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For something as ancient as wine, I’m always surprised how modern-day wineries can create new lines of their product. These wines are still distinctly their brand and style, but at the same time new, interesting, diverse and innovated. 

But far from reinventing the wheel, these iterations advance how we as consumers enjoy wine all the time; creating new notions of a known thing. 

A great example of this is how Australian reds have gone from being all guts and grunt to fresh, medium bodied, nuanced wine that’s focused on structure, layers of flavour and texture, and to be paired with more than just steak.

We’ve come across three Aussie wineries recently that have released new lines – either completely new to their portfolio or new vintages – that illustrate this advancement really well and at different price points.

McWilliams Terra Range

One of the old guard of Australian wine, McWilliams is a six-generation winery with a massive selection of wine categories and styles.

Expanding the selection still further, McWilliams’ new Terra range shows that wine doesn’t have to be expensive to be good. 

Perfect entertaining wines, the new Terra series launched in 2026 and is designed to be a more approachable, contemporary style of wine. It comes in four varietals: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc.

Tasting Notes+

McWilliams Terra Chardonnay

Ripe white peach, honeydew melon and lemon characters, complemented by subtle almond notes.

Refreshing notes of white nectarine and citrus lead the palate, layered with a gentle creamy texture and a whisper of French oak. The finish is long and soft, driven by bright acidity and lingering fruit characters.

McWilliams Terra Pinot Noir

Lifted aromas of strawberry and red cherry, complemented by subtle hints of earthy notes. A medium-bodied wine showcasing vibrant fruit characters, beautifully balanced by subtle oak and crisp varietal tannins.

Lightly oaked, with a small portion matured in contact with French oak, it delivers a smooth tannin finish and generous fruit length.

I really should also mention the McWilliams’ Hanwood Estate Grand Old Tawny. McWilliams was always better known for its fortifieds than its other wines and there’s a reason. 

This 10-year-old tawny shows all the complexity and depth of having spent a minimum of 10 years in small oak casks.

Its fragrant and fresh with oak complexity displaying notes of nuts, pecan pie and raisin chocolate with a hint of chocolate. The palate shows obvious aged wood complexing flavours with raisins and toffee notes.

McWilliams Terra series wines retail at RRP $19.00 each.

Hanwood Estate Grand Old Tawny 10 Years: RRP $28.00

Marnong Estate Single Vineyard Range

Although Marnong’s history goes back to the 1840s, the land was used for grazing livestock rather than growing grapes. Wine didn’t happen here until 2016 when Sicilian property developer Dino Strano saw the potential of the land and began what he thought would be a hobby farm. 

Located in Sunbury, one of Victoria’s oldest wine regions, Marnong now has three tiers to its selection: the Estate Range, the Single Vineyard Range and the ultra-premium Reserve Range.

2026 sees the mid-range Single Vineyard series grow with wines like the debut of the Heart Pinot Noir ($43.00 RRP), made with grapes grown in the central block at Marnong. This is a deeper, richer Pinot than its counterpart the Weatherstone Pinot Noir, also taking its first bow in the Single Vineyard range.

The Single Vineyard Sangiovese ($37.00 RRP) fits into that perfect space we talked about earlier of being medium-bodied, food-driven and full of structure, texture and aromatic notes.

As for Marnong’s Single Vineyard Chardonnay ($43.00 RRP), this elite modern Aussie Chardy is bright yet full. Medium-bodied with a crisp pear and apple palate, a flinty oaty nose and a creamy texture.

Tasting Notes+

Marnong Single Vineyard Heart Pinot Noir

A rich and opulent single-vineyard Pinot Noir from the most central block of the estate – concentrated, structured and built for the cellar.

Concentrated black cherry and black plum aromas with mineral nuance and subtle spice. On the palate are dark fruits, graphite and mineral depth with an opulent, mouth-filling texture.

Marnong Single Vineyard Sangiovese

A medium-bodied and vibrant Sangiovese true to its Italian roots. Lifted aromas of bay leaf and cherry aromatics with subtle floral notes.

The palate has a cherry and red plum fruit profile with fresh acidity and fine, grippy varietal tannin with a lively, savoury finish.

Marnong Single Vineyard Chardonnay

A medium-bodied Chardonnay crafted in a modern Australian style, balancing bright citrus fruit with creamy texture and complex savoury nuance.

Complex aromas of gunflint, brine, oatmeal and spicy aromatics, and a crisp pear and apple palate.

The Single Vineyard range is available direct from Marnong’s website or their cellar door.  

And if you’re into bubbles, you should also check out Marnong’s Reserve Blanc de Blanc ($80.00 RRP), which we talked about here.

Marnong has accommodation on site too. Check out their beautiful villas and homestead, perfect for a romantic break in wine country, or for a big get-together for family or friends.

For a spot of indulgence, Marnong’s La Vètta is a Hatted restaurant offering Italian fine dining. For more relaxed family-friendly options, there are also Cucina 2064 and Caffe Vista here too.

Ross Hill’s Pinnacle Range

From our friends at Ross Hill Wines in Orange, NSW, the new release of their latest premium wine range is showing signs of something really special. 

Ross Hill’s Pinnacle series has always been worth a go – grapes are carefully selected and treated with immense care and attention, and Ross Hill’s head winemaker Chris Jessop has a long storied career in Australia and NZ – but this release is looking like one of the best.

The seven-varietal range includes a Cabernet Franc from 2024, and a Sauvignon Blanc and a Chardonnay – both from 2025. These two years were near-perfect vintages for reds and whites respectively, and it shows in these wines.

The Pinnacle range retails between $35.00 RRP to $50.00 RRP, making this one of the most affordable premium wine ranges around.

The release of the 2026 Pinnacle wines coincides with Ross Hill’s 10 year anniversary of becoming a 100% carbon neutral winery and vineyard.

You can read more about these wines and about Ross Hill Winery in full review here.

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I cast my mind back to late 2024. Christina and I are at the relaunch dinner for NSW Wine Month – an amazing celebration of wine from New South Wales – which has returned phoenix-like after years in hiatus.

Next to us at the table is an unassuming, somewhat rugged, somewhat laconic man who seems to want to keep himself to himself. A country gentleman.

As the wines are poured to accompany the excellent food, we comment on how good the Chardonnay is. Our waiter offers the label for us to take a picture.

