Patisserie re-launch offers a treat for the sweet toothed

It is goodbye to Cinnabun and hello to Simply Mike's.

An artisan Melbourne cinnamon scroll maker has conceded defeat in his battle with a large American chain and has re-branded.

Cinnabon, which has nearly 2000 stores globally including 26 in Australia, threatened legal action against Franch-trained pattissiere Mike Ying if he did not change the name of his business.

To mark the name change, Albion-based Simply Mike's has launched a collab with Baileys in launching Baileys Cinnamon Scroll, a festive dish that promises "the warmth of cinnamon meeting the smooth richness of Baileys Irish Cream".

“The cease-and-desist notice didn’t break us: it only brought us closer to the people who love what we do,” says Mike Ying.

"We received hundreds of name suggestions from our community, and Simply Mike's felt right. It’s personal, it’s proud, and it reflects the craft behind every scroll. This new chapter is about celebrating creativity, flavour, and the scrolls that started it all.”

 
The re-launch will see free scrolls given away for the rest of the week.

“We were looking for someone who could capture the essence of Baileys in a way that felt local, playful, and full of character,” says Nishant Samuel, Head of Whisky and Liqueurs at Diageo Australia.

“When we heard Mike’s story, we knew we’d found the perfect partner.”

Baileys and Simply Mike's will be giving away free Baileys Cinnamon Scrolls until November 19 - while scrolls last.

Locals can visit the Albion location of Simply Mike's where there will be giveaways daily from 7am weekdays and 8am weekends.

Sweet tooths will be able to get one free scroll each during this period and the scrolls are not suitable for persons under 18 years.

Can’t make it? The new Baileys Cinnamon Scroll Liqueur is available to buy from various retailers now,: for those aged 18+.

See https://www.simplymikes.com.au/

Sydney art icon bubbling over sparkling new deal

House of Arras, Tasmania's highest-profile sparkling wine producer, has announced a new three-year partnership as the official sparkling wine partner of the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

The collaboration will unite House of Arras's celebrated range of sparkling wines with the Art Gallery's  program of local and international art experiences and events.

"The Art Gallery of New South Wales is delighted to welcome House of Arras as our official sparkling wine partner under a new three-year partnership," said John Richardson, Art Gallery of New South Wales director of audiences and development. 

"House of Arras shares our passion for brilliance, artistry and creating memorable experiences, and we look forward to celebrating this collaboration at key events and exhibitions throughout the year." 

The partnership will see House of Arras sparkling wines featured at major events such as the Gallery’s signature Archibald Prize, in addition to exhibition openings, fundraising events, and other experiences for Art Gallery members.

The Art Gallery’s restaurants, including Crafted by Matt Moran and MOD Dining, will also offer a range of House of Arras sparkling wines on wine lists throughout the property. 

House of Arras chief winemaker Ed Carr, widely regarded as Australia's leading sparkling winemaker, said: "House of Arras is thrilled to join forces with the Art Gallery of New South Wales. We share a commitment to excellence and a desire to create moments that resonate. 

"The partnership also comes at the ideal time for our winery as we embark on our 30th anniversary in 2025.

“We look forward to a successful partnership that elevates the experience of art and celebration."

See www.houseofarras.com.au and www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au

Wine and cheese offering is a lure for potential hotel guests

Hotels are always looking to stand out from the crowd and the The Porter House Hotel Sydney MGallery has chosen a potent allure: wine. 

The Porter House has just unveiled a city stay for lovers of wine, cheese and luxury, with its Chardon-yay Stay package, which includes a curated chardonnay wine flight and cheese pairing with an overnight stay. 

The package is a collaboration with Handpicked Wines with the five-star boutique hotel offering guests the opportunity to explore the subtle differences in styles of the chardonnay grape from their Tasmanian, Mornington Peninsula, and Yarra Valley vineyards, alongside selected cheeses. 

