New villas for wine lovers visiting the Yarra Valley

Good news for wine lovers frustrated by a lack of weekend accommodation in the Yarra Valley.

In addition to the soon-to-open Levantine Hill Hotel, the RACV this week unveiled plans for a $27 million expansion of its Healesville Country Club & Resort.

Located in the heart of the Yarra Valley, just over an hour from Melbourne, RACV Healesville Country Club & Resort's expansion will be a major boost to regional tourism in Victoria.

The development project will feature 12 new premium villas providing luxe two-bedroom accommodation for families and small groups, along with a new golf pro shop and new sports and recreation facilities.

The addition of the new villas and facilities will create over 250 jobs during construction and 26 ongoing positions once operational, injecting an estimated $3.8 million annually into the local economy.

"RACV is committed to investing in regional Victoria and this project is a great opportunity to expand the accommodation options that are available in the Yarra Valley," said Craig Peachey, RACV executive general manager leisure.

"These new luxury villas and facilities will help to meet the growing demand for family and group style accommodation, while enhancing the Yarra Valley’s reputation as a premium tourism and golfing destination.

“During weekends and peak periods, the resort is fully booked in advance, so potential visitors to the region may look elsewhere for their getaway. This expansion will enable the facility to welcome up to 16,700 additional guests annually."

RACV Healesville Country Club & Resort offers a choice of Lawn View rooms, Golf View rooms, and Premium Mountain View room, all featuring en suite bathrooms, minibars, and robes.

RACV Healesville Country Club & Resort is also home to a day spa, pool and fitness centre, along with the 18-hole golf course, and Banyalla and Riddell's Green restaurants.

Construction is scheduled to commence in mid 2026 with the new villas expected to welcome their first guests by mid 2027.

For more info see racv.com.au/travel-experiences/.

New vineyard accommodation in the Geelong wine region

There is a new vineyard getaway in the Geelong wine region with the opening of Vintners Lodge @ Clyde Park. 

   
Vintners Lodge is described as French-inspired accommodation with "the most superb vineyard and valley views in the region". 

The restored century-old house is a stone's throw from the vines and each of the three bedrooms (The Baroque Room, La Rose and The Stag Room) has its own personality. 

The residence is decorated with European antiques and a 120-year-old mirror from Her Majesty's Theatre in Melbourne. 

There are two wood fireplaces inside, the original flooring has been preserved and the outdoor bath and fire pit complete the picture. 

Think complimentary homemade baked goods, orchard fruit and Clyde Park wine on arrival, and the accommodation sleeps up to six (or eight if you use the sofa bed). See https://clydepark.com.au/

Image: Wildheart Photography

There is also a new cellar door in the region with the opening of Blame Mabel (formerly Staughton Vale Vineyard) in the Moorabool Valley. 

Blame Mabel is also a boutique getaway with three cabins (above) and a farmhouse set on 30 acres among the vines on Mount Anakie. Mabel is the resident boxer dog. 

The pet-friendly cellar door is open to the public but if you book to stay on site, you get your own key so you can come and go as you please. 

The cellar door offers Blame Mabel wine as well as other local drops; it has an indoor fireplace, small farm shop, board games and books. https://www.blamemabel.com/

Peppers brand makes a return to its roots in the Hunter Valley

One of Australia's most recognised boutique hotel brands is to make a return to the location where it started.

Accor today announced the rebrand of the Grand Mercure The Vintage to Peppers Hunter Valley following a multi-million dollar refurbishment of the property.

In a milestone moment for the brand, Peppers returns to where its story began - the wine country of the Hunter. 

Associated with "refined indulgence, personal service, and immersive escapes in spectacular destinations" since the first Peppers Guest House property was launched, Peppers now writes a new chapter. 

Owned by long-standing duo Stevens Group and Accor Vacation Club, along with additional partners, the now-reimagined hotel features a collection of one-, two-, and three-bedroom villas (above) upgraded to reflect "a contemporary aesthetic". 

All apartments underwent a full ceiling-to-floor upgrade, featuring refreshed lighting, modernised kitchens, elegant furnishings, and new textures. 

Located within the ‘The Vintage’ precinct, Peppers Hunter Valley is surrounded by vineyards, countryside, and the championship-standard 18-hole Greg Norman-designed golf course.

The precinct is undergoing further transformation, with the team behind NINETEEN set to launch a new Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and bar, Mezze, upstairs. 

“The return of Peppers to the Hunter Valley is a proud and symbolic moment for us," said Adrian Williams, Chief Operating Officer of Accor in the Pacific region. 

"This is where the Peppers story began, and to see the brand come full circle – now elevated, refreshed, and reconnected to its roots – is incredibly special. 