The man beside us smiles. Just ever so slightly.

The wine is Ross Hill Winery’s Eastern View Chardonnay from Orange NSW. The man: James Robson – co-owner and vigneron of Ross Hill.

This is his wine.

Ice firmly shattered and allegiance lines clearly laid, we’re soon deep in conversation with James who, once out of his shell, is quite the raconteur.

With all the superb food and exemplary wine, this was always going to be a great party. But with James as our dinner companion (sorry-not-sorry for hogging him!), this is an evening to remember.

Fast forward about nine months, and Christina and I are in Orange, NSW. We’re here for Christmas in July at the Oriana Motel (outstanding by the way), but we decide to book a tour of Ross Hill’s cellar door while we’re here.

It’s just up the road.

As luck would have it, James is running the tour this morning. It’s great to see him again and to learn more about his wines in situ.

You can book your own tour of Ross Hill Winery here.

Ross Hill Winery, Orange NSW

Ross Hill is one of the founding vineyards of Orange’s now flourishing wine scene. For years, It’s been crafting wonderful iterations of varietals that have put Orange on the map.

High altitude, cool evenings and rich sumptuous soils make for incredible Chardonnays, Pinots and Cabernets, as well as a host of other wines. But as we chat to James, two recent years in particular seem to be standing out:

With near-perfect conditions, 2024 has been marked as a Classic Vintage for the region – especially for reds. As for the following year, 2025, this is looking ideal for white wines.

So if you’re in the market for wines from Orange, hop on this particular bandwagon vintage!

Ross Hill Wines’ Pinnacle Series

As we’ve said, Ross Hill makes a lot of excellent wine, but at the top is their aptly named Pinnacle Series. These are the winery’s premium wines, hand-crafted and made from selected parcels of fruit.

This latest release is made up of seven varieties – the reds coming from the brilliant 2024 vintage and the whites from 2025. If you’re not sure why this is important, you haven’t read the previous section!

Here are our thoughts on three from the range:

Pinnacle Series Sauvignon Blanc 2025 (RRP $35.00)

We’re not huge fans of the typical tropical fruit bomb Sauv Blanc, which is why this one is such a hit.

More towards a Sancerre than a passionfruit classic, this wine has plenty of texture from lees and oak-barrel fermenting. Focus is on citrus, creamy mouthfeel and mineral finish.

Pinnacle Series Chardonnay 2025 (RRP $40.00)

Orange produces some of the best Chardonnay in Australia and this one doesn’t disappoint.

This is a modern, cool-climate Chardy. Far from being a butter barrel (which isn’t something we hate either btw), this Chardonnay is fruit-led, subtle on the oak, and focused on citrus acidity, stone fruit and a wonderful creamy texture that provides a long finish.

Pinnacle Series Cabernet Franc 2024 (RRP $50.00)

Somewhere between Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon in terms of flavour profile, body and structure, Cab Franc is growing in popularity in Australia.

This is an excellent example of the variety, showing plenty of fragrant herbal aromatics, redcurrant and fresh cherry notes on the palate, and a refined tannin structure within a medium body. There’s oak here too, but it’s restrained and doesn’t interrupt the fruit. Lovely stuff.

This release of Ross Hill’s Pinnacle Series is a double celebration for the winery as 2026 marks the 10-year anniversary of them being Carbon Neutral; an impressive feat.

Ross Hill’s Full Premium Range

The full Pinnacle Series selection for this release consists of Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.

There’s also a Pinnacle Series Blanc de Blancs (we do love a Blanc de Blancs!), and let’s not forget the uber-elite Eastern View Chardonnay and vaunted Bordeaux-blend award-winner The Griffin.

The core Pinnacle Series wines range retails between $35 to $50 and the last two are $95 each, making this one of – if not the – most affordable premium hand-crafted wine selections on the market.

Buy Ross Hill Wines’ Pinnacle Series direct from the winery here or via their beautiful cellar door in Orange.

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Living in Australia, we’re in a bit of an echo chamber when it comes to wine. Aussie wine has a habit of locking you in and convincing you that it’s not really worth trying wine from other countries. I mean, why would you when all the best stuff is right here.

For us, we certainly reach for an Aussie wine over international labels when we’re in the bottle shop.

Of course, there are many more wine regions beyond Australia’s soil, but when what’s widely recognised as one of the world’s most trusted wine awards bestows its highest accolade on not one, not two, but five Aussie wines, you have to start believing the hype, right?

What Are The Decanter World Wine Awards?

Often seen as the ‘Olympics of wine’, the London-based Decanter World Wine Awards have been going since 2004.

Applicants have their wines judged through rigorous blind tasting by a massive roster of global experts, including Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers and top buyers.

Wines at the Decanter Awards go through a multi-stage judging process starting with Bronze, Silver and Gold medals. Gold medal winners are then re-tasted to advance to Platinum, and then Platinum winners are tested again to determine the coveted ‘Best In Show’.

In 2026, only the top 0.03% of the 14,000+ entries progressed to take home a Best In Show award. Incredibly, five Aussie wines achieved this status, putting them in an incredible list of the best 50 wines in the world.

Wine Winners On The International Stage

Australia made up 630 of the 14,082 entries in the DWWA 2026, but five managed to pass through the intensive scrutiny of the judges, each scoring 97 points to reach the hallowed heights of Best In Show.

Pewsey Vale Vineyard’s Estate Riesling 2025

The only Riesling in the top 50 wines of the 2026 Decanter Awards, Pewsey Vale’s winner is an icon of the varietal.

Pale yellow with tinges of green, this Riesling is packed with lime and grapefruit citrus aromas. With a long finish and a bountiful balanced acidity, the wine delivers plenty of lovely fresh floral and herbal notes beneath its lemony front palate.

Pewsey Vale has been specialising in Eden Valley Riesling since 1847 and have honed their craft to a razor edge over the years.

Pewsey Vale Vineyard Estate Riesling 2025 is available nationally at selected major and
independent retailers, and via Pewsey Vale Vineyard’s online store (RRP $28).

Click here to see the full tasting and winemaker’s notes.

Dalrymple Vineyards’ Pipers River Pinot Noir 2024

The only Best In Show Southern Hemisphere Pinot Noir of 2026, Dalrymple Vineyards’ Single Site Pipers River 2024 is an archetype of cool-climate Aussie Pinot.

