Sweet surrender. Meet an artful new dessert wine from De Bortoli

De Bortoli, the creators of Australia's most famous sweet wine, Noble One, have now launched a new "sticky": De Bortoli Botrytis Semillon by Florence Broadhurst.

The limited-edition Botrytis Semillon wine features striking label designs from iconic Australian designer Florence Broadhurst and has been produced using the same grapes as Noble One, but made in a lighter style, suitable for any occasion, and packaged in a stylish bottle.

Broadhurst is best known for her luxury hand-printed wallpaper designs that are known around the world.

One of her grandest and most iconic designs is her ‘Japanese Floral’ stylised lotus.

The new wine features two different versions of this design.

De Bortoli Wines' Noble One has been the benchmark Australian sweet wine since 1982.

"While featuring the same varietal as our world-famous Noble One Botrytis Semillon from our Bilbul Estate in Riverina of New South Wales, this is a lighter, more sessionable-style evoking a striking balance of fresh citrus characters and refreshing acidity, so it can be enjoyed at any occasion," De Bortoli said in a press release.

The 2016 vintage will be sold in 375ml bottles with a $20 RRP at leading liquor outlets across Australia.

New pastes make tandoori dishes a breeze

Visit a supermarket just about anywhere in the world and you'll find shelf after shelf of sauces, marinades, rubs and pastes designed to turn a simple piece of chicken or lamb into something wonderfully exotic. 

Whether your tastes tend towards Indian, Mexican or Thai there are dozens of options that promise to transform your dish into something deliciously different. 

The reality is often that the recipes are complex and demand all sorts of additions. 

When a PR for The Spice Tailor offered to send me some samples of the new Fast Paste range I was sceptical; but a freebie is a freebie. 

The Spice Tailor has launched two variants; Classic Tandoori and Creamy Tandoori in Australia. Both are simple to use; and even without a tandoori oven you get an authentic tandoori taste; as good as any Indian takeaway since I lived in Clapham Common in London and ate Indian several times a week. 

Fast Pastes are promoted as perfect for spicing up barbecues for spring and summer. You simply cover any meat, fish or vegetable in the fast paste and get cooking. On completion add the spicy seasoning to taste. 

Anjum Anand, founder of The Spice Tailor and a TV chef and cookery writer, said: “There are so many options for people looking to create their own Indian meals at home. It feels to me that there has been a gap in the market for a long time to show people how they can introduce authentic Indian tastes and flavours to dishes beyond just curries.

 “At The Spice Tailor, we want to make genuinely authentic Indian food and flavours accessible to everyone and the introduction of Fast Paste means that people can not only tailor the spice and flavour of their dish to their own taste, but they can use any number of main ingredients and introduce the flavour to any type of cooking – proving how easy it is to introduce Indian flavours to any meal.

"We know not everyone has time to marinade and grind spices, so we hope the Fast Paste range will make real Indian flavours accessible to everyone any day, any time, without compromising quality.”  

My verdict; the pastes are easy to use and the tastes are authentic.  Affordable, easy to use  and recommended. 

The Fast Paste range is available now, exclusively in Woolworths, with an RRP of $4.79. 

New guide to exploring Western Australia

The sheer size of Western Australia and its diversity of landscapes, experiences and climates makes it the perfect road trip destination.

A new guide to exploring Western Australia has just been released, showcasing several potential road trips around the state.

The experiences begin in Perth, the state's cosmopolitan capital, heading south to discover premium food and wine, beaches, dramatic coastline, tall-timber forests and caves – or travelling north to World Heritage-listed Shark Bay and Ningaloo Reef, the rugged landscapes of the Pilbara and the Kimberley.

East of Perth, head to Kalgoorlie where gold rush history and outback characters can be discovered. Friends of mine have recently spent weeks exploring the back roads of the West, and have been loving every minute.

Here's a taste of what's on offer…

South West Nature and Wine Drive

Highlights: Bunbury, Margaret River and Pemberton
Duration: 4-6 days
Seekers of the world's premium wines and top-rated chefs make a beeline from Perth to Margaret River wine region to indulge their foodie passions. Venture a little off the trail and you'll find the mild weather and abundant sunshine also produce some extraordinary flavours in the surrounding regions of Bunbury, Pemberton and Manjimup, including the prized black truffle.

Golden Quest Discovery Trail

Highlights: Kalgoorlie, Menzies and Laverton
Duration: 6 days
Unearth the riches of the 120-year-old gold rush history on a 965 kilometre trek through the  Goldfields, This road trip takes in the historic town of Kalgoorlie, Kookynie and its Grand Hotel, the ghost town of Gwalia, and the world's largest outdoor gallery – 51 life-sized sculptures created by Antony Gormley, dotted across the salt flats of Lake Ballard.

World Heritage Coastal Drive

Highlights: Shark Bay and Ningaloo Reef
Duration: 9-11 days

The Ningaloo Reef and Shark Bay coast is one of few places on Earth where you can visit two World Heritage-listed treasures in one self-drive adventure. Travelling from Perth to Exmouth, this trip reveals the natural wonders that put the region on the UNESCO world map – from the biggest fringing reef, to the largest and oldest living fossils on the planet, not to mention the amazing crystal clear waters and white sand beaches.

