On-Trend

We’ve put together a snapshot of the latest trends, upcoming events and venue openings to keep you up to date with what’s new in the wonderful world of drinks.

VISIT: D’ARENBERG CUBE

Fourth generation family member and current Chief Winemaker of d’Arenberg Wines, Chester Osborn, is teaming up with chef Brendan Wessels in this new restaurant to be opened late 2017. Wessels and his wife Lindsay Dürr have spent years training in a Michelin star restaurant, travelling and working in restaurants such as the Lake House and Leonards Mill to develop a unique taste experience. There will be a seasonally changing degustation style menu, accompanied by an extensive wine list of imported and current vintage and museum wines from d’Arenberg. Keep up to date with the opening of the restaurant at www.darenberg.com.au/cube/

VISIT: MACELLERIA

Macelleria is no ordinary butcher. The restaurant offers the first eat-in butcher experience in Sydney, where customers can choose their favourite cut and have it cooked right there and then. Owner Peter Zaidan is the son of a Lebanese farmer and continues that legacy by sourcing his meat from Australia’s best beef regions. The menu also offers a range of juicy beef, chicken and pork burgers and a long list of fresh salads to compliment any steak cut. BYO wine is allowed so be sure to bring your favourite bottle of red along with you. For more details and book a table at their Newtown restaurant go to www.macelleria.com.au/

NEW: DIAGEO‘S NEW NUTRITION LABELS

Global alcohol producer Diageo is looking to take the guesswork out of enjoying our favourite drinks. In a study conducted by the manufacturer of over 1,000 Aussies, three-quarters said they think it’s important to have clear information what is in their beverages. To combat this, Diageo is launching new icon labels that at a glance will show the alcohol content and nutritional information of a drink. The first drink to have the labels will be Bundaberg Rum Original but keep an eye out as they are rolled out across all Diageo brands.

VISIT: REKORDERLIG COSY WINTERS POP-UPS

Cuddle up with your nearest and dearest and a mug of Hot Spice Äpple Cider at one of the Rekorderlig’s Cosy Winters pop-ups this winter. Wrap yourself up in a blanket, fall into a comfy armchair and bask in that winter sun. Pop-ups will be happening in multiple Australian cities, so grab your friends for a chilled afternoon. You could even win a bar tab to share! For more details on a pop-up near you head on over to the Rekorderlig Cider Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ Rekorderlig.Cider/

Tucked away down one of Footscray’s laneways hides Back Alley Sally’s, the newest loft bar in Melbourne’s buzzing bar scene. Head upstairs to find an ultra cool space where modern style meets recycled materials. Be sure to try one of their American style pizzas or salads and wash it all down with one of their range of tap beers and ciders. Not a beer drinker? Their large list of cocktails and spirits will keep everyone happy. Head on over to their website at www.backalleysallys.com.au for more details. VISIT: BACK ALLEY SALLY’S

VISIT: HUNTER WINE FESTIVAL AT CROWNE PLAZA

The 2017 Hunter Valley Wine Festival is set to be the largest to date and hosted at the Crowne Plaza Resort in Lovedale – opposite the Hunter Airport on Wine Country Drive. There will be plenty of the top wineries from Australia’s oldest wine region featuring their latest vintages, as well as local cuisine, beer and cider, and entertainment.

The Hunter Valley is renowned for its Chardonnay, Semillon, Riesling and Shiraz, along with emerging varieties and organic and biodynamic wines.

The family-friendly festival will be held on the grounds of hotel and children will receive complimentary entry and highlights include a jumping castle, carousel, train and mini car rides and face painting.

The Hunter Valley Wine Festival is a oneday only event, 24 June 2017 from 11am to 5pm. Tickets are $20 and include entry, five tasting tickets and a tasting glass. Interested parties can also purchase the ‘6 for the price of 5’ group offer.

For more information, check out www. huntervalleywinefestival.com.