A rich, pleasingly purple hue, this wine is packed with all the good bits of a brilliantly made Pinot. Cherry and plum notes, as well as hints of cinnamon and star anise, build with every sniff and sip.

Moreish savoury notes develop the more you drink and the longer this bottle’s open as does a lovely soft texture and finish.

Dalrymple Vineyards Single Site Estate Pipers River Pinot Noir 2024 is available via
Dalrymple Vineyards’ online store and will be available nationally from selected retailers
from August 1 2026 (RRP $80).

Click here to see the full tasting and winemaker’s notes.

Hill-Smith Estate

Despite being in two different states and two very different wine regions, both Pewsey Vale Vineyard and Dalrymple Vineyards are in fact part of the same over-arching estate.

As well as these two, family-owned Hill-Smith Family Estate has some household names in its wine folio, not least Janz Tasmania, Oxford Landing and Yalumba.

Wine Awards Aren’t For Everyone

First of all, huge congratulations to Hill-Smith Estate and to all the winners of the DWWA Best In Show. What an amazing achievement. It’s so good for the Australian and NZ wine industries.

However, it’s important to remember that wine awards aren’t the be all and end all. Even with over 14,000 different wines from around the world competing in DWWA 2026, entering awards may not be viable for every winery. This means there are still so many more incredible wines out there to discover.

DWWA entry is £172 per wine, not including freight costs, so lots of independent wineries won’t be able to or don’t want to absorb this cost, nor go through the rigmarole of applying and registering for awards.

And let’s not forget, wine is incredibly subjective even on the palates of world renowned experts.

But this is why it’s important to learn what you like, to try different wine and to only use the medals a label as a starting point when you’re exploring a new bottle.

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For many, July each year spells a 31-day stint of alcohol abstinence. It’s the opportunity for a mid-year pause, to reset the system and give your body a break from the booze. 

It used to be the case that, whenever you went out to a pub or a party, drinks options were so limited you didn’t really feel like going out at all.

Overly sweet non-alcoholic cocktails, truly awful zero beers and wines or soft drinks that ended up giving you a sugar hangover anyway.

These days, that’s all changed. 

With more and more drinkers looking for low-and-no alternatives to their drinking repertoire, and younger generations seeming to drink less generally, the alcohol and hospitality industries are responding with some amazing options.

There’s, of course, a raft of health benefits associated with even a month’s break in drinking. Better sleep and more energy, gut health and weight loss, feeling brighter and more lucid — not to mention the financial pluses — they all paint Dry July in a very rosy light. 

The only hard thing is not substituting your drinking regimen with something just as bad for you. Chips and chocolate, I’m looking at you guys.

But snacks aside, here are our top picks for swapping out the ABV for something just as good for Dry July, Feb Fast, Sober October or whenever you feel like you need a break.

What To Drink For Dry July

There’s an ever-growing selection of non- and low-alc drinks around, and the quality has improved stratospherically from the days when Guinness brought out Kaliber <0.5% lager. And thank goodness for that.

Zero Alcohol Beer

There are dozens of choices when it comes to beer and it really comes down to personal preference, but our favourites are Capital Brewing’s Alc-Less Pacific Ale, a fruity, hoppy little number, and Four Pines’ Ultra Low.

In fact, if you’re looking for an easy-drinking beer that isn’t too involved, but still feels like you’re drinking a ‘real’ beer, the Four Pines one is our favourite. Bright, light and refreshing, it doesn’t try too hard.

By the way, and this is just my opinion, the worst one we’ve tried recently is a surprise: Coopers Zero is a big disappointment. 

Zero Alcohol Wine

Low- and no-wine has come on leaps and bounds in recent years — especially sparkling wines. But for reds and whites, there are no bubbles for off flavours and textural issues to hide behind. 

The somewhat comically named Two Hoots Non-Alcoholic Chenin Blanc from South Africa shares all the tasty characteristics you’d expect from this variety.

Lively and full of peardop and citrus notes, there’s also plenty of acidity and dryness to this wine, which is also the variety of choice when you’re in Western Australia’s Swan Valley Wine Region.

For red wine, Next Destination’s Shiraz from the Barossa Valley hits the mark. It’s hard to maintain the depth of flavour and rich texture that Shiraz is known for, but there’s still plenty of both in this zero-alcohol wine from the heartland of Australian Shiraz.

Black cherry and dark chocolate, coupled with the tight spice of new French oak, create a dry, velvety complex drop that matches perfectly with hearty winter meals.

These wines (and plenty more) are available from Sans Drinks, a company dedicated to bringing the best of zero alcohol drinks together in one place and is Australia’s first non-alcoholic bottle shop.

Cocktails

Cocktails — especially the classic spirit-forward ones — are very difficult to replicate in a non-alc format. Lyre’s is the foremost maker of these zero spirits and they do a great job, but their best one to date has to be their version of spritz Aperol.

Check out the Lyre’s Zero-Alcohol Amalfi Spritz Grande Duo Set. It includes two 750ml bottles of Classico sparkling wine and a 700ml bottle of their Italian Spritz amaro. Together they make a very convincing 0% alternative.

Going Out

Bars, pubs and restaurants are all getting in on the growing demand for lower-alcohol refreshments. Many have menus of mocktails available, but few do it quite as well as Sydney rooftop bar Above 319. 

Sitting on top of the Vibe Darling Harbour, this bar, which shares the space with the hotel’s pool, looks out over the city and offers one of the most creative lists of delicious alcohol-free cocktails. 

The other drinks on the list here are also amazing by the way, and you can order food from the hotel’s restaurant menu too.

Further afield, even some of the world’s most famous bars, whose cocktails have become household names, are finding ways to adapt to this growing market.

Singapore’s Raffles Hotel and its legendary Long Bar is where the legendary Singapore Sling was invented back in 1915. Back then, it was taboo for women to be seen drinking alcohol in public, so the Sling was created to look more like a fruit punch.

To celebrate Singapore Sling Day (27th June each year), Raffles has created the Singapore Sling Zero. Using the signature blend of fruit juices, spices and syrups along with Tanqueray 0.0% gin, the Singapore Sling Zero shows just how far things have come in the world of no-low alcohol drinks.

