Bright future envisaged for historic Melbourne hotel site

Major changes are afoot for the historic InterContnental Hotel site on Collins Street, Melbourne.

With part of the building dating back to 1891, the hotel was originally know as the Menzies at Railto when it opened in 1984. 

It became part of the InterContinental group in 2008, and was extensively refurbished,[whilst not changing the heritage structures.

It is sometimes known as the InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto and is part of IHG Hotels group.

The Rialto Building is architecturally significant as one of the finest ‘boom style’ buildings in Melbourne and is an integral part of an exceptional group of late Victorian commercial buildings in Collins Street

Now owners Salter Brothers have announced the achievement of Heritage Victoria Permits with conditions and City of Melbourne support with recommended conditions for the department to consider, to revitalise the hotel.

The site renewal secures the long-term retention and conservation of the well-known Winfield and Rialto heritage buildings, and a new mixed-use development on the site comprising of retail, office, a luxury hotel and a club with meeting and conference spaces, the company said.

"Salter Brothers has worked collaboratively with Heritage Victoria to achieve a design that respects, conserves and evolves these beautiful heritage buildings into future Melbourne."

Commenting on the approval, Paul Salter said “I am incredibly proud of our team in achieving these approvals. I would like to thank Patrick Ness who led the Cox Architecture team and Nick Touzeau from Planning & Property Partners who advised on Heritage Victoria and planning permits.

“We are honoured to move forward with the preservation of the heritage Winfield and Rialto buildings and excited about the dynamic this project will bring to central Collins Street.

"Subject to consideration we look forward to receiving planning approval from the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning”

Major changes to the Briar Ridge wine experience

 

Hunter Valley wine producer Briar Ridge Vineyard has announced a trifecta of new developments for winter 2024.

They include the introduction of a Mystery Vineyard Tour, the enhancement of their family and dog-friendly amenities, and the opening of a new restaurant offering at the cellar door in Mount View. 

The Mystery Vineyard Tour is billed as "a blend of adventure and sophistication" that reveals secrets behind the 50-year-old Mount View vineyard.

Guests can sip on vintage as they explore the vineyards with a dedicated host and then savour some of the Hunter's best with a curated wine tasting in a mystery location within the winery grounds. This is complemented by a cheese and charcuterie plater featuring local and imported delicacies. 

Meanwhile, Estancia Osteria, the new restaurant offering, opened last month, inspired by the rustic charm of estancias in Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. 

The blub says it will "offer diners a culinary voyage through the heart of Italy, the Mediterranean Sea and South America", led by executive chefs Gabriel Rodrigues and James Orlowski. 

Fire to Table cuisine will showcase fresh and seasonal ingredients sourced from local producers, including succulent cuts of meat cooked over embers. 

Both the Briar Ridge cellar door and adjacent wine garden are family- and pet-friendly with complimentary colouring kits to entertain the little ones, children's snacks and a supervised grassed garden with toys and yard games. 

Furry friends can enjoy Pooch Platters featuring dog treats, a A Pooch Hydration Station for a quick hydration and the possibility for well-behaved woofers to join their humans at their tasting table.

 Briar Ridge recently welcomed new winemaker  Andrew Duff (above), who succeeded long-serving winemaker Alex Beckett. 

“I have some big shoes to fill and I’m honestly revelling in the opportunity to make wine off such a significantly important vineyard for the Hunter,” he says. 

“I’m especially eager to be playing with some interesting grape varietals, such as the fiano and albariño."

For more info see www.briarridge.com.au/

Australian winemakers are coming up rosé

 

It is not that long ago that rosé wines were something of a distraction for many Australian winemakers.

A batch of leftover grenache, or shiraz: "fine, let's make a simple, sweet pink wine for the ladies to enjoy at cellar door".

In the wake of the continued success of pale savoury rosés from Provence, however, Australia is now producing rosé wines in a variety of styles; most of them dry, some of them very stylish indeed.

Sydney PR company Blend PR recently week put on a Zoom tasting of four new wave rosés, one each from Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia, all made from different grape blends, but all super food friendly.

The wines featured were the 2023 Marchand & Burch, Oliver's Taranga and De Iullis Wines releases and the 2022 Yarra Valley rosé from Handpicked Wines.

It is an indication of just how seriously rosé is being taken nowadays that winemakers Nic Bowen, Corrina Wright, Mike De Iulliis and Peter Dillon all joined for the tasting.



All four wines sit at between $28-30 on retail shelves and all are certainly worth a look. The two wines that saw oak, the Marchand & Burch and Handpicked, are candidates for short-term cellaring, while the other pair were ready to be enjoyed the day they were bottled.

The Marchand and Burch 2023 Villages Rosé is a pale and crisp blend of grenache, pinot noir and shiraz from the Swan Valley, Great Southern and Margaret River.

The Handpicked Regional Selection 2022 Yarra Valley Rosé is 100% sangiovese from the Yarra and is aromatic with mineral notes.

Oliver's Taranga 2023 Chica Rosé is a savoury blend of McLaren Vale shiraz and mencia (with fiano lees in the ferment to add texture and complexity).

The crisp, zippy De Iuliis 2023 Estate Rosé is 60% shiraz, 40% merlot, all from the Hunter Valley.

"Rosé really was an afterthought for a very long time," says winemaker Mike de Iuliis. "Now it is given serious consideration. We used to make rosé from crap shiraz; now we make 3,000 cases and take it very seriously."

Marchand & Burch winemaker Nic Bowen agrees, saying. "There is a real push now to make rosés of complexity and interest. That said, all rosés should be easy to drink. You don't want anything that is too challenging as rosé is a lifestyle wine."

