Meet the Hunter Valley's new gourmet destination

 

The Eather family has been making excellent wines in the Hunter Valley for over three decades now under the Meerea Park label.

Meerea Park recently re-located and its cellar door to 426 McDonalds Road in the Wine House complex, opposite the entry to Brokenwood. 

And this weekend Mereea Park opened its new gourmet outlet: The Emporium. 

If you are preparing a picnic, or need some tasty morsels, this might be a good place to shop. 

Think items for your charcuterie board: cheese, crackers, smallgoods, fruit pastes, caramelised onions and the like. 

Or perhaps Millicent Farms fingerlime salts, oils, vinegars and Jasper and Myrtle artisan chocolates.

There is also a small range of imported wine from France:  Cotes du Rhone red and white, Petit Chablis and red and white Burgundy. 

Meerea Park launched in 1991 and uses sustainably grown fruit from some of the Hunter Valley's best vineyards. 

'Meerea' was a land grant to Thomas Eather in 1826 at Bulga, 22km west of Singleton. Meerea is a aboriginal word for 'beautiful mountain' which was the defining feature of the property that bordered the Wollemi National Park. 

'Meerea' was sold in 1995 after 169 years of continual ownership, with winemaking operations moved to Pokolbin, where the Eathers are still based, specialising in semillon, chardonnay and shiraz. 

See meereapark.com.au

At last some good news for chocolate lovers

Chocolate lovers who have been hit by rising prices are finally set to get some sweet relief. 

Cocoa futures prices are starting to ease after hitting record highs, a new international research report by agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank reveals.

Chocolate retail prices hit predicted highs, but the end of the price surge in sight, the report says. 

That said "retail chocolate prices will remain well above pre-'cocoa crisis' levels, signalling a new normal for the industry".

Chocolate manufacturers and retailers are adapting to as challenging environment, balancing cost recovery with consumer retention, the report said.

RaboResearch agriculture analyst Paul Joules said since 2021, retail chocolate prices globally have surged, driven by a cocoa market in crisis due to poor harvests, crop disease and structural supply issues. This has resulted in higher chocolate prices for consumers.

“This has led manufacturers and retailers to expand their value ranges, offering more affordable alternatives to cost-conscious shoppers,” he said.

Joules said chocolate manufacturers are employing strategies like “shrinkflation” and “skimpflation” to protect margins without losing consumers.

“Shrinkflation involves reducing pack sizes, while skimpflation changes recipes to lower cocoa content, often replacing cocoa butter with cheaper fats or fillers,” he said.

Joules said in some European markets, these changes have altered products to the extent that they no longer meet the legal definition of “chocolate,” forcing brands to update product descriptions.

Joules added that said the worst of the “cocoa shock” appears to be over, with cocoa futures expected to fall significantly by mid-2027.

While chocolate prices are projected to ease gradually, they will still be higher than in 2021, the report says.

See https://www.rabobank.com.au/knowledge/disclaimer/

Image: Awatif Abdulaziz, Scop.io

 

Snap up a Quidditch star with your chocolate treat

The times are changing fast.

Nowadays, you don't just buy a chocolate treat.

Instead you are being influenced by emarketers talking about "the blind-box boom" and the "surprise-and-delight economy".

From Squishmallow collectors to Labubu enthusiasts  to Funko Pops, blind unboxing and surprise collectibles are having a cultural moment – particularly with the folk known as Gen Z.

Apparently "the thrill of the unknown, the hunt for rare pieces, and the social media shareability of the 'big reveal' " are cementing mystery-box culture as one of retail’s fast-growing trends.

Kinder Joy is tapping into the phenomenon with a launch that blends millennial nostalgia with Gen Z’s obsession with unboxing: releasing a limited-edition Funko Harry Potter Quidditch collaboration.

Launching this month, each Kinder Joy egg contains not only the brand’s signature chocolate and wafer treat, but also one of 18 Quidditch-themed Harry Potter figurines and accessories.

Kinder Joy is teaming with pop culture and lifestyle brand, Funko, to launch this new Harry Potter Quidditch collection.

There are 18 Quidditch-themed figurines and accessories hidden inside Kinder Joy's twin-chambered eggs.

The figures represent Hogwarts’ most recognisable Quidditch characters and equipment, including a golden Harry Potter figurine; Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley adorned in Gryffindor colours and rivals Draco Malfoy and Cedric Diggory. I want a Diggory!