For many more suggestions see:

https://justanotherday.westernaustralia.com/content/uploads/2018/10/Your-Guide-to-Western-Australias-Best-Driving-Routes.pdf

How Melbourne's best-kept travel secret can save you money

It costs around $60-70 to travel between Melbourne Airport and downtown in a taxi, depending on the traffic and your destination. Your driver may be smelly and have no idea where he is going. 

Catching the shiny red Skybus from the airport to Southern Cross station costs $19 one way (and the price seems to rise regularly). But you do get free wifi. 

There is, as yet, no fast rail link between the airport and the city (although it has been discussed for decades), but you can catch public transport for around a quarter of the Skybus cost (and even less if you are a senior).

The strange thing is that Melbourne Airport keeps the public transport option as hard-to-discover as possible. Signs for Skybus are everywhere, and it stops outside the main terminals.

The public transport option (for which you must have a Myki transport card, which attracts a one-time only $6 fee) is tucked away in a parking garage across the road from the horrid terminal four (used by Virgin, Jetstar and Tiger). 

I remember first reading about the bus/train option on Tim Richards' excellent 
www.aerohaveno.com blog a couple of years ago but this week, with time to spare, was the first week I had used it. 

On a return trip I saved enough for a cup of good coffee (this is Melbourne after all) every day for a week, or a couple of glasses of natural wine at one of Melbourne's hipster wine bars. 

First, note this option is not ideal if you are toting heavy baggage from an international flight, or if you are in a hurry.

First head for the T4 parking area and seek out the local bus stop for service 901 (look for the tiny PT public transport sign). Then take the bus 901 (destination Frankston) to Broadmeadows Station, around 20-minute drive. Buses depart every 15 minutes or so.

From Broadmeadows catch a local train (Caigieburn line) to whichever of the City Loop stations that suits you best. In my case this was Parliament. On you way, your train will meander through suburbs you have never heard of; like Glenroy and Strathmore. 

Step out and you are right in the centre of Melbourne. With spare cash in your pocket. The entire journey takes around an hour.       
   

Huge expansion for McLaren Vale winery Dowie Doole

McLaren Vale wine producer Dowie Doole is undergoing a major expansion following the purchase of Possums Wines at Belwitt Springs, comprising a 500-tonne winery and 34.6 hectare vineyard.

Possums Wines, owned and managed by Dr John Possingham and Carol Summers since 1984, had been on the market since 2016. 

Possums Vineyard

Dr Possingham headed the CSIRO’s program of horticulture research for 30 years.

Possums Vineyard is located on Adams Road, Blewitt Springs – a coveted sub-region of McLaren Vale with approximately 28.6 hectares under vine planted to shiraz, grenache, cabernet sauvignon and malbec with chardonnay, pinot gris and viognier making up the white varietal plantings. 

“Viticulturally, the new Vineyard is very exciting as it offers a host of new varieties to play with and old-vine shiraz and grenache planted in 1955,” said Dowie Doole chief winemaker Chris Thomas. 

The sale expands Dowie Doole's position as growers in McLaren Vale with estate vineyard holdings set to nearly double from 35 to 63.6 hectares under vine. 

Possums winery is an advanced facility with state-of-the-art winery plant and equipment, storage, offices, laboratory and climate-controlled barrel store. 

Dowie Doole will carry on producing wines under the Possums brands: 

A new cellar door is currently under construction at Dowie Doole's Tatachilla Vineyard located on California Road, McLaren Vale. 

New spirits bar for the Hobart waterfront

Tasmania has been undergoing a huge spirits boom over the past decade with small producers making whisky, gin, brandy and other spirits with huge success . 

Now Tasmania has a new spirits bar in the landmark MACq 01 hotel on Hobart waterfront. 

Evolve Spirits Bar showcases high-end spirits from around the world in a lounge-style setting. The intimate space is decorated by a collection of rare, authentic fossils. 

Seating up to 70 guests, the lounge bar highlights Tasmania’s emergence as an
international heavyweight in spirit distilling.

“This won’t be a cocktail shaker bar,” says MACq 01 Food and Beverage Manager, Liz Thomas. “Evolve will have an acute focus on fine spirit tastings and built spirit beverages, accompanied by a small selection of wines and beers.”

A behind-the-bar spirit keep will be a unique element; guests can purchase their own bottle of rare spirits and reserve it exclusively for their visits.

Offerings will include one-off bottlings of Glenfiddich and Balvenie whiskies, Glen Grant single malts from 1950, pre-phylloxera Cognac dating over 100 years old, and often-unattainable Tasmanian releases from Tim Duckett’s Heartwood whisky and Sullivan’s Cove.

Evolve will be led by 2017 Bartender of the Year Dan Gregory, previously from Black Pearl in Melbourne, Swillhouse Group (Shady Pines Saloon, Baxter Inn and Hubert Restaurant), and The Gresham Bar in Brisbane. 

The spirits bar will be hosting an array of ongoing exclusive special events such as masterclasses and fine spirit tastings, and will also have private spaces available to rent.

Evolve Spirits Bar, MACq 01, 18 Hunter Street, Hobart. www.evolvespiritsbar.com.au.