Peter Dillon from Handpicked tried pinot noir for his rosés but found it too "tutti frutti". "What we want is to make a wine that is savoury and interesting, and sangiovese is perfect for that," he says.

Corinna Wright from Oliver's Taranga says her wine showcases "florals and freshness" despite being from a warmer region. .

All four wines are thoroughly modern in style. Paleish, dryish and savouryish.

Get some Lebanese takeaway in, and you have an instant feast with any one of the four.           .   

Top image: Agi Gob, Scop.io 

From bombers and bad guys to a new distillery

What was once one of the most notorious addresses in Belfast has been re-born as a whisky distillery.

The A-wing of Crumlin Road jail, which housed key figures during "The Troubles" in Northern Ireland, has been re-launched as a tourism attraction by its American owners.

Earlier this month, the new distilling operation was officially launched following $50 million investment by US-owned Belfast Distillery Company.

The A-wing will soon produce McConnell’s Irish Whisky, with the first bottles made in the facility expected to be available for purchase in 2029.

The launch has seen the revival of the McConnell’s Irish Whisky brand, which had a 150-year history but shut up shop due to the introduction of prohibition in the US in the 1930s.

The McConnell family had an involvement in the Belfast spirits trade dating back to the 18th century.

Joe Babiec, managing director of Belfast Distillery Company, said the final result had “exceeded expectations”.

It is hoped the venture will give tourism a boost in Belfast, with 100,000 visitors expected each year for tastings and tours.

Also known as HM Prison Belfast, and dubbed Europe's Alcatraz, prisoners held at Crumlin Road included future Irish head of state Eamon de Valera, Martin McGuinness, Michael Stone and Bobby Sands.

Major airline offers big apology

As it clears a backlog of around 30,000 delayed bags, Emirates Airline has issued a rare fulsome apology for its failings.

Airline president Sir Tim Clark admitted that the airline had let down its customers through a lack of contingency planning after the United Arab Emirates was last week hit by storms and unprecedented flooding.

"I would like to offer our most sincere apologies to every customer who has had their travel plans disrupted during this time," Clark said.

"On Tuesday, April 16, the UAE experienced its highest rainfall in 75 years.

"Lashing storm winds and rain disrupted activity across the cities. Our 24/7 hub in Dubai remained open, with flight movements reduced for safety, but flooded roads impeded the ability of our customers, pilots, cabin crew, and airport employees to reach the airport, and also the movement of essential supplies like meals and other flight amenities.

"We diverted dozens of flights to avoid the worst of the weather on Tuesday, and over the next three days we had to cancel nearly 400 flights and delay many more, as our hub operations remained challenged by staffing and supply shortages."

The chaos extended to suspending check-in for passengers departing Dubai, implementing an embargo on ticket sales, and temporarily halting connecting passenger traffic from points across the network coming into Dubai.

"We sent over 100 employee volunteers to look after disrupted customers at Dubai Airport departures and in the transit area, prioritising medical cases, the elderly and other vulnerable travellers," Clark said.

"To date, over 12,000 hotel rooms were secured to accommodate disrupted customers in Dubai, 250,000 meal vouchers have been issued, and more quantities of drinking water, blankets, and other amenities."

But a lot of customers were extremely unhappy that Emirates had no plans to deal with the chaos and were left to fend for themselves in the airport. .

"We have put together a taskforce to sort, reconcile, and deliver some 30,000 pieces of left-behind baggage to their owners," Clark said.

"We know our response has been far from perfect. We acknowledge and understand the frustration of our customers due to the congestion, lack of information, and confusion in the terminals. We acknowledge that the long queues and wait times have been unacceptable."

Among the stranded baggage was that of Australians en route to Gallipoli for Anzac Day events. 

Personally, I'm not surprised. A while back I need information and help from Emirates' PR team. The response was underwhelming and I vowed to avoid them, where possible, in the future.

How Accor wants to reward young Indigenous hospitality talent

Accor, the largest hotel operator in Australia, has announced its new Accor Indigenous Hotel Traineeship to provide career pathways and development opportunities for young Indigenous talent.

Created in collaboration with various community and higher education partners, including Yugambeh Regional Aboriginal Corporation Alliance and Busy@Work, the Accor Indigenous Hotel Traineeship aims to redefine career prospects for Indigenous youth in the hospitality industry.

"Our Indigenous Hotel Traineeship is the culmination of significant dedication and support," says 

Accor Pacific Chief Operating Officer PM&E, Adrian Williams. 

"Our commitment to this program goes beyond training and education' it's a labour of love. We offer our trainees infinite avenues for career development and growth, a culture of inclusivity that is open to all, and open pathways to travel and work around the world, while respecting and valuing individual personalities. 

"Through this new traineeship program, we know we'll secure incredible talent who will enjoy a rewarding career with Accor.”

The inaugural group of trainees hails from south east Queensland, specifically the Gold Coast and Brisbane regions, with Accor planning to expand the program across Australia from next year.

Over the course of 12 months, the trainees will participate in a comprehensive full-time hotel-based traineeship, with theoretical components delivered by TAFE Queensland. Upon completion, trainees will complete a Certificate III in Hospitality Operations.

The traineeship offers a blend of classroom instruction and practical experience, with three training days per month, complemented by on-the-job training in various departments.

All trainees will undergo three four-month departmental block rotations in food and beverage, housekeeping, and front office, providing them with a complete understanding of hotel operations.

The Accor Indigenous Hotel Traineeship is aimed at individuals aged 17-25. 

The traineeship program forms part of Accor's Indigenous Careers Program, which has placed more than 2,500 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander team members into positions at Accor since its inception in 2015.

For more information visit careers.accor.com