“Kinder Joy sparks heart-fluttering moments of discovery - like the magic of Harry’s first flight on a Nimbus 2000 - only this time, the thrill comes with a delicious chocolate treat.” says Kinder ANZ marketing manager Antony Foulet, obviously a keen fan of the fantasy world.

"We’re delighted to offer Kinder Joy fans the playful collectibles that Funko is renowned for, whilst celebrating the enchantment of the Harry Potter universe.”

Kinder Joy (RRP $3.30) is available at Coles and other leading retailers across Australia.

Find out more at www.kinder.com/au/en.

Events to help warm up Tasmania's winter

The Dark Mofo festival, which started last week, kicks off a series of winter events right around Tasmania. 

Still coming up during the Off Season: music festivals, light shows, whisky and a celebration of chocolate 

The Festival of Voices runs from June 27-July 6 in Hobart celebrates community singing in the heart of winter. Gather round the bonfire for a singalong, connect with Tasmania’s creative community, and take advantage of discounts when booking multiple events. Discover Tasmania: Festival of Voices

Permission to Trespass runs from July 1-31 showcases private properties across Wynyard and Table Cape, sampling regional delicacies over long-table lunches, creative workshops, and Moonlight Stories at Table Cape Lighthouse. Discover Tasmania: Permission to Trespass

Bicheno Beams is held from June 28-July 19 and is an annual gathering  that lights up this relaxed east coast town with technicolour family-friendly festivities. Listen to music composed especially to accompany the laser-light show across the Bicheno skyline. Discover Tasmania: Bicheno Beams

Tasmania Whisky Week Running from August 2-10, this is a treat for lovers of fine spirits, offering access to some of the state's award-winning whiskies. Discover Tasmania: Whisky Week

Beaker Street Festival runs from August 12-19 and is an annual festival of art and science. It is promoted as a "fusion of fun, flavour and learning" where attendees can dive into scientific debates, installations, tours, dinners, live theatre and music. Discover Tasmania: Beaker Street

Also check out the Whole Hog Feast at Lebrina on August 9,  the Burning of the Canes on June 21 at Eastford Creek Vineyard, the Lightwave festival at Nubeena on July 11-13, the Tassie Scallop Fiesta |at Bridport on August 3 and the Chocolate Winterfest in Latrobe on August 10.

For a full listing of Tasmanian itineraries, and information on travelling to Tasmania, visit the Discover Tasmania website www.discovertasmania.com.au.

Kiwi Bunny has chocolate treats for Easter

Are you a chocolate lover who will be in Sydney over the Easter Weekend?

You might fancy a high tea for sweet tooths at Armorica - a collaboration with New Zealand's iconic Whittaker's chocolates.

Over just three days, Armorica will serve ITS limited-time high tea experience with a special menu that is a blend of savoury and sweet treats.

Savoury delights like Wagyu pastrami with horseradish mayonnaise, Oscietra caviar with buttered leeks, and chicken liver parfait, will be followed by an all-Whittaker’s dessert selection, featuring Hazella scones, Creamy Caramel tarts, Dark Ghana and hazelnut cake, and more.

The menu can be paired with a Whittaker-inspired cocktail, a glass of sparkling, or a refreshing mocktail. Up to you.

The bad news: indulgence does not come cheap. High tea costs $99pp with a choice of one drink or $85pp without a drink.

Available from Good Friday to Easter Sunday from noon-3pm.

Chocolate treats set to pop up at Soul Origin

 

So you have a sweet tooth?

You like hot and cold drinks and you love chocolate?

The Soul Origin chain this week launched a new partnership with Swiss chocolatier Lindt that will see Soul Origin introduce a new range of drinks that "blend the rich, velvety goodness of Lindt LINDOR with some signature beverages".

What to expect, then?

Soul Origin is offering two flavours in its 'Made With Lindt LINDOR' drink range.

Think drinks ranging from classic milk chocolate to a more exotic dulce de leche.

Clients simply choose their desired temperature, and whether they'd like their drink with or without espresso.

The drinks are available across all Soul Origin stores nationwide from now until July 14 at iced ($9.50), small ($5.40), regular ($6.20), and large ($6.80). 