For more Dry July tips, check out our other stories on non-alcoholic drinks here.

The post How To Do Dry July (And Why) appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

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Christmas in July is a fun, popular pastime for Australia. Our real Christmas is a much hotter, less conventional affair, swapping silly sweaters for shorts and suncream, and the full roast and trimmings for salads and seafood.

So we make up for it by having two Christmases, and the effort some go to in July is truly impressive.

But where can you go for the best mid-year Christmas?

Christmas in July in Orange, NSW

Obviously, for a proper Christmas experience, you want to be somewhere cold, but on the other hand, you don’t want it to be too cold either.

That’s why Orange in NSW is such a great option.

Its high altitude and distance from the sea (Orange sits at around 860m above sea level and is about four hours from Sydney) means Orange gets snow in July, but not too much. Perfect!

Christmas in the Oriana Motel’s Peacock Room restaurant

We’re in Orange for the Oriana’s Christmas in July. This cool, retro motel is owned by the excellent Espen Harbitz. He’s from Norway originally and brings all of his childhood experiences of Christmas to this July experience in one of Orange’s best restaurants.

You can read our full review of the Oriana Motel here.

First, we gather in the garden amid crackling fire pits the staff have set up, and enjoy glasses of Norwegian glogg. This is something like mulled wine but not as sweet, and supercharged with brandy.

We sit by the fire and chat with the other party-goers for a while until we’re called in for dinner.

Inside, we make our way to the Peacock Room, where the restaurant has been transformed. Tables are laden with Christmas decorations, there’s a huge tree in the middle of the room sagging under the weight of lights, tinsel and tasteful baubles.

Everyone gets a fun Christmas hat and a cracker to pull, and the atmosphere is joyous and happy — and not just because of an abundance of glogg!

Christmas Dinner at the Oriana

As is Espen’s way, wine is the priority as we sit down, then plenty of chewy bread and butter to keep us company.

Dinner is served swiftly and efficiently, and what a dinner it is. A feast of juicy turkey, rich roast duck, porchetta with crunchy crackling, sumptuous stuffing, creamy mash, and fresh sprouts and red cabbage.

Not to mention the richest, thickest, tastiest gravy you’ll have.

All the things I miss about a cold Christmas.

With the main course over, we wonder what’s next. The answer: Christmas pudding. Of course it’s Christmas pudding. A dense, rich, dark ball of flavour, accompanied by ramekins of warm custard, whipped cream, and rum and raisin ice cream.

But the final flourish is yet to come.

Soon, Espen is standing next to us with a jug of OP rum and a lighter. He pours the rum over the pudding and sets it afire. Everyone loves a bit of food theatre — especially when it tastes this good!

We leave feeling full and wholly satisfied, just as Christmas should be.

Double Down on Norwegian Winter Vibes

If you want to really go full Scando, Espen has installed a proper Nordic style sauna next to the Oriana’s pool.

Motel guests can use the sauna anytime and all through the year, but in the middle of winter, you can work up a sweat (we got the sauna up over 60°C) then leap into the unheated horrors of the pool for an invigorating cold plunge.

We didn’t see the need to do this last bit as the air temperature was around zero degrees anyway.

Plus Espen had already started pouring the glogg!

The Oriana’s Christmas in July feasts happen every Friday and Saturday night throughout July, but reserve your table quick as this books out fast.

We attended the Christmas in July feast at the Oriana Motel as media, but our experiences and opinions remain our own.

The post Where to have Christmas in July — the Oriana Motel, Orange appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

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Creating delicious works of edible genius from Izy.Aki’s diminutive kitchen, owner Darren Templeman and head chef Bonnie Yu have levelled up Sydney’s omakase scene.

This is omakase, but not as Australia’s seen before.

As we sit down at the counter that takes up most of the narrow restaurant — very much like the izakayas of backstreet Kyoto — Christina and I ponder how this instantly feels different to other omakase experiences we’ve had.

Far less formal and a more relaxed pace, Izy.Aki is more about enjoying the atmosphere, chatting to the staff and taking your time over a dish.

Not only is this more conducive to a romantic dinner, it also allows you to appreciate the sheer attention to detail. Here, the experience is all about you and your evening.

This is kappo yakiniku omakase.

What is kappo yakiniku omakase?

The Japanese trend of omakase dining has taken Australia by storm, pushing the popular degustation dinners of the 2010s out of the way with a sumo shove.

Born in the 1980s when businessmen had neither time nor inclination to choose their meals, Tokyo C-suiters would task the chef with omakase — ‘I leave it up to you’. The kitchen would then present what they had on hand to the busy diner.

Sydney has since adopted this style of eating with vigour, but Izy.Aki is taking things to the next step.

If you haven’t heard of kappo yakiniku omakase before, don’t worry; this is a first for Australia.

Kappo means ‘to cut and cook’ and yakiniku refers to the charcoal grill used in particular restaurants. So instead of being primarily sushi and sashimi focused, kappo yakiniku is also about grilled meats and personal service.

Our 10-Course Omakase at Izy.Aki

We slip into our seats at the long white marble bar that stretches out to the back of the room and squeezes everyone in at the elbow.

From here, we can see everything going on; every cocktail stirred and sake poured, and the parade of dishes prepped, plated and presented along the bar.

We love this kind of dining.

Beginning with a couple of superbly crafted house cocktails (Christina has an Izy-groni and I’ve gone for a Nip on Molasses), we settle in and watch the show.

It’s important to note that Darren and Bonnie change their menu all the time so expect different things than we’re detailing here. Regardless, you’re still guaranteed a spectacular dinner.

Dish 1: bluefin tuna tartare

Soon, our first dish — the first of 10 — arrives, and it’s clear that although the atmosphere and service is relaxed here, the menu takes itself pretty seriously.

There’s no such thing as scrimping or sub-standard ingredients. The food focuses on finest form and best quality, and in this there is no compromise.

The mound of jiggly red and orange cubes turns out to be bluefin tuna tartare and dashi jelly, and the snow on top is none other than shavings of pate de foie gras. Flavours are intense and almost peppery, with delicate textures of tuna that become even more tender when we get to the jelly.

Dish 2: The Egg

Izy.Aki’s signature dish and a real wow moment of the meal.

