Now Reese Witherspoon has her own wine range

The celebrity wine trend is becoming a tidal wave.

Australia’s Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) has announced the launch of a new Drop of Sunshine range created in partnership with Hello Sunshine, a media company founded by movie star Reese Witherspoon.

TWE has teamed up with Hello Sunshine to launch a new range of three wines - a California Brut Sparkling Rosé (US$25), Central Coast Chardonnay ($20), and Central Coast Red Blend ($25), news portal drinks business reports.

Hello Sunshine is an American media company founded by Witherspoon and Strand Equity founder and managing partner Seth Rodsky in 2016.

The wines will make their debut this weekend in Los Angeles at Hello Sunshine’s second annual Shine Away event, featuring two days of panel discussions and workshops for female brand founders.

Hello Sunshine focuses on telling female-driven stories on film, TV and digital platforms.

Sarah Bakx, president of the Bold Brands business unit of Treasury Americas, a division in the super-complex TWE heirachy, gushes: “We are honoured to work alongside Hello Sunshine who (sic) elevates women’s voices and ensures our stories are heard. Wine is all about connection and is a fantastic platform for sharing special moments and storytelling. Our female-led Drop of Sunshine team collaborated with Hello Sunshine to create a line of engaging and vibrant wines that tell a story about the journeys that shape who we are and celebrate the drops of joy we feel along the way.”

Righto.

Planning can save travel angst - and save money

Travelling at the wrong time can add a whole lot of angst your day.

Pre-Christmas, school holiday and Monday mornings are all busier than usual periods at airports.

The team from the Truely Travel eSIM company says: "Understanding the details of holiday travel can save you time, money, and a lot of stress."

Their travel expert Alexandra Bowman says there are some key times when you should think carefully before booking your holiday trips.

Avoid Peak Travel Days: Timing is key for holiday travel. Book outside periods like Anzac Day and Christmas. Booking on these peak days can lead to higher costs and crowded airports. Instead, consider traveling on off-peak days like Christmas Day or the day after New Year to save money and stress.

Avoid Last-Minute Bookings: Waiting until the last minute to book is another mistake. Many travellers believe they can find great deals, but often end up paying higher prices. The Expedia 2024 Air Travel Hacks Report shows that booking 25 days in advance can save travellers an average of 33%. 

Know Your Destination’s Peak Season: Understanding the peak season for your destination is crucial. Ski resorts during the holidays usually have higher prices and larger crowds, while places like Hawaii may be cheaper if visited a few weeks before Christmas.

Book in advance: Reserving flights and accommodations months ahead can secure better rates, as can choosing off-peak days: Flying midweek usually leads to lower fares and fewer people.

Exploring less popular destinations: Visiting lesser-known places can save money and reduce crowds.
Crowded destinations can make your trip stressful, turning relaxation into a hassle. 

Info from https://truely.com

Image: Jerome Quek, Scop.io

Do you have a Burning Love for Elvis?

Calling all lovers of The King. Elvis Presley, that is, not Wally Lewis.

Head to country New South Wales for the 2025 Parkes Elvis Festival, which will run from January 8-12.

The 32nd annual festival will pay tribute to Elvis (Presley not Costello) with a 1960s Easy Come, Easy Go theme, offering fans a program of concerts, dancing, markets, and a few surprises.

The event is expected to attract 25,000 Elvis lovers, more than doubling the population of the town.

Festival favourites like the Evolution Mining Street Parade, Renewal of Vows Ceremony, bustling markets, and performances on the Cooke Park Main Stage and Memphis Stage all return.

A highlight of 2025 will be the launch of the Gates of Graceland, a full-sized replica of the iconic Graceland gates, located at the Parkes Visitor Information Centre.

Jack Gatto, one of Australia’s leading Elvis tribute artists, will perform a live solo show.

This year also introduces six new ticketed shows at the Parkes Services Club, featuring top Elvis tribute artists from Australia, New Zealand, and Scotland (who knew?).

“Each year we work to capture the essence of Elvis, and the 2025 Festival will be no different," says Joel Ulbricht, the festival producer.

"This year’s program offers something for everyone—whether you’ve been rockin’ with us since the early days or are discovering the King’s magic for the first time.”

For details and tickets see www.parkeselvisfestival.com.au

Bird in Hand boosts links with Tasmania

Hobart’s Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens is to link with Adelaide Hills wine producer Bird in Hand on a new project next year.

Bird in Hand, which has recently acquired vineyards on the Apple Isle, will introduce a tasting room, offer wine and food experiences, and manage the on-site restaurant and kiosk in the gardens.