Soul Origin has over 150 stores across Australia. See https://www.soulorigin.com.au/

Sweet treat: pairing red wine and chocolate

Red wine and chocolate can make a surprisingly good pairing.

Hahndorf Hill in the Adelaide Hills, Shaw Wines outside Canberra, and Tulloch Wines and Wild Wren in the Hunter Valley are mong the Australian wineries offering pairings of the two, but one region in the US has gone a step further with a whole festival devoted to the combo.

Red Wine & Chocolate is a signature event in the Yakima Valley in Washington state.

The next edition will be held over the Presidents' Day Weekend (February 16-19).

“Red Wine & Chocolate is a fun time here in wine country,” says Adam Stewart, communications manager of Yakima Valley Tourism.

“The wineries provide the perfect blend of red wine, chocolate delights and other activities during the weekend.”

Yakima Valley Tourism has created a page with details on the event, plus tips on pairing red wines with chocolates.

You can check out the Red Wine & Chocolate page at www.visityakima.com and also take a look at the local suggested pairings.

Grapes planted in the Yakima Valley include chardonnay, riesling, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, pinot gris and syrah. 

Chocolate business a sweet deal for Haigh's

Haigh's, the biggest family-owned chocolate business in Australia, is going full steam ahead.

The company this week released designs of its future $130 million Salisbury South manufacturing facility north of Adelaide.

The development, for which works will commence later this month, is the single largest infrastructure investment in the history of the South Australian business as it prepares for further expansion and growth.

“This project represents a significant milestone for Haigh’s, as it will see our current chocolate production capacity double, allowing us to meet increased demand and interstate growth opportunities, including entering new markets,” says chief executive Alister Haigh.

"We plan for the state-of-the-art facility to be fully operational in the second half of 2025, accommodating up to 400 employees over the course of the growth phase including the creation of approximately 150 new jobs."

Chief Operating Officer Peter Millard says: "Not only will this project directly create new jobs and opportunities at this site, it will facilitate employment growth across our retail business Australia-wide creating up to 250 new jobs in the medium and long term.$36 million of the project investment will go towards state-of-the-art European-made equipment."

Haigh’s has grown substantially over its 108-year history, now employing more than 800 people.

It was May 1, 1915, when Alfred E Haigh opened the doors of the very first Haigh’s Chocolates store 34 King William Street, Adelaide.

In 1917 he started producing chocolate-covered fruit centres, which the company still makes today.

Then, in 1919, Alfred bought land behind the family home at Parkside, where he built a small factory, which is now the Visitors Centre.

Today the company is run by fourth generation Haighs, Alister and Simon, who started in the 1970s. They’ve been joint managing directors since 1990.

There are now 21 Haigh’s stores across Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra.

Calling all serious chocolate lovers

July 7 each year is World Chocolate Day - and it is no surprise that Mövenpick hotels across Australia and New Zealand plan to celebrate in style.

Mövenpick hotels celebrate the joys of chocolate 365 days a year with in-house guests treated to sweet treats at the daily chocolate hour.

Now Mövenpick hotels have launched a new World Chocolate Day accommodation package running throughout July.

The World Chocolate Day packages at each hotel include accommodation, a chocolate welcome gift, chocolate-themed welcome drink, breakfast, access to the hotel's free daily chocolate hour and unlimited free chocolate ice cream for kids 12 years and under.

Rates start from $269 per night. 

To book visit movenpick.com and choose from Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne on Spencer, Mövenpick Hotel Hobart, Mövenpick Hotel Auckland and Mövenpick Hotel Wellington.

In addition to the World Chocolate Day package, there are also an assortment of chocolate-themed experiences for both visitors and hotel guests to try throughout July…

In Melbourne, try the 'Death by Chocolate' Ice Cream Parfait featuring a warm 70% dark chocolate fondant, layers of chocolate mousse and a scoop of chocolate ice cream. Available at Mövenpick Cafe for $20 per parfait (serves 1-2).

In Hobart, Chocology Afternoons (a sweet twist on a traditional high tea) will be available daily at Tesoro restaurant for $39 per person and will include a chef's daily selection of six house-baked treats including mini cakes, tarts and chocolates, one ice cream affogato and a glass of sparkling wine. Bookings essential.

Book Accor Hotels via All.com

Playing around in the Hunter Valley: wine fun and games

Not made plans for Easter yet? How about a wine tasting and a lazy game of boule at family-owned and operated Scarborough Wines in the Hunter Valley?