This is a free range hen’s egg that has been emptied then refilled with a wonderful array of flavours. Smoked eel, more foie gras and golden trout roe create a dish of incredible depth of flavour; rich, salty, packed with umami, yet light as air with the occasional pop and bite from the roe.

The shell has been perfectly scalped using a weighted cutter that head chef Bonnie enthusiastically shows off to us.

It’s little wonder why this dish has made such waves on the internet.

Dish 3: Sashimi time!

Plated with infinite delicacy, these three perfect tokens of wild kingfish from Ulladulla come with a salad of okame seaweed, edible flowers and red salmon roe. Dotted on each of them is an emulsion of house-fermented black garlic.

This isn’t as zesty or fresh as I was expecting after the opulence of The Egg. Instead, the silky richness and umami from the exquisite combination of flavours keeps the savoury ball rolling.

Dish 4: Chawanmushi

Chawanmushi is a kind of savoury egg custard and is traditional for kaiseki ryori (a multi-dish meal). However, Izy.Aki has pushed back against convention a little, serving theirs cool or at room temperature rather than piping hot, making this dish quite refreshing.

The dollop of real oscietra caviar on top is only just the start of the lavishness of this dish. Below, bathing in the silken custard and seafood dashi are pieces of pomelo, scallion and shredded Alaskan crab.

The ensemble brings sweetness, savoury notes and sharpness under the banner of the velvety custard.

Dish 5: Seafood Soup

With a base of seafood dashi — a great start to any aqueous dish — the luxury of abalone, octopus from Fremantle, Patagonian prawns and fresh lotus root make this so much more than a mere soup.

Dish 6: Lobster Tail

The extravagance keeps on coming as Darren brings us each a whole lobster tail from WA and Misty Valley mushrooms.

You’d expect the mushrooms to play second fiddle to the lobster, but not here. Having said that, the lobster is superb; tender, sweet, flavourful and perfectly cooked.

Keeping everything together though is the rich unctuous sauce made with house-fermented chilli butter. If this had been at home, I’d have licked my plate.

Dish 7: Beef Brisket

Somehow, Darren and Bonnie upstage the previous dish yet again with a monster of flavour: this 12-hours slow-cooked beef brisket that’s been finished on the yakiniku grill is so tender you can pull it apart with your fork.

The fat that rendered from the beef has been used to cook the delicate green cauliflower blossoms, and the rocher of mushroom miso butter creates such a range of profoundly deep flavours it’s almost overwhelming.

Dish 8: Wagyu Sirloin

Just when we think we’ve reached the deepest depth of flavour, Izy.Aki takes us to the Mariana Trench of umami with a beautifully grilled black opal wagyu sirloin (MB9+) from Victoria. The yakiniku grill has worked its magic again with this cut, creating the perfect Maillard crust on the outside while keeping the middle pink and tender.

With the steak comes a range of condiments — two types of freshly grated wasabi, a sour tamarind sauce and a fermented soy bean chilli, which I could just spoon up on its own. As a side (because we need more food!) is a bowl of house-fermented white kimchee and saffron fronds.

As Darren explains, this is a kind of choose-your-own-adventure thing, where you can pick how your steak tastes with each of the delectable condiments. This is a real wow dish.

Dish 9: Dessert #1

At first sight, we think this could be the one that kills us: a big scoop of rich dark chocolate cremeux, yoghurt sorbet and crunchy puffed rice.

However, this is a well-balanced dessert that’s surprisingly fresh and zesty. It somehow scratches the sweet itch after all these super savoury dishes, but is also far less filling than it looks.

Dish 10: Soufflé

The final dish is a real centrepiece. Rising high about its ornate pot, the Hokkaido matcha and raspberry cheesecake soufflé is really something to behold.

Freshly baked and puffy, the top hides a secret stash of gooey cheesecake and raspberries at the bottom, so it’s important to push your spoon all the way down.

This dish has changed my mind about matcha, which I never really held in high regard before. The creamy quenelle of mascarpone ice cream adds texture and a lovely hot-cold contrast to the soufflé.

Sake at Izy.Aki

I think it’s important to point out the bar here at Izy.Aki is not only packed with some outstanding spirits (there’s even a bottle of Sullivan’s Cove here), but its sake options are almost endless.

We finish with some junmai ginjo sake, which is earthy and funky, yet still fresh and clean. The sake is decanted into a silver vessel then poured into silver cups. The bottoms of the cups are smelted into the zodiac signs of the Lunar Calendar, which is a fun touch.

I must say, I do love the artistry and pageantry of omakase.

Along with the convivial service of a restaurant that leans halfway towards a Kyoto izakaya and halfway towards slick Paddo experiential dining, Izy.Aki’s omakase does all the thinking for you, bringing you a meal you never thought you needed.

The only problem now is all we can think about is going back for more!

We dined as media guests of Izy.Aki, but our opinions and experiences remain our own.

The post Romantic and Intimate — omakase dining at Izy.Aki, Paddington appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

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While the fine-dining scene has been working through some things, growing into its next life stage, Atelier in Sydney’s Darling Harbour has been ahead of that particular curve since it opened in 2017.

Atelier’s intimate, service-forward ethos brings out the feeling relaxed refinement and luxury that most other top-end restaurants are still wrestling into place.

It’s that fine balancing act of harnessing the traditional without being stuffy, the high-end without being snobby, the elegance without the side eye.

Read our full review of the Sofitel Darling Harbour here.

Dinner at Atelier in Darling Harbour

Being part of the Sofitel Darling Harbour, you expect Atelier to have that ‘just another hotel restaurant’ vibe, but that’s not the case here.

None of the usual hotel trappings that tend to leak out into the dining experience at Atelier. This is a self-contained in-its-own-right restaurant that attracts just as many people not staying in the hotel as actual guests, if not more.

Having said that — and this is my only reservation with Atelier — entering the restaurant is a bit… strange.

From the maitre d’ station at the entrance, you have to walk through a large room full of empty tables and chairs before you get to Atelier. This is where the hotel serves breakfast and it just feels a bit uncomfortable, a bit deserted.

The kitchens are also in the breakfast room, which is a shame. These are open kitchens and it would be nice to feel a bit more connected to them during dinner.

