New flights to link Vietnam with London Heathrow

Vietnam’s Bamboo Airways was founded in 2017 and only launched in 2019 but it has big ideas.

Bamboo Airways has unveiled plans to operate up to six regular scheduled flights a week to London.

The first Vietnam-UK direct flights will serve London Heathrow from both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Bamboo is expected to start scheduled flights before the end of the year and will operate Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

The direct 12-13-hour service will cut the current journey time with transit stopovers by several hours.

Bamboo Airways chairman Trinh Van Quyet said the airline expects to operate six round trips a week between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and London; and increase frequency based on demand.

The flights are expected to operate from Heathrow Airport's Terminal 2.

Nguyen Hoang Long, Vietnamese ambassador to the UK, said opening direct flights between the two countries would boost commerce and people-to-people exchanges, and would be particularly beneficial for the Vietnamese community in the UK.

There are currently over 100,000 Vietnamese studying and living in the UK, and around 60% of them are in London.

$75 million US investment says Chinese whisky is the next big thing

Scotland no longer has the premium whisky market to itself. 

From Tasmania to Japan, the US to Ireland, whisky is big business. 

And the next big whisky producing nation will be China, one of the world's leading beverage companies believes. 

Diageo, a global leader in alcohol and owner of Johnnie Walker and Singleton Scotch whiskies, this week broke ground on the site of its first malt whisky distillery in China.

Located in Eryuan County in Yunnan Province, the Diageo Eryuan Malt Whisky Distillery (above) will produce Diageo's first China-origin, single malt whisky. 

It is a $US75 million investment. 

"China is the world's largest beverage alcohol market and the demand for whisky is growing rapidly among middle-class consumers who are keen to further discover and enjoy fine whiskies", said Sam Fischer, president of Diageo Asia Pacific and Global Travel. 

"Today we celebrate another significant step forward, and one which builds upon our local insights and combines those with Diageo's global whisky expertise in order to delight the next generation of Chinese whisky consumers." 

Situated at over 2,100 metres above sea level, Diageo’s first malt whisky distillery in China will be carbon neutral.

The site of the 66,000 sqm distillery was carefully selected for its temperate climate, rich natural biodiversity, and access to natural spring water that is a source of the second-largest highland lake, Erhai Lake, in Yunnan. 

"The natural surroundings and the Eryuan landscape will allow us to craft a world-class, China-origin, single malt whisky that will capture the imagination of premium whisky lovers in China," said Fischer.

The site will feature an immersive and interactive visitor centre that it is hoped attract whisky enthusiasts and boost the local cultural tourism industry. 

Construction is expected to begin in early 2022.  

Diageo brands include Smirnoff, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Tanqueray and Guinness. 

Exploring the terroirs of Tasmania with the good doctor

Innovative winemaker Peter Dredge - aka Dr Edge or Dr Ongo - is back with another of his awesome terroir projects. 

Dredge, formerly of Petaluma and Bay of Fires, selects parcels of fruit from leading vineyards in different regions of Tasmania (or Oregon) to explore differences, and similarities, with the various terroirs. 

His new releases are four Tasmanian rieslings from the 2020 vintage. 

He says this is the last of the North, East, South comparison projects for a while - not surprising as he's building his own winery at Cambridge, near Hobart Airport, and has recently been sidelined by a pair of back operations. 

All the wines spent nine months on lees in old oak (a couple with whole fruit bunches) then nine months in bottle to to reduce that frenetic Tasmanian acid in young whites. 

“They were super sharp from the cool 2020 vintage but are good to go for this summer,“ Dredge says. 

All the wines are naturally fermented and are unfined.

Here is the rundown:

Dr Edge 2020 Riesling 'South' - Derwent Valley - single vineyard - Meadowbank

Dr Edge 2020 Riesling 'East' - East Coast - single vineyard - Freycinet Vineyard

Dr Edge 2020 Riesling 'North' - Tamar Valley - single vineyard  - Confidential 

Dr Edge 2020 Riesling 'Tasmania' - a blend of the three vineyards 

For rme, the lean, high acid South was a clear winner, but that is my personal style preference.

All three regional wines shone, with the blend interesting but lacking the "presence" of the regional trio. 

Dredge says all are taut and refined - and all have serious palate interest, perhaps above varietal character. 

All are 11.5% alcohol by volume, and will retail for around $50. Or order direct for $150 for a quartet at www.dr-edge.com/ but be quick as supplies are very limited.

