won plenty of friends along the way," says Wright, who makes three different styles using the grape.  

Check out more info: https://oliverstaranga.com/pages/join-the-fiano-festa

     

Celebrity chef Matt Moran signs on the dotted line with Pepperjack

Treasury Wine Estates, parent company of Pepperjack Wines, recently axed 170 mostly office roles as part of an overall restructure it says will contribute to $100 million in annual savings. 

But it has found the money to sign up celebrity chef and restaurateur Matt Moran as a brand ambassador for Pepperjack. 

The partnership comes as Pepperjack celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2026, building on a legacy that began with its signature Barossa shiraz. 

"There's this idea that wine has to be precious, the right glass, the right vintage, saved for the right occasion, or that certain wines can only be enjoyed with particular foods," Moran said. 

"I don’t buy into that, and that isn’t reflected in the way Australians actually eat and drink today. That's exactly the thinking Pepperjack is going into their 30th anniversary with, and why it felt right to be involved.”

Pepperjack and Moran will bring the brand’s “Anything Goes” campaign to life, encouraging Australians to put aside traditional rules and enjoy food and wine in a way that reflects how they eat and entertain today.

Pepperjack and Moran will share approachable pairing ideas, practical inspiration and creative recipes that make it easy to enjoy wine across more meals and moments.

Since joining Pepperjack in 2007, senior winemaker Richard Mattner has grown the brand beyond its renowned Barossa shiraz, overseeing the development of a diverse portfolio that now includes rosé, chardonnay and pinot noir. 

"For a long time, food was matched to wine. What’s exciting about Pepperjack is that we think about it the other way around, creating wines that are made to be enjoyed with food,” Mattner says. 

“When I joined Pepperjack in 2007, the brand was best known for its Barossa shiraz. Today, the range is far broader, but the philosophy stays the same: if the wine doesn’t enhance the dining experience , it doesn’t go in the bottle.”

Moran adds: "For me, this isn't about telling people what to drink. It's about backing the way people actually eat and drink, and showing that a good bottle of wine belongs at any occasion. Cacio e pepe with a glass of chardonnay, or fried chicken with rosé on the couch, it's the same idea to me. Wine that just fits the moment."

See https://www.pepperjack.com.au/

Image: Sreven Woodburn

Australia gets its first Michelin stars

Michelin doesn't come and review restaurants out of the goodness of its heart.

The South Australian Government decided to splash the cash on joining the Michelin Guide family and now that state is the first in Australia to feature.

The newly released Michelin Guide South Australia 2027 recognises 77 restaurants "honouring their craft, creativity and distinct sense of place".

After months of anonymous inspections, Michelin has awarded two stars to Adelaide's Penfolds Magill Estate Restaurant, led by Chef Scott Huggins.

Anvers Restaurant, Aptos, arkhé, Aurora at ILA, Skillogalee Barrel House, Botanic, Esmay, Hentley Farm, LVN Restaurant at Bird in Hand, and Maxwell Restaurant have each received one Michelin star.

Beyond the stars, 16 restaurants have earned a Bib Gourmand for good food at great value, and 50 more restaurants join the Guide as "Michelin Selected".

"South Australia's debut has been very impressive," says Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin guide, wholly predictably.

"What struck our Inspectors was the sheer diversity on display - European, south-east Asian and Japanese traditions sitting naturally alongside native ingredients such as quandong, lemon myrtle and native Australian meats, never as novelty, but as an honest expression of place.

"From Adelaide's easy-going dining rooms to the restaurants within wineries of the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley and Adelaide Hills, fire is the thread that runs through it all. It is a food culture unburdened by rigid tradition - technically refined yet relaxed, generous and unmistakably South Australian in its warmth."

The results were particularly applauded in the Adelaide Hills with eight winery dining venues receiving accolades - more than any other wine region.

“Having eight winery dining venues recognised by the Michelin Guide is an outstanding achievement for the Adelaide Hills and a testament to the quality and ambition of our region’s wine and food offering," said Adelaide Hills Wine Region president Alex Trescowthick.

“Our wineries are about so much more than what’s in the glass. They offer visitors memorable experiences that bring together exceptional wines, seasonal local produce, beautiful settings and genuine hospitality."

The full Michelin Guide South Australia 2027 restaurant selection is available on the website and app. 