The food coming from the distant kitchens, however, is excellent and the atmosphere in Atelier proper is cosy and convivial.

Entrees

Choosing entrees at Atelier is actually quite challenging; but that’s what happens with a paradox of choice. You want everything, but because of that, you can’t pick one.

After lengthy negotiations, we settle on the charcoal-grilled octopus from the kitchen’s specialised Mibrasa grill, which acts as a combination grill and oven. This specialised Spanish oven sears, cooks and smokes all at the same time.

The octopus is butter tender and comes with a kind of ratatouille, though there’s a freshness and crunch in the capsicum and a light creaminess too. On top is a wonderfully velvety saffron sabayon that slowly collapses on itself adding richness and umami.

It’s a clever dish that can only come from a kitchen that knows its stuff.

We also order the O’Connor black angus beef tartare. Christina and I have made a pact that if there’s ever a tartare on the menu, we have to order it. Boy, are we glad we did this time.

Quite possibly the best we’ve had, this tartare is really something. Dressed to impress, the steak is plated with tiny geranium leaves, parsley and edible flowers. For the all-important acidity, the kitchen has gone with pickled onion petals as well as capers, and the egg has been confited until it’s slightly gelatinous.

Buried deep inside the tartare is a rich remoulade, a kind of gently spiced mayonnaise, that brings a voluptuous creaminess to the ensemble.

We each have a glass of La Comtesse Chardonnay from Mudgee-based winery De Beaurepaire that cuts through the richness of the entrees, but also has a lovely creamy body all of its own.

Mains

Because of the kitchen’s special Mibrasa oven, we feel duty-bound to order a steak (yes, it’s a tough life, isn’t it) and it turns out to be an excellent decision.

The black angus tenderloin (cooked rare) is a thick generous cut. The Mibrasa has given the outside a beautiful crusty char while the inside is red and rested.

In terms of sauce, I have opted for the confit garlic and herb butter — basically a luxed-up cafe de Paris — but to be honest the steak doesn’t need it; there’s so much flavour and juiciness here. However, it does go well with the duck fat roasted Andean sunrise potatoes.

One of the other unique things about Atelier is the kitchen dry ages its own ducks. You can see them hanging in the cabinet next to the Mibrasa.

Of course, this influences our other choice of main: the dry-aged corn-fed duck breast from Moorabool Valley near Geelong.

The duck breast is perfectly cooked: pink where it should be, bronzed like a Greek god everywhere else. While the meat is quite salty on its own, the glossy rocher of apple sauce is acidic enough that it balances everything out to the point of buoyancy.

With our main meals, we have a glass of De Beaurepaire’s Perceval Pinot Noir and a bold Grenache from the Other Wine Co in McLaren Vale.

Dessert

Somehow our server Gabriela convinces us to squeeze in dessert, specifically the Vietnamese dark chocolate, coconut, pandan and mint delice.

We’re apprehensive at first, but it turns out to be a lovely dessert. I’m not a fan of pandan, but its delicate floral flavour works well with the coconut and mint.

Gabriela also treats us to a glass of De Beaurepaire Botrytis, which blends so perfectly with the sharpness of the mint and the depth of flavour of the Vietnamese dark chocolate.

This is an outstanding dining experience, full of romance and wonderful food. Atelier is the perfect place for a romantic meal or to celebrate a special occasion.

We dined as media guests of Sofitel Darling Harbour, but our experiences and opinions remain our own.

The post French Fine-Dining in Sydney — Atelier by Sofitel appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

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Orange, NSW has more than earned its reputation as a wine town. Its 80+ wineries have won countless awards, the 30-odd cellar doors in its realm are some of the finest, and festivals and events draw thirsty thousands here every year.

This little chunk of the Central Tablelands certainly punches above its wine weight class.

We’ve been lucky enough to visit Orange many times and we love visiting new cellar doors, trying new wines we haven’t heard of before.

And we’re always finding new ones.

This happened recently when we were introduced to Cooks Lot Winery, owned by winemaker and ex-chef Duncan Cook.

We were surprised to find out that Duncan has been here since 2002. We wonder how our paths haven’t crossed before.

Establishing himself high on the slopes of the iconic Mount Canobolas (Gaanha-Bula), Duncan intended to make Cooks Lot an estate winery — that is growing the grapes and making the wine in one place — but quickly changed his mind.

He realised that there were lots of other growers across the region with superior grapes, and that he would be able to focus on the wine-making if he didn’t have to worry about viticulture and harvests.

Looking for accommodation in Orange? Check out our review of the Oriana Motel here!

If you want a quick tour, here’s our Essential Guide to Orange, NSW.

And if you want more ideas and great rates on where to stay in Orange, click here.

Cooks Lot Winery — six new wines from the mountain

Duncan has used his close connections with growers well, sourcing premium fruit from across the elevations. Shiraz and Cabernet grapes are from the lower foothills of the mountain, while Pinot, Riesling and Sauvignon come from the higher reaches.

The result is a range of cool-climate high-altitude wine with the full, broad vocabulary of the Orange region and at a very competitive price point.

Shop these wines directly from Cooks Lot here – all $25.00 RRP.

Cooks Lot ‘Allotment 666’ Pinot Gris 2025

This wine comes with quite the blush. I’ve seen rosés lighter than this.

Light on the nose, but surprisingly full-flavoured on the palate, especially for a Pinot Gris. Firm white peach/nectarine notes and a lovely creamy texture that turns crisp and dry at the end.

As the wine warms up, ripe pear flavours develop and that creamy body sits nicely with these rounder flavours.

Cooks Lot ‘Allotment 689’ Sauvignon Blanc 2025

This feels like it’s what Marlborough NZ Sauvignon Blancs were once famous for. Less typical tropical fruit on the nose, more strawberry lollies and pencil shavings, but still with a bit of passionfruit underlining it all.

Good structure, sweet, but not overly so, balanced and a clean refreshing dry finish. This is an Sauvignon Blanc that SB drinkers will love.

Cooks Lot ‘Allotment 333’ Riesling 2025

This is an incredibly pale Riesling — no colour to it at all.

Light citrus and crisp pear on the nose, and more lemon and tartness on the palate drive to a fine minerally finish. This is an endlessly drinkable Riesling that would match perfectly with light fish dishes and sushi.