The hotel is one of the oldest buildings in Sydney, constructed of sandstone bricks, its exquisite façade has been restored, while the modernised interiors feature century-old artefacts displayed in its corridors on every level. 

Commissioned in 1876 by philanthropist and horticulturist, Hugh Dixson, The Porter House Hotel started its life as a grand tobacco factory and was later a furniture and leather merchants.

“We are very lucky at The Porter House Hotel to be able to offer our guests exceptional wine experiences alongside a passion for showcasing Australia’s finest produce,” said Mitchell Turner, the hotel general manager. 

“MGallery hotels are all about storytelling and this is our way to share the story of Australia’s wine culture through an immersive tasting of some of the best wines in the country.”

The Chardon-Yay package is available from $359 per night for one or $419 for two guests.

Just steps away from George Street, the hotel is within walking distance of the Sydney Opera House, The Royal Botanic Garden and Hyde Park. I stayed here shortly after it opened and the location is excellent. 

See mgallery.com or all.accor.com

A rare chance to taste aged whiskies from Tasmania

Hobart's landmark The Tasman, A Luxury Collection Hotel, has partnered with Hellyers Road Distillery to launch what is billed as "Australia’s oldest whisky flight".

Launching next month, the exclusive tasting experience links two Tasmanian businesses committed to showcasing world-class yet local offerings.

Held in The Tasman’s heritage cellar door, and complementary to the existing wine tasting experience, guests can expect to experience a collection of aged expressions from Hellyers Road.

Flights will feature tastings of The Tasman Cask I, a single malt whisky aged in a 50-year-old port cask from Portugal, which will also be available in the hotel’s bars and rooms.

The tastings will feature a selection of Hellyers Road’s spirits, offering both entry level and premium flights, featuring a selection including Hellyers Road Double Cask; Hellyers Road The Journeyman, Hellyers Road Peated 7yr; Helleyrs Road American Oak Oloroso de Jerez Cask Finish 20yr; Hellyers Road Voyager Cask 19yr; Hellyers Road Single Cask 2157.05 21yr and Hellyers Road The Tasman Cask I 9yr.

Burnie-based Hellyers Road arrives at this partnership during a wave of global recognition, having recently secured multiple gold medals and category winner titles at the 2025 World Whiskies Awards.
Hellyers Road boasts it is Australia's oldest operating whisky distillery.

See https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/hbalc-the-tasman-a-luxury-collection-hotel-hobart/overview/

Why [yellow tail] and Domino's are teaming up

Australian wine brand [yellow tail] and pizza giant Domino’s have teamed up for an unlikely collaboration in some US markets.

The [yellow tail] team has introduced a red bland in a 1.5-litre bottle "designed to pair best with a traditional Domino's cheese pizza as well as a variety of popular toppings".

"At [yellow tail], we believe that seriously good wine doesn't need to be so serious," says Dan Kleinman, chief brand officer, for US distributors Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits.

"We're thrilled to be partnering with Domino's, a brand loved by customers for interesting and exciting creations, to make the everyday pizza night more convenient, special and, most importantly, more fun."

Some of the new bottles will feature the Twist.Tap.Order. cap, a smart technology that connects with the Domino’s app. Customers can quickly place a pizza order by twisting off and tapping the cap on a smartphone. That feature will start on Monday in US market, including Florida, Washington, DC., Nebraska, Wyoming and Oregon, a media release says.

"Domino's is known for innovations," says Kate Trumbull, executive vice president, chief marketing officer for Domino's.

"We're always looking for ways to make ordering easier than ever, and 'Twist.Tap.Order.' does that. It's all about convenience, and we're excited to give customers yet another fun way they can order their favourite pizza."

If your are in the US, you can check out www.yellowtailwine.com/us/dominos/

Ski set get premium Champagne experiences

Champagne is always a popular drink with the ski set, so a new collaboration between Champagne House Pommery and Thredbo Resort, Australia’s premier year-round alpine destination, makes sense.