It will be interesting to gauge ROI for South Australia and see whether other states follow. 

This Formula One racer would like to buy you a beer

If you happen to spot Formula One driver Valtteri Bottas in an Australian pub this summer, you should insist he buys you a beer. 

The Finnish driver, who spends his off-season in Australia, is taking up a summer job with his favourite brewery: Adelaide-based Coopers Brewery. 

Coopers has handed Bottas a Coopers Gold Card, unlocking free Coopers beer around the country - meaning the beers could be on him for punters who spot the Cadillac racing driver in a Coopers venue this summer. 

Bottas has twice finished runner-up in the World Drivers' Championship - in 2019 and 2020 with Mercedes, and has won 10 Grands Prix in total.

Since February 2020, Bottas has been in a relationship with Australian cyclist Tiffany Cromwell and they have a home in McLaren Vale, outside Adelaide.

 

He has been newly appointed as a "Coopers’ Quality Assurance Trainee", tasked with visiting pubs to conduct taste testing of Coopers beers. 

As part of this he will be on the lookout for ultimate freshness, keg quality and perfect pour. 

Bottas, who says his favourite beer is Coopers Australian Lager, visited Coopers Brewery in Regency Park, South Australia, after the Singapore Grand Prix for an induction, training and his own taste test with the Coopers brewing team in the $70m restaurant and microbrewery on site. 

Coopers Brewery managing director Michael Shearer said: “We’re honoured that Valtteri is a huge fan of Coopers, which made him the natural appointment to take on the task of tasting our ice-cold Coopers beer in venues across Australia this summer. 

“We are delighted he has taken on the role and expect he will be tapping his Coopers Gold Card frequently as he pops up in pubs nationally. 

“Fans should keep their eyes on Bottas’ socials as we know he has plans to invite fans to have a beer with him this summer. 

It's a marketing exercise - but a fun one. 

“I think Coopers is the best beer in the world and I’ve been a fan of the brand for a long time," Bottas said. 

"I’m very honoured to have this job. I tasted Coopers when I first came to Adelaide in 2020 and I fell in love with the taste. 

“I’ve travelled a lot and I always try the local stuff. With Coopers, it’s just the taste, the way they make it and the story of being family owned.” 

# Founded in 1862, Coopers Brewery is a sixth-generation Australian family company and the nation’s largest independent brewer. 

NSW wine advocate slams Sydney Fish Market

A fierce advocate for the New South Wales wine industry has slammed the operation of the new Sydney Fish Market.

David Cumming, a marketer, wine retailer and PR based in Orange, says local wines are being all but ignored at the state-owned facility in Glebe (above), which opened at the start of the year. 

"The people of NSW own the Sydney Fish Market," Cumming says in a LinkedIn post. .

"The NSW Government built it on public land at Blackwattle Bay. It was built to showcase NSW seafood. The company that runs it is owned by NSW fishers and seafood merchants.

"So we read every wine on its restaurant lists. All 441 of them. 33 are from NSW. That is 1 in 13.

"Half the wine is imported. There is three times more South Australian wine than NSW wine. The Barossa has more wines on these lists than the Hunter Valley. 

"NSW seafood on the plate. Someone else’s wine in the glass.

"The government still holds the head lease, so it can ask for NSW wine at the table."

He has a point. 

Is this Sydney's best meal deal?

Sydney is Sydney, which means big city prices. Most of the time.

An exception to that rule is a new deal at Sydney CBD favourite Chophouse.

You get a a full-sized martini, a premium beef slider and fries for just $15 every weekday.

Chophouse, operated by celebrity chef Matt Moran, says it is "bringing a little everyday indulgence to the city with a new weekday offering that pairs classic steakhouse quality with an exceptionally good price".

The Martini & Slider deal pairs a slider made with Australian beef, golden fries and a chilled, full-sized martini.

Chophouse says: it is "the ultimate high-low pairing - three classics done right, bringing a little luxury to the weekday without the price tag. Think leisurely lunches, afternoons on the Terrace and after-work martinis, with a very good excuse to linger a little longer".

The Martini & Slider is available Monday to Friday, 12pm–6pm, until December 31.

It is served on Chophouse's al fresco terrace and at the bar, exclusively for walk-ins.

See https://chophousesydney.com.au/prime-pairing

Image: Supplied