Cooks Lot ‘Allotment 1111’ Pinot Noir 2025

A glowing ruby red colour with light berry aromas, I was expecting a light-medium Pinot.

But on the palate, this is quite big for a Pinot, especially from high-altitude Orange. A bold, rich texture with hints of dark choc at end — unlike most Pinots we’ve tried.

Cooks Lot ‘Allotment 1010’ Shiraz 2025

Lovely deep dark red colour with dark cherry aromas and a bright structure with somewhat grippy tannins.

This is a lighter bodied, easy-drinking Shiraz and a good expression of cool-climate altitude Shiraz from Orange. Especially at this price point, this is an excellent wine.

Cooks Lot ‘Allotment 8888’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2025

Soft, elegant and lighter-bodied than conventional big, brash SA cabs.

This wine is still full of the pepperiness, dark berries and rich plum you want in a Cabernet, but has more sophistication than many of the bolshy iterations to be found on the market.

We were gifted these wines as media, but our opinions and experiences remain our own.

The post Best-Kept Secrets of Orange, NSW — Cooks Lot Winery appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

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You might have noticed this interesting little gin subset, but wine-infused gin is a fairly new concept and one that Australia has made its speciality.

Combining the refreshing herbal and citrus flavours of gin with the rounded softness and spice we enjoy from red wine, these wine-infused gins are the perfect solution — in more ways than one.

Different types of wine-infused gin

Shiraz is the most popular option for wine-infused gin, though there is a multitude of other examples out there — even white wine, fortifieds and other fruit like sloe berries.

But red wine adds a beautiful dark red colour to the gin as well as plenty of berry, spice and gentle oak flavours.

Here are some of our favourite examples:

Tread Softly Pinot Noir Gin

Rich with the aromas and flavours we associate with Pinot Noir — cherries, strawberries and a little spice — this beautiful bright red gin has plenty of fresh juniper, summer flowers and grassy notes that blend with the Pinot notes.

Tread Softly is focused on sustainability. Bottles are made from 100% recycled glass and the brand has a tree-planting programme that is so far up to almost 1.5million Australian natives.

Buy Tread Softly Pinot Noir Gin here.

Otter Craft Distillery Mary Street Shiraz Gin

This deep purple gin speaks of the robust power of the Shiraz wine used here. And although the Shiraz makes itself at home in this spirit, packing plenty of rich dark fruit and chocolate notes, this gin still holds up its end of the bargain by exhibiting its own flavour profile.

Hand-made in Lilyfield, NSW by Eduard Otter and served with aplomb at Bar 26, the distillery’s speakeasy next door.

Buy OCD Mary St Shiraz Gin here.

Naught Distilling Sangiovese Gin

Less common other varietals, Sangiovese as a gin infusion is actually a great option. Harnessing the bright, stone fruit, citrus and herbs of the wine, Naught Distillery’s Sangiovese Gin creates quite an earthy, savoury base bolstered by a bold, fruit-forward mid-palate.

Distiller (and ex-basketballer) Chris Cameron recommends using this beauty in an adapted French 75.

Buy your Naught Sangiovese Gin here.

Tempus Two Copper Shiraz Gin

Better known as a Hunter Valley winery, Tempus Two’s Shiraz Gin from their Copper Series of beverages takes a slightly different tangent on wine-infused gin than most. Using their own Shiraz wine to create a base spirit, the distillers double down on the varietal, adding in extra Shiraz as a botanical.

The result is a herbaceous, rich gin with a dark, plummy Christmas cake profile. This drinks well in cocktails, but also as it is over ice.

Buy your Tempus Two Copper Shiraz Gin here.

How to drink wine-infused gin

Although they’re not quite as versatile as regular gin, the added richness and flavour from wine-infused gins means they can lift a few regular cocktails to new heights.

On the Rocks

Unless you’re a hardened gin soak, you’re not drinking straight gin like it’s whisky. But with its added flavours from the wine, this style works well just with a big ice cube and a twist of lemon.

Enriched Negroni

If you want to fancy-up your regular negroni, using wine-infused gin creates another layer of depth to the drink. Play with the qualities a little until you’re happy — just like regular gins, win-infused gin will give you different flavours that you can balance (or unbalance) with your mix.

We also love using other types of gin to negronis like barrel-aged gin or sloe gin.

Gin Highball

Highballs are becoming more and more popular, but what is a highball? Simply, it’s just your spirit of choice in a tall glass and ice topped up with soda. Ordinarily, this would water gin down, but the added wine flavours make this a refreshing yet very simple cocktail.

If you want a bit more flavour, try your wine-infused gin with a splash of tonic as well.

The post Sip Happens — The Wine-Infused Gin Trend You Need to Try appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

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There’s something quietly powerful about legacy in wine — how each vintage, each decision, carries a story from one generation to the next. At Scarborough Wines in the Hunter Valley, that story feels especially alive.

We’re lucky enough to have known and worked with the Scarborough family since 2015.

Established by Ian ‘Scarbie’ Scarborough and his wife Merralea in 1987, Scarborough Wines is now more or less in the hands of the next generation: Sally, her brother Jerome and Jez’s wife Liz Riley.

This triumvirate runs the three pillars of the winery: marketing, winemaking and viticulture respectively.

Since the release of their new premium range Keepers of the Flame, Sally talks to us about the family business and how this new Scarborough wine that both honours tradition and looks to the future at the same time.

Check out the full Keepers of the Flame range, which consists of a Chardonnay, a Shiraz, a Shiraz-Tempranillo and a Shiraz-Viognier.

Jump to our tasting notes of the Keepers of the Flame range at the bottom of this page – click here.

10 Questions With Sally Scarborough of Scarborough Wine Co

1. For readers who might not have visited yet, how would you describe what makes Scarborough Wine Co, and the Hunter Valley more broadly, so special?

From the moment that Scarborough Wine Co started in 1987, my mum and dad (Ian and Merralea Scarborough) had a vision to create somewhere special to enjoy our wines.

Our cellar door was literally an extension of our home (as the original cellar door was firstly our carport, then our first winery) and Merralea prided herself on overdelivering with hospitality when guests sat down to enjoy their tasting, with a small cheese plate on hand. Merralea and Ian always wanted guests to walk away having had an experience like no other in the Hunter and having made some great memories and already thinking about when they can come back!