Located in the heart of Australia’s highest mountain range, Thredbo’s European-style village and  experiences create the perfect backdrop to enjoying a bottle or two of bubbles.

As the resort officially opens for the winter season, guests can indulge in Champagne Pommery cuvées at various venues across the resort.

The Thredbo Long Lunch presented by Pommery kicked things off with over 200 guests enjoying Pommery from sabred magnums, served through a bespoke ice sculpture luge.

Very fancy.

A series of Kareela Supper Club events presented by Pommery will run throughout winter.

Guests will be transported across the mountain via a gondola and snowcat under the stars on Saturday nights, before arriving at the Kareela Hutte restaurant. From the deck, diners will enjoy the Flare Run and Fireworks Show from mountain top while imbibing.

“We are thrilled to partner with the beautiful Thredbo Resort," said Inge Fransen, CEO of Vranken-Pommery Australia.

"In our history, we have always aligned with industry players who share our commitment to creating premium experiences and considering the environment as our greatest source of inspiration.

"As the home to Australia’s premier year-round alpine destination, Thredbo’s first-hand offering for its guests and its dedication to preserving and protecting its environment makes the partnership a perfect match.”

Founded in 1836, the Champagne house has a rich heritage. The Champagne Pommery estate features 18kms of art galleries hollowed out into the chalk cellars that house over 20 million bottles of Champagne.

See www.champagnepommery.com and www.thredbo.com.au.

Penfolds launches new Champagne project

The globalisation of the Penfolds wine brand continues apace with Penfolds introducing a new Champagne Cuvée Brut in collaboration with Champagne Thiénot.

The Champagne Cuvée Brut follows the inaugural global release of three 2012 vintage Champagnes in 2019 and marks an expansion of Penfolds' Champagne portfolio.

The new Champagne Cuvée Brut was overseen by Penfolds chief winemaker Peter Gago and Champagne Thiénot Chef de Cave Nicolas Uriel.

Tom King, managing director of Penfolds said: “Penfolds has a longstanding connection to France and we’re excited to continue to bring our innovation to complement France’s incredible winemaking heritage.

"As a global luxury brand, we work in some of the world’s best winemaking regions. It’s an absolute privilege to be part of the French winemaking community, working closely with local producers and growers to continue to evolve our French wines and showcase them to the world.

“Penfolds continues to push boundaries, experiment, and deliver incredible wines and experiences to wine lovers around the world."

Penfolds is at Vinexpo Paris this week as part of the South Australian brand's 180th anniversary celebrations.

Since the completion of Penfolds acquisition of Château Lanessan, one of the oldest estates in Bordeaux, Penfolds is also working on upgrading the site while preserving the history and heritage of the winery.

Penfolds Champagne Cuvée Brut in collaboration with Champagne Thiénot will be available in key markets globally from September with an RRP of $79. See www.penfolds.com.

Hotel promotion is written in the stars

When it comes to hotel promotions there is nothing that is too whacky.

I had to make sure it was not April 1 when an email landed touting a collaboration between Moxy Hotels and leading astrology platform Sanctuary.

Apparently the pair has launched "a transformative astrological travel partnership, sparking cosmic curiosity in travellers across the globe".

Stop sniggering up the back!

Travellers apparently now have "the opportunity to take trips "that are literally written in the stars".

The partnership will feature Cosmic Curations, astro-adventure guides, and harnessing the power of astrocartography to bring consumers free personalsed travel recommendations including when to travel, where to travel and even who to travel with based on their birth signs.

I'm already hopelessly lost in space.

Moxy guests will also experience things such as:

# Sip by Sign at Bar Moxy: a new menu of cocktails and cosmically-inspired coffee foam patterns, manifesting an incredible stay from check-in.

# Bedtime Stories - Moxy’s signature Bedtime Stories program sees guests using their in-room rotary phones to hear their 2024 predictions by star sign element, listen to a serene sound bath, or journey through the universe and their psyche with dream interpretations.

