Calling all grenache lovers: enjoy a free tasting

Serafino Wines is inviting all lovers of grenache to celebrate International Grenache Day with a free community tasting on Friday, September 21.

The annual grenache tasting at Serafino cellar door in McLaren Vale will run from 5-7pm and give wine lovers the opportunity to taste and celebrate the beauty of the grape variety. 

Attendees will get the chance to discover the diversity of the varietal by origin, micro-climate, viticultural practices and winemaking style.

The tasting will feature both grenache and grenache-dominant blends from several South Australian producers and is being put together by national sales and marketing manager Russell Gallagher.  

The 2017 Serafino Reserve Grenache (above) won the Wine Communicators of Australia Perpetual Trophy for Best Other Red Varietal at the 2018 Sydney Royal Wine Show. 
+6(081 8 8323 0157 8323 0157

Tasmania stars on Lonely Planet gourmet list

The world is sitting up and taking notice of Tasmanian gourmet specialities like freshly-shucked oysters on the beach and scallop pies.

Eating oysters in Tasmania ranked 13th on a new list of the world's top food experiences published by Lonely Planet.


Oysters from Bruny Island, Tasmania

Just 13 of the world’s most thrilling culinary experiences are to be had in Australia, according to leading global travel authority Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Eatlist, which is published today.

In addition to oysters in Tasmania, the 12 other Australian gastronomic encounters are: bush tucker at Uluru (#91), scallop pie in Tasmania (#185), Anzac biscuits (#241), mud crab fishing in Darwin (#284), Adelaide’s Central Market (#334), Avocado on toast in Melbourne (#343),Barramundi in the Northern Territory (#364), meat pie at the MCG (#385), Moreton Bay Bugs in Brisbane (#402), wallaby tail soup at the Flower Drum in Melbourne(#407), pavlova (#429) and the lamington (#475).

The overall top 10 food experiences are:
1. Pintxos in San Sebastián, Spain
2. Curry laksa in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
3. Sushi in Tokyo, Japan
4. Beef brisket in Texas, USA
5. Som tum in Bangkok, Thailand
6. Smørrebrød in Copenhagen, Denmark
7. Crayfish in Kaikoura, New Zealand
8. Bibimbap in Seoul, South Korea
9. Pizza margherita in Naples, Italy
10. Dim sum in Hong Kong

Special accommodation deals on iconic Tasmanian walks

There are few better places on earth than Tasmania to enjoy a stroll in the wilderness - and the Tasmanian Walking Company has just launched a couple of very special offers. 

Every new booking on a Bay of Fires Lodge Walk departing up until December 24, 2018, (subject to availability) receives a complimentary bed and breakfast package at historic Quamby Homestead including twin share room, cooked breakfast for up to two guests, free wifi, Launceston airport transfer and golf club hire.

Quamby Homestead is a quintessentially Tasmanian colonial homestead. Built in 1828, it features 10 restored antique-furnished guest rooms with bathrooms with heated floors. It has a lovely old-style atmosphere.

Set in the landscaped grounds of Quamby Estate and the adjoining Quamby Golf Course, the homestead is just 200 metres from the walking base. 

Meanwhile, every new booking on the superb Wineglass Bay Sail Walk (for departures up until November 30, 2018), comes with a complimentary bed and breakfast Package at Hobart's MACq01 Hotel (valued at up to $490), including a twin-share Superior Hunter Room, breakfast for up to two  guests and free wifi.

MACq 01 is one of Hobart's newest hotels, situated right on the waterfront, in an area of yachts, fishing fleets and convict-built sandstone warehouses. 

To take advantage of the special Bay of Fires Lodge Walk spring offer:
visit: http://bit.ly/2vu41U5, call (03) 6392 2211 and mention the 'Quamby Offer'
or email bookings@taswalkingco.com.au

To take advantage of the special Wineglass Bay Sail Walk Spring offer:
visit: http://bit.ly/2OSL6dF, call (03) 6392 2211 and mention the 'MACq 01 Offer'
or email bookings@taswalkingco.com.au

Sparkling success as Effervescence festival expands

Effervescence Tasmania, the only wine festival in Australia devoted purely to sparkling wine, has unveiled an expanded program for 2018. 

With a full day program of events in Hobart to kick things off, Effervescence will be held from November 11-18.

Now in its fifth year, Effervescence Tasmania has grown from an industry and producer-focused event into a key consumer experience for lovers of the luxurious and indulgent. 

The event is now so popular that in previous years, most events sell out well before the festival starts, but organisers have risen to this challenge by expanding the program and offering more opportunities to indulge.