Visitors can get a group of friends or family together and book an Offshoot wine tasting paired with a game of garden boules (also known as pétanque),

The experience comes with its own wine carts, so cellar door staff can guide you through the wines while you play.

Guests get to taste a selection of five or six Scarborough Offshoot wines paired with a share plate of cheese and crackers.

The experience costs $50 per person for one hour with a minimum of four people and maximum of six.

There will be four boules greens available every weekend throughout April, including Easter Monday.



Another Scarborough experience is a colab with Hunter Valley chocolate producer Cocoa Nib matching a vertical tasting of current and back vintage Black Label Shiraz and The Obsessive Shiraz wines from the cellar with as selection of four different chocolate bonbons.

Scarborough staff will guide guests through the characters of the wines as they have aged, and how they pair with the chocolate selected. This experience is $35 per person for 30-minute seated tasting. Available from Good Friday to Easter Monday with bookings essential.

For serious wine lovers wanting a vinous experience, the Keepers of the Flame premium wine tasting focuses on the range of the same name

The first three vintages (2019, 2020, 2021) are chardonnay and have been made from small parcels of fruit picked specifically for the project. The wines are paired with a gourmet cheese board designed to delight foodies and wine-lovers alike.

This 1 1/2 hour experience costs 90 and features Riedel varietal specific glassware. It is availableThursday to Monday throughout April at 10.30am and 2pm.

For details and bookings see www.scarboroughwine.com.au/Visit-Us/Our-New-Tasting-Experiences

Fortify yourself with a wine and chocolate experience

Wine and chocolate can be a gourmet match made in heaven. 

Following in the footsteps of Hahndorf Hill in the Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale winery Woodstock has launched a collaboration with local icon Haigh’s Chocolates - a matched fortified wine and chocolate tasting experience. 

The two South Australian family-owned businesses have collaborated to create a new sweet treat - part of South Australia’s Great State Voucher campaign, one that marries four fortified wines from Woodstock Wine’s family cellar with four specially selected Haigh’s chocolates. 

The experience has been dubbed Sticky Fingers at Woodstock!

“Woodstock has a proud tradition of after-dinner wines which spans over 70 years, which all began with my grandfather, Doug Collett,” says third-generation winemaker at Woodstock, Peter Collett.

“Three generations on and we’re still making, blending and caretaking these delicious fortified wines - some of which are over 50 years old. They tell a historic tale.

“Before table wine, Australian winemakers were dedicated to the production of world-class fortifieds. We want to bring back the celebration of this craft and share some of our cellar treasures.

“Doug believed in using old whiskey and bourbon barrels for fortified maturation in order to let the wines age naturally without any oak flavour integration. Using old oak barrels lets the wine breathe and slowly oxidise, causing evaporation and concentration to occur. This develops the young fruity flavours such as raisins and sultanas into sticky caramel-like secondary flavours, creating an exceptional length and richness in our wines - something we strive for in our fortified production.

“We wanted to find a way to help people rediscover the enjoyment of fortified wine - to learn about the extensive winemaking and maturation process and of course the sensory experience.

“Haigh’s Chocolates were the perfect partner when we sought accompaniments to elevate the experience - their quality and variety is exceptional, augmenting the tasting experience and even highlighting complex sensory components in the fortified wines."

The tasting experience is available at Woodstock Wine’s cellar door and tickets are redeemable through the Great State Voucher round 8, with a standard $100 voucher covering a Sticky Fingers session for two people. 

Those who missed out on a Great State Voucher are still able to book in via woodstockwine.com.au or (08) 8383 0156. Tickets are $50 per person and include a bottle of fortified wine to take home. 

Is this the ultimate sweet treat for Easter

Is this the ultimate sweet treat for Easter? 

Morris Wines of Rutherglen have released a special limited-edition pack comprising a bottle of NV George Morris Classic Muscat and six-hand-painted muscat-infused chocolates.

The pack is a collaboration between Morris and fair-trade Sydney chocolatier Jen Lo from Meltdown Artisan in Darlinghurst. 

Each pack comes in an eco-friendly box and contains 500ml of NV Classic Muscat plus chocolates. 

Click here to purchase online.

If you are in regional Victoria this Easter, pop into the Morris cellar door in Rutherglen to stock up.