"The transformation of this property reflects the strength of our partnerships and the continued demand for meaningful, premium escapes that balance charm with sophistication. Peppers Hunter Valley is not just a beautiful place to stay – it is a return to what makes travel personal, local, and unforgettable.”

Rooms start from $499* per night. To book, visit ALL.com

Coonawarra vignerons hit the road - and the water

For over two decades the winemakers of Coonawarra have been hitting the road to show off their wares in various state capitals.

In just a few weeks’ time Coonawarra’s producers will be setting off on the 2025 Coonawarra Wine Tasting Roadshow - the 22nd instalment of the event, which has seen over 15,000 wines poured at 120 showcases across the country since 2003.

To be held in major centres across the east coast of Australia, and Adelaide, the 2025 event series will see up to 24 producers travelling from the famed terra rossa soils of Coonawarra in regional South Australia, to bring wine lovers the best of the wine region. 

This metro tour follows a successful regional Victorian Roadshow showcase this past June, which achieved sold out events in Ballarat, Geelong, Hamilton and Warrnambool.

Attendees will be spoilt for choice with anywhere between 120 and 160 wines featuring on the wine lists at the various events with a range of varieties and styles up for tasting.

One of the standout events of the 2025 Roadshow is set to take place in Sydney on Sunday, August 31, with the Coonawarra wine region taking to the water aboard the luxurious Starship Sydney on the Sydney Harbour. 

Organisers are revitalising the experience this year with a relaxed Sunday afternoon session, pairing iconic views with iconic wines.

“We are super excited to bring a fresh take to our Sydney showcase,”  said Heidi Guyett, Coonawarra Vignerons events & marketing manager.

“A Sunday afternoon cruise on Sydney Harbour, matched with incredible wines and conversations with our winemakers - we can’t think of a better way to experience Coonawarra in the city.”

See https://coonawarra.org/coonawarra-wine-tasting-roadshow-2025/

Barossa to get a luxury international hotel

The Barossa - Australia's most famous wine region - is get a new luxury international hotel.

IHG Hotels & Resorts and Adelaide-based Strategic Alliance have announced a partnership to bring the InterContinental Barossa Resort & Spa to the region.

Scheduled to open in 2028 (subject to planning approval), it will be the first luxury branded hotel in a South Australian wine region. 

The 150-room property on a 21-hectare site on a hillside outside Lyndoch "will be an oasis of elegance and sophistication" set amidst the rolling hills and lush vineyards of the famed Barossa. 

Each room will have local views and some with balconies overlooking vineyards. 

“We are exceptionally excited to bring our iconic InterContinental brand to the Barossa, and would like to thank the Strategic Alliance team for partnering with us to invest in the future of South Australian tourism," said Matt Tripolone, IHG Hotels & Resorts Managing Director, Australasia & Pacific. 

"For the first time, the Barossa will boast a globally branded luxury hotel that will serve as an indelible beacon for guests seeking an unparalleled level of luxury and sophistication. 

"Underpinned by stunning architecture and complemented by one of the world's most recognised brands, InterContinental Barossa Resort & Spa will be the perfect destination for wine lovers, gastronomes, and luxury escapists.”

OK Matt. You are clearly excited.

 

David Cook, director of Strategic Alliance, said: “We are very pleased to be partnering with the iconic InterContinental brand and thank them for their shared vision in our Barossa project.

"We look forward to our continued positive engagement with IHG and the Barossa, as our team works closely with them in unlocking this opportunity and bringing this project to fruition.”

When complete, the InterContinental Barossa Resort & Spa (render, above) will feature a selection of dining options, including a 130-seat signature restaurant. 

Other resort amenities will include a pool, a day spa and a fitness centre. 

The perfect time to mix some art with your wine

Fancy combining some arts and crafts with your wine tastings and long lunches?

The Margaret River Region Open Studios event will run from September 7-22 with 144 artists from Busselton to Augusta showcasing their creativity.

A 56-page Event Guide is now available in hard copy and online and artist workshops are open for bookings.

During the 16 days of the award-winning event, the largest of its kind in Australia, artists throw open their studio doors and invite the public in for a 'fly on the wall' experience of an artist creating.

“As our artists' practice and confidence grows, so does their desire to make each year's Margaret River Region Open Studios an enriched experience for their visitors," says event deputy chair and potter Jacquie Happ.

“MRROS is blessed to have a loyal following of art lovers,” she said. “In fact, last year more than 70% of our visitors were returning to the event.

“They will often revisit the studios of their favourite artists as well as seeking out new talent.

“Open Studios allows artists to grow their following and emboldens them to create fresh bodies of work each year, and perhaps try out new techniques to get instant feedback from visiting art lovers.”

Several artists will be opening new purpose-built art studios for this year's event.