A fine dining experience similar to Bird in Hand’s LVN Restaurant in Woodside will feature among the offerings, showcasing the produce, art, flora and fauna of Tasmania.

With work underway to redesign the food and beverage facilities throughout the gardens, Bird in Hand’s decision to pursue the contract with the Botanical Gardens strengthens its growth strategy in Tasmania.

This includes the recent acquisition of a long-term winery lease in Rowella, in the West Tamar, and ongoing wine production at its Seymour property, located on the east coast of the island state.

The upcoming tasting room at the Botanical Gardens will showcase Bird in Hand’s new Tasmania range, set to launch later this year, along with a selection of other locally crafted beverages.

“With our expansion of wine production in Tasmania, our winemaking team is focused heavily on showcasing the cool-climate qualities of the region,” says Andrew Nugent, who co-founded Bird in Hand with wife Susie.

“What better place to now pour these spectacular varietals than one of Australia’s premier gardens? When paired with our culinary vision for the Botanical Gardens andthe Bird in Hand service style, it’s an alignment we are excited to see evolve over the coming years.”

The 14-hectare Botanical Gardens has nurtured rare, native and intriguing plants for over 200 years.

“The Bird in Hand estate in Woodside showcases a core pillar of the brand: an enduring respect for the Indigenous cultures and traditional owners of the land upon which we are situated. This is something inherent in our operations and an approach on which we place the utmost importance,” Nugent says.

“Our Woodside property also highlights Susie’s love of garden design. While the grounds are much smaller in scale and cross-section of plants, they are tended to equally in passion for nurturing natural places of joy and contemplation – an ever-changing backdrop to memorable moments of generous hospitality.”


Located at 11 Lower Domain Road, Queens Domain, Hobart, the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens open 365 days a year. Hospitality venue opening hours are yet to be announced.

All change on St Kilda Road

All change on St Kilda Road.

Minor Hotels, one of the world’s fastest growing hotel groups, has expanded its portfolio with the opening this week of Oaks Melbourne St Kilda Road Hotel in Melbourne.

The 145-room hotel, previously branded as a Mercure, is located in the heart of the funky suburb of St 

That means it is close to Albert Park, home of the Melbourne Grand Prix. It’s also a stone’s throw away from popular spots like Albert Park Lake, the Albert Park Yacht Club, the Boatshed Café, Fawkner Park, and a range of corporate offices.

With a quick tram ride, you can be in the heart of Melbourne CBD.

Guests can choose from a range of self-contained studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom dual room types, each with kitchenettes, private balconies, wifi and Chromecast capability.

There is an on-site restaurant, gym facilities and hotel laundry.

“The addition of Oaks Melbourne St Kilda Road Hotel to our property portfolio supports our strategic expansion of the Oaks brand in Australasia.” said Craig Hooley, Chief Operating Officer for Minor Hotels Australia and New Zealand.

“Melbourne is a vibrant city with a raft of sporting and cultural events on its calendar, and Oaks Melbourne St Kilda Road Hotel is ideal for business and leisure travellers wanting to stay in one of the city’s most iconic destinations, with convenient connection to the CBD and sporting & entertainment venues.

For more info visit minorhotels.com 

Frequent flyer points for catching the train?

Eurostar is set to become the first non-airline partner of international airline alliance SkyTeam.

The railway network has signed a deal with SkyTeam paving the way for integrated  journeys via air and rail, news hub Travel Mole reports. 

This would enable travellers to combine long- and medium-haul flights and rail journeys in a single reservation – while enjoying SkyTeam benefits.

SkyTeam is one of the world's three major airline alliances, along with Star Alliance and Oneworld. It has an annual passenger count of 624 million flyers.

Eurostar’s network offers options for multi-city journeys between the UK, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.

Customers will be able to fly into SkyTeam’s main hubs in France, the Netherlands and the UK plus other major European airports across Eurostar’s network and enjoy multi-city travel. 

Around 13% of Eurostar passengers currently fly long-haul into one of SkyTeam’s main European hubs and connect to Eurostar destinations by rail.

The two companies will work together in the coming months to create a more "integrated experience" and the partnership is expected to launch in the first half of 2025.

Eurostar and SkyTeam member KLM already have a long-standing relationship.

“Eurostar is a natural fit for SkyTeam," says aid SkyTeam CEO Patrick Roux.

" I look forward to developing our partnership and offering customers greater choice in how they travel across SkyTeam’s global network.” 

SkyTeam members include Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic, Delta Airlines, Garuda, China Airlines, Korean, Scandinavian Airlines and Vietnam Airlines.