Calabria family offers a little taste of Italy Down Under

The Calabria family are one of the big success stories of the Australian wine industry, graduating from backyard producers to major players. 

Now the family is celebrating la dolce vita and its Italian cultural links with a new cellar door food offering and revamped winery experiences

The Calabrias have unveiled an Italian-inspired bar menu at the Calabria Family Wines cellar door in Griffith. 

There are now a selection of Italian-style shared plates and a seasonal shared menu designed by the venue’s new chef Amanda Fuller.

The food offering follows a revamp of the cellar door, which now includes a suite of tasting experiences, a winery museum, and a sensory wall. 

“This has been a huge undertaking by the cellar door team and one that will be a great addition to the region." says third-generation sales and marketing manager Andrew Calabria. 

"The Riverina is such an iconic region for outstanding produce, generations of independent family businesses, and of course, an array of sensational wines. We aim to celebrate that with our new experience offerings. 

“While there are still traditional wine-tasting experiences to guide you through our portfolio of wines, we feel the best way to get to know all about the Calabrias is by taking a seat at the tasting bar and enjoying a selection of Italianesque menu items alongside our delicious wines.”

So think salumi and cheese boards, warmed olives, hand-rolled arancini and home-baked focaccia. 

A more elevated lunch experience is available to book and features a seasonal menu of shared dishes and matched wines enjoyed inside patriarch Bill Calabria’s private cellar.

This season’s La Dolce Vita dishes include hand-made pasta tossed in a traditional ragù, Calabrian baked eggplant, pizza topped with arugula, and an assortment of Italian desserts. 

The La Dolce Vita lunch experience costs $90 per person, with bookings mandatory.

“Food is an essential part of the wine experience, and I’ve worked with the Calabria family to best showcase their Southern Italian heritage and the incredible local produce we have available in the Riverina,” says chef Fuller. 

“The dishes celebrate the region and its produce while sticking to the laid-back Italian philosophy of riposo - or rest - where guests are invited to relax, sip wine and enjoy delicious food with friends around the table. The new space and food experience will be a welcome addition to the exciting food scene here in Griffith.”

In addition to the menu offering, Calabria Family Wines has added an interactive sensory wall to showcase the aromas that inspire the Calabria family’s wines. 

Utilising a system of hand-blown glass decanters and aroma pumps, the team have carefully curated a selection of aromas to give visitors a scent-driven, self-guided experience in the cellar door.

The cellar door experiences aim to highlight the 76-year history of the family winery since Francesco Calabria first founded Calabria Wines & Sons in 1945.

The new wine tasting menu includes the Discover & Taste flight, the Sorseggia e Assaggia (Sip & Taste) Italian tasting, Riverina Signature Flight self-guided experiences and the Icons of the Riverina Bill Calabria & Three Bridges Durif vertical tasting - hosted by Bill Calabria AM.

“Whether you simply want to enjoy a light tasting through our collection of outstanding wines or dig into the private cellars and taste something rare and wonderful, every guest that comes to Calabria Family Wines will be given a special experience worth remembering,” Andrew Calabria said.

The complete list of experiences and prices is at www.calabriawines.com.au/visit-us/riverina.

Celebrate some winter treats fireside in the Yarra Valley

Love wine and food? At a loose end next weekend?

The Fireside Winter Twilight Market will return for the second time in 2023 in the Yarra Valley.

After a popular pilot event in 2022, this year’s market focuses exclusively on Yarra Valley food and drinks, taking its inspiration from the famous Christmas markets of Europe.

Wine Yarra Valley has partnered with Yarra Valley Railway for the event, to be held at Healesville Station on Satiurday, July 22.

Initially scheduled to take place on July 8, the event was postponed due to extreme winds forecasted. The new date marks the finale of the Fireside Yarra Valley festival, which concludes on Sunday, July 23.

The Fireside Winter Twilight Market will offer a variety of winter treats as patrons gather round fire pits.

A selection of local wines, beers and ciders will be available from Balgownie Estate Resort & Vineyard, Hop Hen Brewery,

Jayden Ong Wines, Kellybrook Winery, Rising Wines, Rob Dolan Wines, Santolin Wines, St Hubert's Winery, Sutherland Estate and TarraWarra Estate

Food will be provided by local producers including Lulu’s Bar & Burgers, Hubert Estate and Stone & Crow Cheese Co

Ticket prices include a branded Bettercup to take home, wine tastings and a glass of wine, beer or cider, with additional beverages available to purchase by the glass and bottle.

This is a ticketed 18 years+ only event and entry is $45 per person pre-event sale or $55pp on the night. The event will run from 6-10pm.

"Waste not, want not" message for winemakers

Waste from winemaking could be a valuable source of ingredients for nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals and food colouring, a new Australian study has revealed.

Research from chemical engineers at Monash University, Rachel Liu and Victoria Haritos, found that compounds derived from red wine grape varieties have significant levels of bioactive natural compounds called polyphenols and anthocyanins..

“Bioactive polyphenols and anthocyanins could have a number of commercial applications as functional ingredients, in dietary supplements and as natural food colourings” said Liu.

Diets rich in polyphenols, which are found in a range of fruits, vegetables and cereals, have been associated with protection against developing cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis and neurodegenerative diseases in a number of epidemiological studies.

Anthocyanins, the pigments responsible for the colours red, purple and blue in many fruits and vegetables, have also been associated with antioxidant effects and the prevention of cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes among other conditions.

In Australia, around 2 million tonnes of wine grapes are crushed annually, with about 20% by weight remaining as waste, including skins, seeds and stalks, after processing.

The majority of winemaking waste is currently returned to the land as compost, or other low-value uses and the potential value of the bioactives it contains goes unrealised.

