Coopers to splash out $50 million on new visitor facilities

South Australia is to gain a new major tourism attraction with Coopers Brewery to invest $50 million in the construction of a new "world-class" visitor centre, microbrewery and whisky distillery at its Regency Park site.

In its 160th year, Coopers has unveiled plans of a major expansion of Australia’s largest independent family-owned brewery, with domestic and international tourists front of mind.

The expansion will include a restaurant and bar, outdoor plaza dining, a dedicated tasting room, Interactive history display, a microbrewery, a whisky distillery and underground stillage for whisky maturation. 

The curved design of the new two-storey development has been inspired by the iconic Coopers’ label rondel. 

A tree-lined promenade will extend from a new entry from Regency Road to bring visitors to the new facility which will be surrounded by extensive natural landscaping. A window-lined bridge will link the new development to the existing brewery building and will feature the 300m2 interactive history display. 

Coopers managing director Dr Tim Cooper said it was opportune to be making this announcement in the 160th year of the sixth-generation family company, and brings total investment at Regency Park to nearly $400 million since 1999. 

“This is an ambitious project which will showcase Australian beer to the world," he said. "We’re very proud of our story over the past 160 years, arising from humble beginnings to prevail as an Australian-owned and operated brewery despite wars, recessions and takeover offers. 

“This new visitor centre is about celebrating our history and our originality, with an emphasis on what makes Coopers different. We look forward to welcoming local, interstate and international visitors to our brewing home to hear about our past, to learn about the art and science of brewing and to taste our beers. 

“Although we’ve been running brewery tours since 2006, this extensive development will augment and expand the guest experience, creating a lasting impression for new visitors and an ongoing connection for our loyal consumers with new tour and tasting experiences.” 

The microbrewery will be used in the regular creation of new ales and lagers for the visitor centre. 

Louise Cooper, the company’s strategy development manager, said the proposed development was hoped to be completed in time to welcome its first visitors by Christmas next year. 

“As well as appealing to beer aficionados, the visitor centre will offer a welcoming atmosphere for the whole family," she said.

"Both the restaurant and the outdoor plaza will provide the perfect setting to enjoy a meal while taking in the view of the landscaped surrounds." 

Construction is expected to begin around mid-2022 pending council approval. Regency Park is located 6km north of Adelaide city centre. 

Discover a special collection of aged wines

Calling all lovers of aged wines. 

All Saints Estate in north-east Victoria is set to offer some of its most precious back vintages from the Family Cellar this June, with its inaugural Museum Release. 

Registrations to purchase the Museum Release are now open on allsaintswine.com.au/museum.

The first edition of the Museum Release features 25 back vintages which can either be purchased individually or as part of a curated pack. 

Selected by winemaker Nick Brown, the wines have been selected based on their rarity and point of maturity. 

“Rutherglen is arguably Australia’s most historic wine region" Brown says. "Our family cellar reflects this history with old-vine wines cared for over the last three decades.

“Optimal storage conditions have allowed the wines to be perfectly aged, and wine enthusiasts will be able to enjoy these treasured vintages at their peak, without needing to cellar themselves. 

"We look forward to sharing this collection with those who are as passionate about wine as we are.”

The selection includes nine vintages of the Family Cellar (black label) range, including the 2004 All Saints Estate Family Cellar Shiraz and the 2007 All Saints Estate Family Cellar Marsanne; limited releases of Alias II (an unusual shiraz muscadelle blend) and Pierre, a Bordeaux-inspired blend named after the Brown’s late father, Peter. 

The curated packs (two, four or six bottles) showcase either variety or vintage; with Nick Brown selecting 2008 and 2013 as the best vintages from this collection.

The Family Cellar was launched by the Browns in 2003 to build a library for the next generation of wine connoisseurs. The wines have been aged in an architecturally designed and self-cooling underground cellar.

For more information, visit allsaintswine.com.au.

Americans have the freedom to spread diseases

 Americans love their God-given freedoms. 

The freedom to bear arms despite almost daily mass shootings. The freedom to invade other nations to save them from communism.

And now the freedom to spread disease with the greatest of ease. 

Now a federal judge in Florida, an appointee of deluded dunce Donald Trump, has ruled that a US Government mask mandate on public transportation is unlawful, overturning a Biden administration effort to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

US health officials last week extended by 15 days the mandate requiring travellers to wear masks on aeroplanes, trains, and in taxis, ride-share vehicles or transit hubs. 

But US District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle ruled the mandate unconstitutional.

A win for freedom. Americans are now free to sit in close proximity to complete strangers who may, or may not, have Covid. And to share their air.

US Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes said: “The current decision to halt enforcement of the federal mask mandate effectively returns the choice of mask usage on planes and other forms of public transportation to travellers and travel industry workers, a further step toward endemic management of Covid.

“We also continue to urge the administration to immediately end pre-departure testing for vaccinated inbound international passengers, which discourages travel and provides limited public health benefits.” 

They are among us. 

Fortunately, sensible folk have not yet been banned from wearing masks should they choose to do.

# The US Travel Association is a national, non-profit organization representing all components of the travel industry. See ustravel.org 

From the basketball court to the wine business

Former San Antonio Spurs NBA champion Tony Parker is investing in the wine business. 

The French-born four-time NBA champion retired from basketball in 2019 and has now linked with French businessman and long-time friend Michel Reybier to invest in three of Reybier’s brands.