# Localized Programming - Every destination has its own lore, and Moxy and Sanctuary want to highlight those. These include Aura Photography at Moxy Virginia Beach, full moon parties at Moxy Lisbon City, and many more.

I'm still not sure this is a real thing, but I do known Moxy is a brand with over 125 hotels across the world.

"Now, through our partnership with Sanctuary, guests can choose their destination in a way they never could before, and have it come to life during their stay,” says Brian Povinelli, senior vice president, Global Head of Marketing and Brand at Marriott International,

“Sanctuary was truly our ‘compatible sign’ for this initiative, as they share the same optimistic, colorful and playful point of view about the world as Moxy. We can’t wait for our guests all around the world to see it first-hand.”

Find out more at www.moxyhotels.com or check out #atthemoxy on Instagram.

Leading Asian airlines sign up for strategic alliance

Big news in the world of Asian aviation this week with Capital A, the holding company for AirAsia brands, and Garuda Indonesia Group announcing a strategic partnership that should work well for regional flyers.

The leading low-cost airline in the region and the national flag carrier of Indonesia aim to "strengthen the global aviation ecosystem post-pandemic".

The partnership between the two entities will explore network expansion across various business lines, including commercial airline services between AirAsia and Indonesian domestic airline Citilink, logistics services with Teleport and Garuda Indonesia Cargo, as well as maintenance, repair and overhaul services.

The MOU signing ceremony in Jakarta, Indonesia, was attended by Garuda Indonesia president and CEO Irfan Setiaputra and Capital A CEO Tony Fernandes.

“We are witnessing the blossoming of a meaningful partnership between two leading Asean brands that are loved by millions of people in this region, known for best value, quality and choice," said a very enthusiastic Fernandes.

"Our relationship with Garuda began when Citilink joined our Superapp journey. We are excited to further elevate this relationship by pooling our strengths and resources to add more value to people’s lives.”

Setiaputra said the collaboration marks "a significant milestone".

“We believe that after the pandemic, collaboration within the aviation ecosystem is a necessity that should continue to be optimised," he said.

"With this commitment in mind, our collaboration with Capital A is expected not only to provide a solid foundation for the business outlook of both companies but also to strengthen our joint commitment to delivering added value in the best aviation services for the community.”

The partnership will leverage on the depth of close to 50 domestic destinations in Indonesia covered by Citilink with the breadth of AirAsia's 150 international destinations.

Selected routes in early 2024 will provide seamless transfer experience for both inbound and outbound travellers, with checked-through baggage service and issuance of boarding passes from point of origin.

Discussions are also underway between Capital A’s aircraft maintenance provider Asia Digital Engineering (ADE) and Garuda Indonesia’s GMF AeroAsia to further explore opportunities for another strategic partnership.

Star chef and iconic winery announce collaboration

Celebrity chef Matt Moran has linked with leading Barossa wine producer Peter Lehmann Wines with a two-year deal that will feature a range of collaborations.

Nigel Westblade, chief winemaker at Peter Lehmann Wines, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Matt Moran, who shares our commitment to quality and innovation.

"Together, we will bring the best of Australian wine and cuisine to tables across the country, and showcase the unique character of South Australia’s Barossa Valley, where our wines are crafted.”

Moran has over three decades of experience running some of Australia’s most-loved venues and is a familiar face to TV viewers.

“I have always admired Peter Lehmann Wines and their commitment to creating exceptional wines that reflect the unique landscape of the Barossa Valley," Moran said.

"As someone who is passionate about creating unforgettable dining experiences, I believe that wine plays an essential role in bringing people together and elevating any meal to a truly special occasion.”

As part of the partnership, Moran will collaborate with Peter Lehmann’s winemakers to create a series of food and wine experiences, including the listing of Lehmann Wines at venues including the Rockley Pub.

The partnership will commence with activity surrounding the celebration of 30 vintages of Stonewell Shiraz, one of Peter Lehmann’s flagship wines with further events and activations to follow.