“Across the Australian wine industry this means there is a massive volume of waste from which these compounds could be recovered and used,” said Haritos.

“We see great opportunities and are keen to explore how this waste product can be processed commercially.”

The initial research has been published in the international journal Cleaner Waste Systems and was supported by Treasury Wine Estates and in collaboration with Coldstream Hills Winery in the Yarra Valley.

Image: Goran Nikolic, Scop.io

New Bangkok hotel offers a different view

Bangkok has a bewildering array of hotels from which to choose with the latest being the new INNSiDE by Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit, which opened this week in the fast-rising On Nut precinct.

Towering 34 floors, the 208-key INNSiDE by Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit is the first INNSiDE property in Thailand. It features integrated co-working spaces, a roof level transparent infinity pool and rooftop tapas bar.

It is fourth Meliá Hotels International property in Thailand after the nautical-themed Meliá Koh Samui, the impressive Meliá Phuket Mai Khao and urban hotel Meliá Chiang Mai.

INNSiDE by Meliá is a collection of 38 urban and beach INNSiDE hotels that have been launched in 14 different countries across Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

It is fair way down Sukhumvit Road but On Nut is quickly becoming a popular neighbourhood and the hotel is close to both the On Nut BTS Skytrain station and Bangkok’s largest convention centre, BITEC.

The lifestyle hotel’s co-working space features floor-to-ceiling windows and views of the Bangkok skyline.

There are three food and beverage outlets including the Giant Swing Pool Bar on the 34th floor.

Adjacent to the infinity pool is an expansive rooftop terrace, dotted with outdoor lounges and sunbeds and the open-air pool bar will serve serves Mediterranean, Thai and international snacks from 10am-midnight daily.

By night, the pool bar will become an upper-floor extension of the hotel’s 33rd floor LUZ Bangkok Tapas Bar - a nod the Melia group's Spanish roots.

There is also an all-day dining venue, The Kites Eatery, with dishes from across Thailand.

In-room offerings include complimentary minibar items, organic bathroom amenities, yoga mats, 50-inch TVs, wifi and USB chargers. Ask for an upper floor room for the best views.

Room service is available 24/7 and the hotel also has a 24-hour Infit Gym and a concierge service.

In a nod to the environment, the hotel shuns single-use plastic, suing recycled glass bottles for drinking water and biodegradable takeaway boxes.

“Our hotel may well be the new kid on the block in Bangkok yet we offer a completely new hotel experience in one of the world’s most exciting and vibrant cities,” said Ignacio Martin, Meliá Hotels International Managing Director for Asia Pacific.

“True to its destination, this sensational hotel gives guests the freedom to connect or disconnect among an independent community.”

A 15% off introductory offer on room rates applies from July until October 2023 to celebrate the hotel’s opening. Visit melia.com or email reservation.innside.sukhumvit@melia.com

Celebrate scallop season in style

Scallop season has opened in Tasmania and Hursey Seafoods is hosting a scallop celebration in the cute north-west fishing village of Stanley.

The Hursey Seafoods restaurant is showcasing some locally caught special scallop treats, complete with orange roe. Think dishes like scallop spaghetti (above).

The fleet-to-plate celebration runs through to August 5 and with new head chef Adam Giddings featuring some culinary spins on the local cold-water mollusks. 

"We know how much our customers love scallops, and we want to celebrate this amazing seafood by showcasing the best quality scallops in our restaurant - and what better way to highlight them than by having a month-long celebration?" says Mark Hursey of Hursey Seafoods.

"We're also very excited to introduce head chef Adam's culinary talent to our customers. He has been working tirelessly to create exciting new dishes that will display the versatility of scallops. You don't want to miss out on these signature dishes."

For those keen to try scallops with a difference, Hursey Seafoods signature entrée special for the month of July will highlight a taster of scallops served three ways.

The new chef, who has 20 years of experience in the industry, says: "I'm excited to be working with the team at Hursey Seafoods and putting my twist on some classic scallop dishes.

I'll be working with some locally sourced ingredients and creating dishes that truly celebrate the delicious seafood we have right here in Stanley."

The wine list features local favourites from producers including Ghost Rock, Holm Oak and Josef Chromy.  

For bookings call (03) 6458 1103. Hurseys is open seven days for lunch and dinner. See https://www.hurseyseafoods.com.au/

Meet Pepperjack's potentially game changing mid-strength shiraz

I have been hugely underwhelmed by virtually all of the no-alcohol and low-alcohol wines I have tried thus far. 

Despite some lofty claims from winemakers - and surprisingly high sales reports - the vast majority simply do not cut the mustard as wines. 

A few are OK, but the versions I have tried simply taste like wine that has been watered down. With prices at the same level as a decent bottle, my attitude has been "Why bother?"

Either drink just a glass or two of real wine, or opt for a water or fruit juice and save yourself some cash. 

The best version I have tried so far is from Barossa Valley winery Pepperjack, which is known for its gutsy and full flavoured red wines. 

Pepperjack has just launched a mid-strength shiraz that weighs in at 7% alcohol by volume - around half the alcohol content of its brethren. 

I'm told the release has been an 18-month development process for Richard Mattner and his winemaking team. 

They evaluated a number of different technologies and settled on a vacuum distillation system that "allowed them to capture more aromatics and flavour compounds from their de-alcoholised components". 

There are some fanciful claims about it being suitable for cellaring. Forget that. 

What we have is a decent red wine, lighter than its full-blooded shiraz brother, but well put together and a very good alternative for a designated driver or moderation-driven drinker. 

It finishes just a little short but has some dark fruit flavours, well judged oak and is food friendly. It actually tastes like real wine.    

It is just rolling out into stores now, RRP $25.