"When we decided to join forces on the project I felt very lucky, because I can learn so much from him as one of the best businessmen in France," Parker, whose investment sum was not disclosed, told leading American wine magazine Wine Spectator. 

"The values around those properties matched what I wanted to do with giving back to my community."

Reybier's largely French portfolio includes Bordeaux landmark Cos d'Estournel, Chateau La Mascaronne in Provence and Jeeper and Michel Reybier in Champagne. 

Starting from the 2022 harvest, Parker will be involved with Jeeper, Michel Reybier Champagne and La Mascaronne. 

"I am delighted to have been chosen by Tony as a partner for his new life as an entrepreneur, and he will work alongside me to develop the brands internationally and strengthen their distribution and presence around the world," Reybier said. 

"Our goal is to make Château La Mascaronne rosé one of Provence's most outstanding wines, and a true expression of our unique terroir, using only grapes grown on the estate." 

Reybier said there were no current plans to develop a Parker-branded wine.

Parker is a long-time wine lover and drinker. The former NBA All Star guard retired as the ninth best post-season scorer in NBA history. 

"I always played [basketball] super fast, but this is a slow business, and it takes time to have a nice bottle and let the vineyard get to its full potential," he told Wine Spectator. "I hope we can create something that people will enjoy."

Mother's Day gifts for wine-loving Mums

 

Mother's Day is just around the corner and those busy bees from Ultimate Winery Experiences have put together some suggestions that will please wine-loving mums around Australia. 

Here are some of their ideas:

Mandoon, Swan Valley, WA

Treat mum to a fine dining lunch at Wild Swan, or breakfast at Homestead Brewery, complete with house-made pastries, scones, jam and clotted cream. Or book a Mandoon experience such as The Perfect Blend (above), where she’ll learn the art of winemaking and create her own unique wine, complete with a personalised label.

Taste your Birth Year, Seppeltsfield, SA

Help mum appreciate her age with the Taste your Birth Year tour, where she can taste wine created in her birth year directly from the barrel. Seppeltsfield, in the Barossa Valley, is the only winery in the world to release a 100-year-old, single vintage wine each year. It is famous for its Centennial Collection - an unbroken lineage of tawny of every vintage from 1878 to today.

Printhie Wines, Orange, NSW

Treat mum to a five-course degustation lunch at the newly opened Printhie Dining, at Printhie Wines (below) on the slopes of Mt Canobolas, 1000 metres above sea level, overlooking Printhie’s vineyards and heritage orchards. Chef Jack Brown crafts seasonally inspired dishes. 

Icons of the Yarra, VIC

The Icons of the Yarra experience begins with lunch at De Bortoli’s Locale Restaurant, featuring a seasonally-inspired chef’s menu with a glass of wine matched to each course. Then move on to Dominique Portet, a winery with a French accent, Here, mum can experience Le Tour de Rosé, including an overview of the estate’s rich history and a guided tasting of three rosé wines matched with a selection of charcuterie, cheese and a rustic baguette.

Icons of the Hunter, NSW

Let mum to experience three of the Hunter Valleys most iconic vineyards - Audrey Wilkinson, Brokenwood and Tyrrell's, for a behind-the-scenes look into their vineyards and wine making process. Sample the VIP Premium Tasting Experience at Tyrrell’s, with a tutored tasting before heading to nearby Audrey Wilkinson for lunch, where a Picnic Among the Vines awaits. Finish with The Journey at Brokenwood, including a tasting with paired canapés, a tour of the winery, and an opportunity to taste pre-release wine straight from the barrel.

Cape to Vine Day Trip, Western Australia

Take a walk on the wild side before Indulge the senses at Margaret River’s founding wine estate Vasse Felix. A private tour of the estate takes you behind the scenes, followed by a tasting of the Vasse Felix Collection and a stroll through the original vineyards of Margaret River. Finally, enjoy a five-course tasting menu paired with wines, before selecting your choice of a bottle of Vasse Felix Premier wine to take home

Can you guess the busiest airport in the world?

The busiest airport in the world? London Heathrow perhaps? Los Angeles International? Charles de Gaulle in Paris?

Wrong. Wrong and wrong.

Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport was officially the world’s busiest airport in 2021.

It had been overtaken during the Covid pandemic by Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in China.

ATL handled 75.7 million passengers in 2021, up a massive 76% from 2020, official figures show.

The Airports Council International’s busiest airports by passenger volume rankings - released last week - show eight of the top 10 are in the US.

Dallas/Fort Worth was the second-busiest in 2021, with 62.5 million passengers.

The international airport in Denver, Colorado, ranked third, with 58.8 million passengers while Chicago's O'Hare and Los Angeles International rounded out the top five.

Guangzhou's airport dropped to No. 8 in 2021, with 40.3 million passengers. Another airport in China, Chengdu's Shuangliu International Airport, is ninth on the 2021 list, down from No.3 in 2020.

China's dominance in 2020 was because of the early rebound of domestic travel in China. The country still has not reopened to international visitors.

The list shows "an encouraging trend of recovery," Luis Felipe de Oliveira, ACI World's director general, said in a statement.

"Although we are cautious that recovery could face multiple headwinds, the momentum created by reopening plans by countries could lead to an uptick in travel in the second half of 2022," de Oliveira said.