New Dalat hotel takes its cues from history

Dalat is different to the rest of Vietnam. Cooler and calmer.

The city is about to get a new hotel that pays tribute to the city's French colonial heritage and the unique character of Vietnam's Central Highlands. 

Grand Mercure Dalat Resort is being promoted by Grand Mercure Hotels & Resorts as a place "where  where modern flair meets enduring traditions". 

Located close to historic Dalat Railway Station and the city's former French Quarter, Grand Mercure Dalat Resort aims to reflect the charm of 1920s French colonial residences. 

Set among pine trees and landscaped gardens, the resort comprises 12 French colonial-inspired villa-style buildings arranged around courtyards, with interiors inspired by the impressionist art of Claude Monet.

The resort features 131 rooms and suites with windows or balconies overlooking the surrounding pine forests and gardens. Room categories range from superior rooms and family premium rooms to the Presidential Suite. 

Dining options at Grand Mercure Dalat Resort will include Deux Amants Restaurant, showcases farm-to-table cuisine crafted with seasonal local ingredients, while BAO Asian Cuisine celebrates the culinary traditions of Guangdong and Sichuan. 

The 1929 Lobby Bar will offer afternoon teas, while Fleurie Café serves locally sourced coffee with freshly baked French pastries. As day turns to evening, Moon Lounge offers cocktails inspired by regional ingredients. 

There is an outdoor swimming pool and La Maison Wellness Spa for relaxing. 

Grand Mercure Dalat Resort aims to capture weddings, social gatherings, meetings and events. 

Garth Simmons from Accor Asia said: “Travel should foster a meaningful connection with the destination, allowing guests to discover its culture and way of life through engaging experiences. 

"We are proud to bring Grand Mercure to Dalat, a city whose French colonial heritage continues to shape its identity today." 

For more info see https://www.grandmercuredalat.com/ 

Banking on it: meet a new wine range inspired by Bordeaux

A new range of wines from Orange has been inspired by the acclaimed reds of Bordeaux.

Orange’s Stockman’s Ridge Wines has just released two new wines as part of its ‘Signature Range’: the 2022 Stockman’s Ridge ‘Signature Range’ Right Bank and its sister wine, the 2022 Stockman’s Ridge ‘Signature Range’ Left Bank.

I'm not sure how many Australian wine drinkers are familiar with the differences between the two styles, but the new releases are vigneron Jonathan Hambrook’s tribute to French inspiration. 

The ‘Left Bank’ is a nod to the Médoc region of Bordeaux and is a blend of cabernet sauvignon (60%) and merlot (40%). The ‘Right Bank’ tips its hat to St Emillion, being a blend of merlot (70%) and cabernet franc (30%).

“We have been producing our Bordeaux blend of merlot and cabernet franc since our second vintage,” says Hambrook. “I have a real love of these styles and wanted to explore them further with our ‘Left Bank’ blend of cabernet and merlot, which has a long and proud history in Australia,

“The [Orange] region is perfectly suited to these varieties. While there is strong focus on the Burgundy varieties in Orange, history has shown that these Bordeaux varieties excel.

"The founding vignerons of the region such as Bloodwood’s Stephen and Rhonda Doyle, Canobolas Smith’s Murray Smith and Philip Shaw have examples of these varieties that have shown to have superb depth, complexity and most of all, great longevity.

“We are hoping to build on these early examples and create wines that will evolve and develop in the bottle over the next 15 plus years."

Both wines are made by consultant winemaker Will Rikard-Bell.

The Stockman’s Ridge Vineyard is located on Boree Lane at an elevation of 800 meters, Wines are avilable available at www.stockmansridge.com.au.

The Bank wines cost $45 each. I'm traditionally a Left Bank man, but open minded. I will report back.