A new gourmet destination in McLaren Vale

Take a leading boutique wine producer; add a craft distiller and distillery and a gourmet pizza producer and you have the newest drawcard in McLaren Vale. 

Adelaide success story Never Never Distilling Co., are set to open their distillery door next weekend as part of the Chalk Hill Collective.

 

The collaborative experience also features the Chalk Hill Wines cellar door and Vera Pizza Oztalia (VPO), a casual food offering from the operators of McLaren Vale’s pizzateca.

The experience will combine three of South Australia’s wine, spirit and food offerings in one 500-capacity site.

Never Never’s focus will be on bringing a range of exciting gin experiences to the heart of McLaren Vale, including interactive distillery tours, hands-on tasting experiences and production masterclasses for both novices and enthusiasts alike. 

The structure itself has been architecturally designed and is dominated by an expansive covered deck that showcases spectacular 300-degree views of the region.

"McLaren Vale has always been a dream for Never Never, so much so that we put its iconic landscape on our label right back when we were distilling in the back of a shed in Royal Park,” says George Georgiadis, managing director of Never Never Distilling Co. 

“When we first met the Chalk Hill team, we knew there would be an opportunity to create an incredible site where you can enjoy a gin, wine and delicious meal while looking out over the Mount Lofty Ranges. 

"Hospitality is a massive part of who we are at Never Never, so we can’t wait to open the doors and host people for the very first time.”

Tom Harvey, CEO of Chalk Hill Wines, is excited to see the vision he and his family had for the site finally come to fruition. 

The Harveys are fifth-generation wine makers and have worked in the area since the mid 1800s.

“The Chalk Hill Collective really is a feast for the senses – the world’s best gin tasted side-by-side with stunning wines and a range of amazing Italian food in arguably the most scenic place in the region,” says Tom Harvey. 

Never Never Distillery is located at Chalk Hill Collective, 56 Field Street, McLaren Vale and opened on February 15. 

Initially, the distillery will be open six days 11am-6pm (closed Tuesdays). It will operate special extended summer trading hours until 10pm on Friday evenings.

Virgin Australia to abandon Hong Kong flights

First Qantas announced it was culling its flights to China and now Virgin Australia says it will end all flights to Hong Kong from next month.

Virgin flies daily Airbus A330 flights from both Melbourne and Sydney to Hong Kong. 

It will end Melbourne-Hong Kong flights on February 11 given ongoing and sometimes violent political protests in Hong Kong reduced demand and made the route unprofitable.

With the unpredictable coronavirus further reducing demand in the region, the Sydney-Hong Kong flight is also now also going. The Sydney-Hong Kong route will cease operations from March 2. 

"Hong Kong has continued to be a challenging market," said Virgin Australia Group Chief Commercial Officer John MacLeod. 

"With a decline in demand following ongoing civil unrest, and growing concerns over the coronavirus outbreak in the wider region, we have made the decision to withdraw services.” 

With Virgin’s withdrawal, Qantas and Cathay Pacific will have a duopoly on flights between Australia and Hong Kong. 

Meet the cruise line that can't help saying" no"

Hobart today became the first Australian destination to welcome the 930-guest Viking Sun, which is on day 160 of its 245-day Ultimate World Cruise, attempting to set the Guinness World Record for the “longest continuous passenger cruise”.

The voyage will also include a three-day visit to Sydney and spans six continents, 51 countries and 111 ports, completing a full circumnavigation of the globe. Sailing continuously for eight months and offering 23 overnight stays, the journey is nearly double the length of previous world cruise itineraries.  

Upon the return of Viking Sun to London on May 2, an official Guinness World Record adjudicator will confirm the successful attempt with a certificate presentation. 

At total of 56 people - 12 from Australia, four from the UK and 40 from the US and Canada – have signed on for the full 245 days. 

Others have joined two extensive segments of the cruise, at 127 and 119-days respectively, disembarking in Los Angeles after covering half the itinerary, where a new group of passengers joined the ship for the second leg.

I was lucky enough to get a close-up look on board today - and was impressed. I have several issues with ocean cruising, including being subjected to being up close and personal with other people's children, being forced to eat with people I do not know and noise from on-board casinos and nightclubs. 