Festival organiser David Milne from Josef Chromy Wines, said: “Our focus this year is on putting sparkling wine at the centre of everything that is great about Tasmania. We want to bring people together to enjoy the finer things in life, and hopefully learn something along the way. 

"A core part of the festival is its focus on development of the Tasmanian sparkling wine industry and we will definitely be maintaining that focus this year – in the context of everyone having a goodtime!

"Our sparkling wine degustation events and our masterclass programs are extremely popular so this year we have created more food and wine experiences to cater for the demand. 

"We are also expanding further into the south of the state, with a full day of Effervescence events in Hobart. We have also introduced some new “Meet the Maker” intimate experiences, and of course the centrepiece of the weekend, the Grand Tasting, will be returning."

The event is once again presented by Tyson Stelzer, multi-award winning wine writer, television presenter and speaker - and a tireless advocate for Tasmania wine quality. 

“Tasmania is home to the most sublime sparkling wines in the new world and Effervescence Tasmania is its ultimate showcase," Stelzer says. "This event is unlike any other sparkling event because it’s created and run by the winemakers themselves and reserved exclusively for Tasmania’s finest sparkling wines."

For information on Effervescence Tasmania events, visit the website
www.effervescencetasmania.com

High-tech new hotel opens in Queenstown

There is no need for a room key at high-tech, environment-friendly new Queenstown hotel Mi-pad. 

The boutique hotel, within strolling distance of the New Zealand ski resort's major attractions, is described as a "next generation hotel" that is "energy conscious, and environmentally aware".

Once guests have booked in and downloaded the hotel app, mia, to their smartphone, they have full control of their mi-pad experience. 

They can enter their room, adjust room temperature and lighting, make sure they are not disturbed, or ask for their room to be serviced. 

Not everyone might like the future. Older people who do not have a smart phone, and those who like the contact of a physical check-in and check-out are clearly not the target audience. And heaven forbid you should lose your phone (which has been known to happen on a night out in Queenstown).

The app for the six-storey, 57-room hotel also takes on the duties of a concierge, informing guests of local activities, event information and special offers that can be enjoyed during a stay.

Mi-pad Queenstown is a product of a joint venture between Queenstown property developer Lewis Gdanitz and hotel development firm TJK NZ Ltd, which also owns Christchurch’s rather fabulous The George and Regent of Rotorua. 

The $15 million property is situated close to Queenstown’s main street and nearby Lake Wakatipu.

“Mi-pad is the result of 15 years of research, travelling the world and finding the places that did accommodation really well,” Gdanitz said.

“I’m delighted that we’ve been able to deliver a property that’s unlike anything else on offer in New Zealand, operating on a premise of affordable luxury delivered using the latest technology. I’m also very proud of the eco-conscious initiatives we have in place for every aspect of the operation.”

Aside from the technology, the rooms each offer a queen bed, smart television and organic bathroom products. Guests also have access to a rooftop terrace lounge complete with fireplace, seating and views of the lake and mountain ranges.

The two highest-profile winemakers in Queensland team up

The Queensland wine industry was stunned when award-winning winemaker Mike Hayes announced his departure from Symphony Hill after two decades. 

Now, just a few days later, Sirromet Winery has unveiled Hayes as its Director Vineyard and Winery Operations, based at the winery's Granite Belt vineyards. 

Hayes will team up with Sirromet's current chief winemaker Adam Chapman to focus on vineyard management strategies "further enhancing the vineyard yields and fruit quality", Sirromet said in a press release riddled with errors.

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“I am thrilled to be joining the team at Sirromet, working with Adam to continue delivering outstanding Granite Belt wines for Australia - in fact the world - to enjoy,” said Hayes, who was Australian Society of Viticulture & Oenology (ASVO) Winemaker of the Year for 2017.

Hayes added: “Sirromet is a very progressive winery, I know momentum is building behind the reputation of the Granite Belt as an emerging grape growing region in Australia, and it is poised to drive further growth in the global market place for its premium boutique wines."

Sirromet’s headquarters at Mount Cotton offers three restaurants on-site; newly opened glamping accommodation Sanctuary By Sirromet; Wine & Spirit Education Trust courses and a cellar door. 

Hayes and Chapman are both known for their self esteem but Hayes said: “Adam and I both share a passion for wine education, winemaking and the pursuit of excellence in our fields. 

“Experimenting with emerging varietals, along with precision viticulture techniques, we will grow super premium grapes that will allow Adam to produce a broader range of ultra-premium wines.”