Here's cheers to the Day of the Dead

 Australians have enthusiastically embraced overseas festivals like Halloween, so how about a toast to the Mexican festival Día De Muertos (Day of the Dead), which is celebrated each November 2? 

The team from Patron Tequila are enthusiastically embracing the festival with the release of some cocktail recipes - and with more online. 

The Día De Muertos is celebrated all over the world but very much a newcomer in Australia. 

If you fancy joining in then Patrón Silver Tequila, $90.00, is available at Dan Murphy’s and BWS stores. 

It can be enjoyed as a palate cleanser over ice, or in a margarita cocktail. 

Patron Tequila is exclusively produced in the Highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. For more Día de Muertos cocktail recipes visit: www.patrontequila.com/en-au/stories/dia-de-muertos.html

Patron Silver El Diablo

Ingredients: 45ml Patrón Silver, 30ml fresh lime juice, 30ml ginger beer, 7.5ml cassis plus lime wedge for garnish. 

Method: Combine all ingredients except ginger beer in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill; strain onto fresh ice in a Collins glass; top with ginger beer and drizzle cassis over the top; garnish with a lime wedge.

Patron Silver Paloma Roja 

Ingredients: 60ml Patron Silver, 75ml grapefruit juice, 15ml fresh lemon juice, 15ml St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, 15ml Hibiscus syrup plus salt and dried hibiscus rim and orange zest for garnish. 

Method: Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice; shake to chill and combine; strain into a salt and  dried hibiscus-rimmed Collins glass filled with fresh ice. 

A special deal at one of Tasmania's tourism gems

I am constantly being asked where travellers to Tasmania should spend time when they visit. 

I have two "go to" destinations that offer a real taste of Tasmania: splendid wilderness, excellent accommodation and access to local wine and food experiences without breaking the bank. 

One is Cradle Mountain Lodge (somewhere I have stayed regularly for over two decades) and the other is Freycinet Lodge with its fabulous views. 

Think white sandy beaches, walking to Wineglass Bay and watching the Hazards mountains at sunset. And all those great East Coast cellar doors just a short drive away. 

RACT members are being offered a very special deal for a night at Freycinet Lodge - but only until November 4.

Spend the night nestled in coastal bushland luxury while savouring local cuisine with the "East Coast Indulgence Package" from $399 for two people. 

The package includes one night’s accommodation for two adults; a $100 food and beverage voucher to spend at The Bay Restaurant, Hazards Bar & Lounge or Richardson’s Bistro; à la carte breakfasts for two and an afternoon sampling the region’s wine and canapés at the hosted Flavours of the East Coast wine tasting (valued at $160).

When I dined recently at The Bay, the food was as good as it has ever been. 

But be quick, the deal expires at 5pm on Thursday and is only available for travel until December 24. Smart cookies might also consider upgrading to one of the luxury Pavilions (above). 

You can book here: https://reservations.freycinetlodge.com.au/11370?ProdID=729411&LanguageID=1#/guestsandrooms

$3,500 for a new-release bottle of wine

I am a huge admirer of the Penfolds wine range. 

From midweek drinking to collectibles, the Penfolds team produces wines of symmetry, balance and drinkability.

Penfolds Grange remains the Australian red wine benchmark and chief winemaker Peter Gago and his team are deft blenders of fruit from across Australia. 

But. 

I do feel the Penfolds marketing team has become just a little bit gimmicky in recent times. 

There were the g3 and g4 non-vintage Grange blends; the pair of Superblends and other special bottlings. There was a port partially fortified with Chinese baijiu spirits. 

Today sees the launch of the final wine in the ‘g’ series trio - Penfolds g5.

The g5 blend features Grange fruit from the 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018 vintages "to create a completely unique expression of our flagship".

Only 2,200 bottles of the ultra-rare release will be available around the world with an RRP of $3,500.00 for a 750ml bottle. Expressions of interest are open at www.penfolds.com.

 

“Many collectors have queried why the landmark 2010 Grange was not included in g3 or g4,' says chief winemaker Gago.  "And provocatively, how could we not include the yet-to-be-released 2018 Grange?

"Fixed. Each of the five vintages sensitively brings their own personality and contribution to the blend. Which is an inverted anticipatory response to the inevitable query - why no g6?”

Blending across vintages is part of Penfolds winemaking philosophy and has been since 1844 - but almost entirely with fortified wines. 

In 2017, Penfolds released the first edition g3; a 2008, 2012 and 2014 blend. 

Two years later, Penfolds g4 was unveiled – from the 2002, 2004, 2008 and 2016 vintages. 

Now here's the g5. For serious collectors only.