The Hunter Valley is a great place to visit. It’s hard to beat it for a long weekend of good food and wine. Its natural rural beauty makes it a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of life, yet it has all the conveniences you need. Easy to get around, fabulous accommodation, world class food and an easy drive from Sydney or Newcastle, particularly with the new freeways making the trip really accessible.

For many who have visited us, their trip is often marked by discovering the Yellow Label Chardonnay. Chardonnay has always been the favourite variety for both Mum and Dad, and the distinctive and trustworthy label is what many will recall about their trip to the Hunter Valley. We’ve since expanded the range to try new styles and varieties, but Chardonnay will always be the heart of Scarborough Wine Co.

2. Let’s dive into your Keepers of the Flame series – the name itself is beautiful and quite evocative. Where did that idea come from?

Jerome (my brother), Liz (our brilliant viticulturist and also Jerome’s wife) and I had several conversations over many years about the naming of this range. The concept came from the responsibility we have, as the next Scarborough generation, to carry on our parents’ legacy, but also as stewards of the land.

Mum and Dad started this business from the ground up – it took blood, sweat, and we joke, a lot of Chardonnay, to establish our home and winery in the Hunter Valley, and ‘Keepers of the Flame’ was a great name to reflect that moving to the next generation but maintaining the things that are important.

3. How does this collection differ from your previous releases?

It’s the most premium range of wines we have made and uses distinctive parcels of fruit from our vineyards that we’ve highlighted during the growing season as being something special. Some years it might just be a few rows that look exceptional. Each wine is the ultimate expression of that particular vineyard, in that specific year and the very best fruit of the season.

We started with Chardonnay and this year released several Shiraz wines for the first time from the exceptional 2023 vintage.

What finishes up in the Keepers of the Flame bottle each year depends on what we discover in the vineyard, we’re in the hands of Mother Nature. When it comes to the winemaking of these wines it is a very hands-off process. All the hard work has been done in the vineyard already.

4. Were there any creative risks or experiments in this series? Maybe something you hadn’t tried before in the Scarborough range?

Jerome has had some fun experimenting with the Shiraz range, but it does all start in the vineyard where small parcels are identified. He co-fermented Shiraz with Viognier, and Shiraz with Tempranillo to create some different styles, which are receiving some fantastic reviews from the wine media and customers alike.

The Shiraz-Viognier is a nod to the styles of wine you find in the Rhône Valley, something that we really enjoy. Hunter Valley Shiraz is a style all of its own, medium bodied and savoury, it’s very different from Shiraz around the country. We wanted to build on this distinctiveness with this range.

5. You’ve got such deep roots in Hunter tradition. How do you balance that history with innovation when crafting something new like this?

The Hunter Valley is so steeped in tradition, there are wine businesses that are 5th, 6th generation, so in Hunter Valley terms we are new to it all.

However, the tradition of winemaking here, and listening to the climate and soils. is timeless and understanding how the climates and micro-climates of the Hunter Valley work and that the wines need to be true to the Hunter Valley style, but equally be wines that we know our customers will enjoy.

The customer is always central to our decision making – we ask ourselves, what would they like to drink, how would they drink it, with what food and at what occasions. By answering these questions, we can ensure that we’re not losing sight of who enjoys our wines and whether something new will appeal to them. We always respect our heritage, but we’re also keen to take our customers on a journey if we think they will embrace it.

In some cases, we’re looking to reach a new customer or look at providing options for different ways to enjoy wine.

For example, our wine in a can launched last year. We anticipated they would be enjoyed by a slightly younger customer, looking for a convenient way to drink wine that fits into their lifestyle. They absolutely did, but equally a number of our existing customers loved the cans too as it was a convenient serving size that they could enjoy without the wastage.

We won’t ever compromise on quality and flavour, but it’s important to continue to evolve and try new things so our brand remains relevant. Trial and tasting – getting liquid on lips – is so important with new launches.

6. Working with family in a creative business can be both beautiful and complex. What’s it like collaborating with your family when it comes to big creative or winemaking decisions?

We have been working together in the business since about 1985, but in an official capacity for about the last 23 or 24 years, so we’ve been doing it for a while now.

When it comes to business decisions, it’s about walking a fine line between the nostalgic idea of what our family business was 20 years ago and then balancing that with current commercial decisions.

It can sometimes be difficult to separate, but those decisions can’t be made with your heart on your sleeve. We all want our family business to succeed and thrive so compromise is always needed.

Jerome and I are co-CEOs, but we try and stay in our own lanes when it comes to decision making; Jerome in winemaking and viticulture, while I focus on sales and marketing. But the big decisions are always collaborative.

7. How does it feel, personally, to see the next chapter of Scarborough Wine Co unfolding?

I’m really proud of all we have achieved together. The first ‘Keepers of the Flame’ vintage was 2019 – the year we all want to forget.

It was particularly difficult, not only a global pandemic but also drought and bushfires. The fact that ‘Keepers of the Flame’ came out of that tough time is evidence of our resilience and grit.

8. When you think about legacy – in winemaking, business and family — what does that word mean to you?

Our priority is to leave the land in a better place than we found it.

We have invested a lot of time and money into land management and viticulture. We are members of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, and our wines and vineyards are certified as meeting their high standards.

Biodiversity in our vineyards, recycling and composting in our winery and cellar door, solar energy to power our business, so many things that we’re proud of and will continue to improve on.

9. What do you hope wine lovers will feel when they open a bottle from Keepers of the Flame?

We really hope they can feel and taste the care and attention taken to make this wine. We hope it transports them to a time in the Hunter Valley, with the sun on their faces and memories being made.

10. And finally, what’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received — in wine or in life — that still guides you today?

Stay true to your values and what you believe in. Don’t be afraid to follow your own path.

Our thanks to Sally Scarborough for sharing her thoughts and experiences.

As Sally talks about Keepers of the Flame, you can feel how much heart is woven into every bottle — a blend of history, intuition and quiet strength. It’s more than just a new wine release; it’s a story of family, of place and of the delicate art of carrying something forward without losing its soul.

You can explore the Keepers of the Flame collection and the rest of the Scarborough Wines range at their Hunter Valley cellar doors or online at scarboroughwine.com.au.

Click here to jump back to the top of the interview.

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