Artists featured include painters, potters, printmakers, photographers, mosaicists, mixed media artists, metalwork and timber craftspeople, textile creators, illustrators, installation artists, sculptors, glassmakers, jewellers, textile makers, upcyclers, ceramicists, and furniture makers

In 2023 the event attracted approximately 15,000 visitors who made 145,000 studio visits.

And, of course, there are also all those cellar doors to visit.   

See www.mrropenstudios.com.au

Hail damage a blow to Chablis wine producers

Some bad news for lovers of Chablis: supplies are likely to be reduced and prices could be higher from the 2024 vintage.

The renowned French wine region this week confirmed that damage caused by a hail storm earlier this month caused "considerable" damage.

Some areas suffered losses of up to 80%, a statement issued by regional wine body the BIVB said.

A statement from the BIVB assessing the damage three weeks after the weather incident said that around 1,000 hectares of vines were affected - roughly a sixth of the Chablis appellation, which covers approximately 5,800 hectares and comprises 20 village communes.

Chablis grand cru climats Vaumur, Vaudésir, Moutonne and Preuses were thought to be among the worst-hit sites, the BIVB said when the hail struck, however the the villages of Fontenay-près-Chablis, Villy and La Chapelle-Vaupelteigne have seen the biggest damage.

There was also damage in Chablis, Maligny, Beine and Lignorelles, with some vineyards in Chablis Grand Cru and Chablis Premier Cru also affected.

It has been estimated that around 400 ha of vines were affected by losses of more than 80%, it said, although the damage was “ultra-localised”, drinks business reported.

The BIVB pointed out that after two good harvests in 2022 and 2023, the levels of reserves - especially for the Petit Chablis and Chablis appellations - would help to mitigate the impact of the storm.

Hawke's Bay wine region bounces back after cyclone

Six weeks after Cyclone Gabrielle devastated the region, winemakers in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, are enjoying vintage with pickers enjoying some welcome sunshine.

“While we have all seen images of the devastated vineyards following Cyclone Gabrielle, we want to assure wine lovers that Hawke’s Bay is open for business," says Sally Duncan, chair of Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers.

"We invite you to come and visit our beautiful region and enjoy the distinctive varieties and wines you know and love.

"Most cellar doors and our fantastic restaurants are open and looking forward to welcoming visitors over the Easter break.

"And if you can’t get to Hawke’s Bay, then look to support the region by buying Hawke's Bay wines and the other produce that the region is famous for.”

The Hawke's Bay community has rallied around the vineyards and wineries impacted by the cyclone with on-the-ground help with clean up, organising fundraising events or contributing to the Hawkes Bay Winegrowers Charitable Trust Relief Fund. 

“It has been heartening to see huge teams of volunteers helping out all over the region with the clean up of affected wineries and vineyards” says Brent Linn, executive officer for Hawke's Bay Wine.

The Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers Charitable Trust Relief Fund has so far raised over $NZ160,000. Those wanting to donate directly to the Hawke’s Bay Wine community can find more information here.

Broke bouncing back after devastating floods

The Broke Fordwich wine region in the Hunter Valley suffered unprecedented flooding last last week, but many local businesses are preparing to re-open this weekend: July 15-17.

The flood of July 6 was the worst flood in the 198-year history of the village, devastating the township and its people, with over 50 houses having been severely impacted by the disaster. The image above shows the inundated Margan Estate vines.

Local businesses, including winery cellar doors, restaurants and accommodation, are urging people to show support and visit the region this weekend and in coming weeks.

Local winemaker Andrew Margan, who with wife Lisa runs Margan Estate, said the region has been severely impacted by the damage and is asking for support:

“The community of Broke, government bodies, and all of the people who have been on the ground helping to try and put our wonderful community back together again can only do so much,” he says.

“We urge people to come and visit the cellar doors and restaurants, buy wines online or in retail outlets. We are also asking for donations via our community GOFUND ME with 100% of funds going directly to those left without homes and insurance policies that don’t cover flood damage.”

The Broke Disaster Relief team is working in partnership with Resilience NSW to raise much needed funds for flood-affected families.

Visitors are asked to be mindful that the actual township of Broke is accessible only to residents. All the restaurants and cellar doors of the area are outside the village and will be accessible by the weekend.

While access to Broke is unaffected from Pokolbin via Cessnock Road, the road from Singleton to Broke is damaged and closed until further notice. Guests travelling from Singleton can access Broke via Hermitage Rd Pokolbin and also via Bulga and Milbrodale Road.

Learn more about Broke HERE, via a Hunter Valley Wine & Tourism Association video.

Buy wine here: https://www.winecountry.com.au/wine/buy-hunter-valley-wines