TRY: FLYING BRICK CIDER CO. RELEASES METHODE CHAMPENOISE

Victorian cider innovators Flying Brick Cider have created a special limited edition cider with a difference. The Methode Champenoise Cider is made through the same secondary fermentation process used by the best Champagne makers. This makes for a rich, fresh, sweet cider with a perfect balance of natural acids. If you’re a fan of drier cider styles, be sure to pick this one up. To buy go to www.flyingbrickciderco.com. au/shop.asp

TRY: NEW OCEAN SPRAY CRAN-BLUEBERRY

Tired of your standard vodka, fresh lime and cranberry? Ocean Spray’s latest addition, a delicious blend of blueberries and cranberries, will be your new go-to cocktail base. Not in a boozy mood? The new CranBlueberry tastes great on its own and is the perfect energy-booster. Available in Coles and Woolworths from June 2017.

VISIT: MJØLNER

Feast like a Viking at Sydney’s newest themed bar and carvery. The team at Mjølner invite you to come and bunker down in their den, adorned with ancient runes, swords and yakhair covers. Once there, you will be carved meat from whole suckling pigs and offered over 600 different types of whiskey to swill down just as the great Nordic conquerors did. For more information see their Facebook page: www. facebook.com/MjolnerSydney/

VISIT: HUON VALLEY MID-WINTER FEST

The approach of the cold weather means cider season and cider specialists Willie Smith’s are intent on having a good harvest. How do they do this? Through the age-old tradition of wassailing, where festivalgoers dance and sing to scare away evil spirits from the cider trees. There will be Willie Smith’s cider, food and live entertainment all on offer and tickets can be purchased either online or at the door. For more information and to buy tickets see www.huonvalleymidwinterfest.com.au/tickets/

TRY: JÄGERMEISTER - BEST SERVED ICE CHILLED

Crafted from the secret recipe of 56 botanicals sourced from all over the world, in their natural state is what forms the natural elixir that is Jägermeister. Enjoy the well-balanced, bittersweet harmony of Jägermeister in an ice-cold shot to cheers with friends and celebrate the good times. Taste German precision as it was intended with Jägermeister, a perfect combination of sweet, spice, herbal, bitter and citrus.

VISIT: THE MILL BREWERY

New kids on the block The Mill Brewery believe good quality craft beer should be for all. In their converted warehouse in Collingwood, there’s not a ‘craft snob’ in sight. Their bar has eight rotating taps showcasing six house beers and two guest beers and a stellar wine list to boot. For more information see www.themillbrewery.com.au Merivale’s already thriving Queens Hotel is adding another cocktail bar into the mix. The new Zebra Bar will take you from Enmore’s urban jungle to an African safari in the style and comfort synonymous with Hemmes’ brand. Next doors’ Queen Chow will provide Chinese inspired dishes and fellow cocktail bar The Smelly Goat will be behind the cocktail list, including a distinct spin on the classic Bloody Mary that contains hoisin sauce, sriracha and shitake. For more information and group bookings see www.merivale.com.au/zebrabar VISIT: ZEBRA BAR AT QUEENS HOTEL

VISIT: ROCKER

Keeping with the area’s laidback surfer vibes, Cam Northway and Ian Clark’s new restaurant will be serving up tasty, no-fuss meals right in the heart of North Bondi. The duo are collaborating with Three Blue Ducks’ chef Darren Robertson to create a relaxed dining experience perfect for those dropping in from the beach or coming for a special occasion. The simplicity of the menu will carry across to the drinks, with Guillaume sommelier Chris Morrison and Northway focusing on easy-to-drink Aussie wines and cocktails. Full interview with Northway on page 70

NEW: LIMITED RELEASE RARE WHISKIES NOW AVAILABLE IN AUSTRALIA

Diageo have released nine limited edition Scotch Whiskies as part of their ongoing Special Release program. Three of the whiskies are from closed distilleries and all are particularly rare. Ranging from the complex tasting, single grain 40 year old CAMBUS to the 15 year old ‘highland style’ COAL ILA, there is a taste to suit every type of whisky lover. Bottles can be found at selected Whisky Specialist retailers and Dan Murphy’s Australia wide. For more information see www.malts.com