I also hate lining up for food behind people who seem set on breaking a world record for how much food they can pile onto their plates.

None of which is an issue on the six identical Viking ocean cruise liners.

Anna Bathgate, the Viking PR and Communications manager, assures me that Viking has made every effort to make cruising as hassle-free as possible for grumpy types like myself. 

That includes a policy of "no crowds, no queues, no casinos, no kids and no silly "nickle and dime" charges. That means you won't get slugged for that glass of wine you have with dinner, or for your use of wifi on board. 

Other good news is that every state room has either a window or a balcony and there are no butlers, no photographers, no formal or fancy dress nights and you can even BYO wine should you wish - although the list carries prestige names from Australia, the US, France, Italy, New Zealand and South Africa, among others.

You choose where you dine each night and can opt for a table for two should that be your preference. 

That's quite a few ticks there. 

I roamed the ship today taking some snaps - which you'll find above and below. The Viking Sun, like its fellow vessels has a definite Nordic theme; from Edvard Munch artworks to Nordic architecture, a Nordic spa, steam room and ice grotto, and its own Nordic café.

The vibe is super comfortable rather than luxe, with plenty of public spaces in which to stretch out and relax, as well as a business centre. 

Ultimate World Cruise fares started at $117,995 in a veranda stateroom, the lowest cabin category available on Viking’s fleet of small, all-veranda ships.

Like all Viking itineraries, guests enjoy an included excursion in each port of call, unlimited wifi, all meals including alternate dining, beer and wine served with lunch and dinner, 24-hour room service, self-service laundry and complimentary access to the LivNordic Scandinavian spa.

Launched in 2017, Viking Sun offers eight destination-inspired dining options, including several specialty and alfresco options such as Manfredi’s for traditional Italian and Chef’s Table, where chefs serve up destination-inspired degustation menus paired with global wines - 125 in all and also 31 vintages of Armagnac. 

There are libraries curated by Heywood Hill booksellers of London and a program of educational lectures.

Prior to arriving in Australia, Viking’s Ultimate World Cruise visited the UK, Scandinavia, Canada, the US, the Caribbean, South and Central America, New Zealand and a number of Pacific island nations. 

After spending nine days in Australian ports, Viking Sun will continue her journey through Asia, the Middle East, the Suez Canal and finally, returning to the Mediterranean.

Viking Sun will be joined by identical sister ship, Viking Orion, in Australian waters this summer. Viking Orion will offer eight local cruises from her seasonal Sydney and Auckland home ports, where she will be based for three months. 

For full details and bookings visit www.vikingcruises.com.au

Boom times for the Australian wine industry - but for how long?

The value of Australian wine exports grew by 3% to $2.91 billion in the 12 months to December 2019, figures released by Wine Australia show. 

Exports of higher-valued wines drove the growth in value despite a 12% drop in total volume to 744 million litres.

Wine Australia Chief Executive Officer Andreas Clark said the sector had focused on growing exports at higher price points and the results reflected the success of the sector’s strategy.

The total value of exports in 2019 was the second-highest for a calendar year and value is approaching levels from before the Global Financial Crisis.

The average value of exported wine increased by 18% to $3.91 per litre FOB, the highest level since 2006.

“Australian wine companies have been very active in our export markets and the value of exports has now increased for six consecutive years," Clark said.

Australian wine exports to China (including Hong Kong and Macau) in the 12 months to December 2019 increased by 12% in value to $1.28 billion. 

Australia has consolidated its position as the number one imported country of origin ahead of France, but.... and it is a big but. 

The impact of coronavirus in China and globally since the reporting period and lower than expected exports to the United States and Canada are already putting pressure on the 2020 figures.

Australia’s largest wine company Treasury Wine Estates' share price has dropped by more than 25% in the past 10 days following the coronavirus outbreak. 

“Looking ahead into 2020, we anticipate that coronavirus will have an impact on sales, particularly to China, but at this stage it is difficult to predict the degree of that impact," Clark said. 

“Our first concern is people’s well-being in China and elsewhere and there will be time down the track to consider other impacts.”

