Wellbeing is the resort buzzword du jour

A lot of people go on holiday to chill out by a swimming pool and drink a bucket-load of cocktails.

Others want to go climbing, walking or kayaking - action holidays are all the rage. 

I'm not sure how many folk go on vacation to get fit, or to detox, but wellbeing has clearly been identified by resort marketers as a valuable market segment. 

Every week my inbox is inundated with more emails about "wellbeing", "wellness" and "health" than you'd find Covidiots on the streets of Melbourne. 

And so, this morning, an email advising that Anantara Iko Mauritius Resort & Villas looks forward to welcoming back international travellers as the Indian Ocean island prepares for the full reopening of its borders on October 1 with one of the highest full vaccination rates in Africa.

They tell me: " An active wellbeing vacation awaits guests with the opportunity to commune with nature during a series of immersive and indigenous experiences to rejuvenate mind, body and soul." 

Fortunately I can also "delight in sumptuous dining and enjoy menus bursting with nutritious delicacies". 

There is, of course, "an active wellbeing program" - from which I might consider a massage. 

But if "holostic wellness" therapies ranging from yoga, meditation, tai chi and stretching to de-stress and unwind in pure natural surroundings amplified by nature are your thing then this looks a rather nice place to do them. And Anantara properties are always a delight. 

The luxury five-star resort will also soon unveil its two- and four-bedroom Anantara Pool Villas, which are set within tropical gardens in the serene surroundings of the south-east coast of Mauritius.

That sounds much more like me; kicking back in luxury with a cold one. 

For more information on Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, please visit www.anantara.com.

I'll have a can of fine rosé wine please

 

Dan Sims knows everyone who is anyone in the wine industry. 

The wine marketer's activities may have been stymied by Covid-19 - he's the guy behind Pinot Palooza, Revel Marketing and many funky events - but he is not one to stand still. 

Today he launched his side hustle: Good Time Wines featuring wines in 150ml cans. 

They have a catchy slogan, too (look away under 12s): "We believe in less wine wank and more wine drank."

The wines are a white, a red and a rosé made by winemakers of serious repute and described as a "palate-pleasing posse" of Gippsland white (Moondarra), Mornington Peninsula rosé (Garagiste) and Adelaide Hills red (BK Wines).

A party pack of 12 x 150ml cans costs $75. And no, I haven't tried them yet. They were only released today. In Melbourne.

See 

https://goodtimewines.com/

New wine experiences headline a festival in southern Tasmania

Spring into the warmer months with a new wine festival in southern Tasmania. 

More than 35 vineyards in the south of the Apple Isle will open their doors to the public during the last weekend of October for a new wine festival celebrating the promise of a new vintage. 

Spring in the Vines aims to offer the chance to sample the very best the region's cool-climate producers have to offer. 

Kicking off with a launch party at The Lounge by Frogmore Creek on Thursday, October 28, Spring in the Vines heralds the beginning of a new vintage for Tasmanian wine producers. 

From Friday, October 29 to Sunday, October 31 wine producers will offer tastings, food and entertainment throughout the Coal River Valley, Huon Valley, d’Entrecasteaux Channel and Derwent Valley. 

Wine lovers from Tasmania and visitors from interstate will have an unparalleled opportunity to sample exceptional wines which can be hard to find or available only in limited quantities.

Many of the participating wineries will be offering attendees the first opportunity to sample fresh, aromatic white wines and rosès from the outstanding 2021 vintage and will be opening special bottles from their cellars.

New wineries, vineyards and cellar doors are also part of the attraction with brothers Jonny and Matt Hughes of Mewstone at Flowerpot (above) opening their architecturally designed cellar door to the public for the first time especially for the festival. 

“We’re excited to finally get the cellar door open and show people what we’ve created," says Jonny Hughes. "It’s been a long time in the making and we’re looking forward to getting lots of Tasmanians and other visitors along to enjoy what we’ve created for this fun weekend. 

"We’re offering free tastings just for Spring in the Vines, where normally our cellar door will operate as pre-booked paid premium tasting experience.” 

Hosted by Wine South Tasmania, Spring in the Vines festival is an inaugural annual event created by southern Tasmanian wine producers with a mission to connect winemakers and vignerons with lovers of fine wine. 

Wine South Tasmania president Keira O’Brien said: “Spring is one of the most beautiful times of the year in our vineyards, as new green shoots emerge, and wine producers catch their breath before the busy growing season. 

"As Tasmanian wine continues to garner widespread critical acclaim, this is an exciting opportunity to meet the producers, some of whom only open their doors a few times a year. 

"The exceptional quality of the 2021 vintage means there are some amazing wines being released, many available for the first time during the festival.”

Full details of the festival are available at www.springinthevines.com.au.

Fiji readies to open its doors to tourists

Fiji plans to reopen its borders to international tourists by November, aiming to rebuild a pandemic-devastated economy. 

"Our goal is to free our country - and our economy - from the rut of the pandemic," Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said in a statement.

Once 80% of Fiji's eligible population has been vaccinated, it will offer quarantine-free travel to visitors from a "green list" of locations.

Of Fiji's eligible population, 66% is currently fully vaccinated and Bainimarama predicts the country's target will be met by November 1, the Agence France Presse news agency reported. 

Fiji's current green list includes Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, Korea, Singapore and parts of the United States.