VISIT: KISUMÉ

VISIT: MELBOURNE ITALIAN WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL

This June Melbourne’s top Italian restaurants are getting together to celebrate the wonders of Italian food and wine. The city’s best Italian chefs are joining forces to cook in pop-up kitchens in Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building. There will also be a marketplace featuring speciality cheese and meat stalls, pizza, pasta and gelato. You can even pick up an Italian cookbook to test your culinary skills at home. For the wine lovers, there will be the opportunity to taste over 200 Italian wines by region as well as try Italian-centric Aussie wines at their Italian Wine Masterclass. Not a wine drinker? Espresso di Manfredi’s baristas have you sorted or try a Negroni and Spritz cocktail at the Festival Bar. For more details and to buy tickets see www.italianwinefoodfestival.com.au/melbourne/ melbourne-tickets/ Chin Chin’s Chris Lucas’ newest venture Kisumé opened in Melbourne this May, headed by an extraordinary team of top chefs and sommeliers. The name of this threelevelled Japanese restaurant means ‘pure obsession with beauty’ and with Executive Chef K S Moon at the wheel, the food is sure to meet this standard. Chef Moon holds his blowfish (fugu) certification and is an international sake sommelier. Joining him is Executive Chef Shaun Presland, who opened Sydney’s Sushi-E and Sake in the Rocks and master sommeliers Philip Rich and Markus Tschuschnig will be behind the extensive wine and sake lists. For more details and to book a table head to www.kisume.com.au

Who said buying someone alcohol is impersonal? Jack Daniel’s are offering customers to have a personal message engraved onto a bottle of Gentleman Jack. Whiskey drinkers, relax that stiff upper lip and share the love on that next special occasion. To place your order, head on over to the Jack Daniel’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/GentlemanJackAustralia

VISIT: WORLD CIDER DAY AT THE FLYING BRICK BUY: GENTLEMAN JACK ENGRAVING SERVICE

Wallington’s Flying Brick Cider House is celebrating World Cider Day with all things apple! There will be cider making demos, new release ciders and a tonne of food, including apple pancakes and apple fairy floss. There will be tribute bands to keep you entertained and an array of wines, beers and cocktails if you need a break from all that apple goodness. For more information and to purchase tickets see www.flyingbrickciderco.com.au/ events.asp

TRY: COFFEE IN A CONE

Your caffeine hit just got far more exciting. Think your favourite morning pick me up wrapped in a blanket of dark chocolate with an outside crunch of waffle cone. Coffee in a Cone is the latest craze to his cafes, but at this stage, samples are limited with only a few lucky cafes to get their hands on the cones. Word on the street is the response so far has been overwhelming, so we will start to see this coffee-come-dessert popping up throughout more cafes in NSW and VIC very soon.

MONIN RECIPE APP

There’s an app for everything these days. Ordering food, playing games, finding love and forging genuine human connections. What we in the drinks community have been blessed with, however, is a new application that combines the very best components of those mentioned above. One that fuses the elements of creation, communication and exploration with a burning desire and passion for quality drinks. We’re talking of course about MONIN Inspiration.

MONIN has long been the purveyor of gourmet flavoured syrups and liqueurs. The company was founded in 1912 by Georges Monin, and today distributes 140 flavours in 140 countries. That’s more than a century of making the wonderful world of cocktails a more delicious place.

A lot has changed since inception, however, with technology and the internet vastly altering the way we experience life. And there is no exception when it comes to shaking and making high-quality drinks. Harnessing the innovation and creativity that MONIN tapped into when developing all those flavours, the brand has invented a new app. MONIN Inspiration is for people like you, who take just as much pleasure in making a new drink as they do discovering it. The app is essentially a database of hundreds of cocktail recipes available at the touch of a button. Each recipe has been tailor made by a MONIN bartender or barista, and there is even a Mood Matcher feature, which allows you to explore different flavours and to find the perfect recipe for how you are feeling or for an upcoming event.

But wait. There’s more. MONIN Inspiration isn’t just about exploration. It also allows you to create your own cocktail recipes, using your favourite MONIN syrups, fruit smoothies and cocktail mixes. So get ready to channel your inner bartender and flair skills. It also allows you to communicate with other users, by sharing your favourite recipes within the app or across social media. That’s right you get to keep your finger on the pulse of what people around the world are creating.

MONIN Inspiration is suitable for use on smartphones and tablets. It is available for free download in the App Store and Google Play, and has five different language settings.

For more product information and more great recipe ideas visit www.monin.com