Grape picking of early white and sparkling varieties for the 2020 vintage has begun in the South Australian regions of the Riverland and Barossa and the Hunter Valley in New South Wales.

Yields are expected to be down in most regions following a challenging season of extreme heat, drought and bushfires.

Gadgets to make our lives a lot easier

A PR company recently sent me a press release with some gadgets it suggested as Valentine's Day gifts.

Call me old-fashioned but when I think about Valentine's Day, I think Champagne, candlelit dinners, cakes and flowers.

I do not think Swiss Army knives, or ultra-hard water spraying gizmos to clean garage doors. 

There may, however, be those who see certain gadgets as an ideal romantic gift, so here are three that I've tried recently and can recommend.

PaMu Slide Mini earphones

I am always amazed at the cost of earphones and ear buds. How can something so small cost hundreds of dollars?

You simply shouldn't have to pay $250-$400 for quality wireless earbuds like Airpods - and the good news is these can be a quarter of that price.

They are lightweight, compact and with a very portable design. You can slip them in your pocket and go with a charging box that is smaller than a lighter.

The sound quality is good and I've tested mine several times and they do not fall out. Over 10 hours of battery life. 

Price is around $US55. https://padmate-tech.com/products/pamu-slide-mini

COAT - The Original Portable Coat Hook

As someone who regularly leaves their jacket, or handbag on the floor, this is a gadget I will use on a regular basis - it allows you to hang up your coat, suit jacket or handbag when you’re on the move.

In theory that means no more crumpled jackets and no more leaving manbags under desks - and it is tiny enough to fit in your pocket or bag.

COAT uses suction technology to stick to smooth surfaces such as glass, tile, stone, metals and tabletops (although is less effective on painted walls).

“COAT was created after I couldn’t find anywhere suitable to stow my suit jacket while commuting to work or out and about for meetings." said CEO and founder Luke Dutton. "I realised that there was no practical solution available and hence, COAT was born.”

RRP $32.99. www.theoriginalcoat.com

Logitech K600 TV Keyboard

One of my pet hates is searching for a program on Netflix or ABC IView using the remote control unit and poorly-designed app keyboards, very few of which work on the Qwerty format. 

This small wireless keyboard makes it easy to find your favourite movies across streaming services and channels. The PR says you can "press play on your smart TV without breaking the cuddle on the couch". 

You can quickly search for content, enter complicated mix-cased passwords, and browse the internet with ease. It also works with PCs and mobile devices. 

$99.95 with free postage at www.logitech.com/en-au/product/k600-smart-tv-keyboard?crid=27 

 

Direct trains to start between London and Amsterdam

I recently explored some slices of Europe using a Eurail pass, which I found both useful and cost effective. 

Travelling by train in Europe saves time, money and effort. And there are no parking issues as you are delivered from city centre to city centre. Supplements are, however, payable on some fast trains.
     

Eurostar has just announced it is to upgrade its London to Amsterdam and Rotterdam services to operate direct high-speed trains in both directions from the late northern spring.

Tickets for the direct return journeys go on sale on February 11 with fares starting at £35 each way.

Eurostar launched its London to Amsterdam and Rotterdam service in 2018, but currently there is no direct return service, Up until now passengers have had to connect in Brussels.

Direct trains from Amsterdam to London will start on April 30 and there will be a direct service from Rotterdam to London from May 18. 

There are currently three outbound services a day from Britain to the Netherlands. The direct inbound journey from Amsterdam to London will start with two services, with the aim of increasing to a third, and then a fourth. 

 "We're continuing to invest in modern, efficient transport links with the continent so our businesses and tourism industry can flourish," said UK transport secretary Grant Shapps. 

"The days of passengers being forced to decamp from the train at Brussels to file through passport control will soon be over, as we look forward to direct, return, high-speed services to Amsterdam and beyond." 

Eurostar chief executive Mike Cooper said: "Our services from the UK to the Netherlands have proved very popular with over half a million travellers since launch. 

"Our fully direct service marks an exciting advance for high-speed rail and provides consumers with a comfortable, environmentally friendly alternative to the airlines on one of Europe's busiest leisure and business routes."

See www.eurail.com/en