Visitors would need to be fully vaccinated and test negative for Covid-19 prior to their departure en route to Fiji.

Once in Fiji, they would stay in designated zones where all contacts, from hospitality staff to tour operators, would be fully vaccinated.

Reviving tourism, which government figures estimate accounts for 40% of Fiji's economy, is seen as crucial to containing rising poverty in the  islands nation of under one million people.

Fiji was free of community transmission for a year before a Delta outbreak emerged in April.

The bulk of Fiji's tourists come from Australia and New Zealand, from where foreign travel is currently banned, and travellers from both countries would currently face a two-week quarantine at their own expense upon returning home.

# Image: Likuliku Resort, Fiji 

Retired winemaker makes his comeback a winner

Garry Crittenden is like a retired boxer coming back for one more bout.

Except this comeback story is a roaring success, with the industry innovator producing a stellar Nero d'Avola at the age of 78.

Crittenden was one of the Australian pioneers of Italian grape varieties in Australia, and one of the first winemakers I met, probably three decades ago. A lovely man then and he remains so today. 

The former Dromana Estate kingpin stood down as winemaker at family business Crittenden Estate several years ago, handing over the reins to son Rollo Crittenden.

Then, back in early in 2020 as vintage approached, Rollo took Garry aside and advised that he'd secured a parcel of Nero d’Avola grapes and wondered if Garry might like to "have a play".

"I could hardly believe my luck and couldn’t wait to don my orange vest and pull on my Blundstones again," Garry Crittenden said.

"In the 20 years I worked with Italian grapes they were varieties entirely from the north of Italy ... and here I was being presented with a belated chance to have a play again." 

Crittenden has just released his Nero d’Avola Catto - and it is a ripper, with unmistakeably Italian-accented savoury notes.

Medium-bodied and elegant, the limited release is available for $30, or in six-bottle wine packs with free delivery Australia wide,

Plus you'll receive a booklet detailing the origins of the Catto label - and a surprise family dsicovery - and more on Garry's role in the development of Italian Varietals in Australia.

Garry Crittenden is a true pioneer. He was among the first vintners to see the potential of the Mornington Peninsula as a serious wine region along with visionary Nat White at Main Ridge.

With a background in horticulture and inspired by his long-standing love of wine, Garry transitioned from a nurseryman into viticulture just as the Peninsula was emerging as a wine growing area.

His first modest five acres more than doubled the area under vine in the region. Since those first plantings in 1982, his commitment to the region has seen the Mornington Peninsula flourish.

He was also the first winemaker in Australia to commercialise Italian wine varieties, introducing varieties such as barbera, nebbiolo, dolcetto and sangiovese to both Victoria and Australia. He was behind the Schinus and Garry Crittenden ‘I’ labels, and later Pinocchio.

Now he's working with a grape that has its origins near the town of Avola in southern Sicily.

"Over the years I have drunk many Italian Nero d’Avolas and never cease to be amazed that grapes from such a warm latitude can produce wines of such elegance and finesse," Crittenden says.

"They are always bright and fresh with astonishing crimson luminescence, somewhere between say a pinot noir and a shiraz.

"This one is true to style and I'm delighted with the result. A pretty, floral and spicy nose with lots of red fruits. The flavours on the palate are mouth-filling, juicy and finish with eastern spices."

See www.crittendenwines.com.au

Star chef signs on as the Primus becomes a Kimpton

Chef Luke Mangan OAM, surely one of the busiest men in the Australian hospitality industry, will head the team for the new Kimpton Sydney's restaurant and bar outlets when the brand opens its first hotel in Australia. 

Mangan will head up several food and beverage offerings at the new luxury boutique hotel, including Luke's Kitchen, which will be in the hotel lobby. 

This in addition to his roles at glass brasserie at the Sydney Hilton, Salt Grill for P&O Cruises and with Eastern Oriental Express.  

 “What draws me to Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is its bespoke offering to guests coupled with heartfelt service," Mangan said. 

"The location of Kimpton Sydney is superb with its blend of nightlife from neighbouring Chinatown and Darlinghurst and independent spirit from the nearby Surry Hills, all brought to life in this incredible building that's connected to Sydney's heritage.

“It felt like a perfect opportunity to create a range of innovative culinary experiences that are built on Kimpton's legacy of locally loved restaurants.” 

The first opening under IHG Hotels & Resorts' Kimpton brand in Australia, Kimpton Sydney will be located at the site of the current Primus Hotel, after the purchase was completed by Pro-invest Group this week.  

The building is a heritage-listed 1930s Art Deco revival of inter-war period architecture, previously housing the Sydney Water Board Offices.

Primus is now closed and the property is undergoing a refresh. 

In addition to the main Luke's Kitchen restaurant, the hotel will feature an elegant 1930s-style cocktail bar, an intimate wine cellar offering bespoke tasting experiences, a rooftop bar with poolside flair and a café with coffee and house-baked pastries.

“Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is well loved globally for its award-winning and locally inspired culinary creativity," said Jan Smits, co-CEO and deputy chair of the Pro-invest Group 

"We are delighted to welcome Luke, with his vision, expertise and experience to assist in bringing Kimpton Sydney to life.”

The hotel will open in late 2021. 

See https://www.ihg.com/kimptonhotels/hotels