Your weekly taste of Australia’s best food, drinks and spirited discoveries
Airport lounges without a business-class ticket, an Italian grandmother inspiring a new Adelaide restaurant, and a country pub where even the horses can belly up to the bar. This week, I’ve also discovered summer cocktail trees, two terrific regional festivals and a Barossa Shiraz that thoroughly deserves its international reputation. Pull up a chair, there’s plenty to get through.
Anyone who’s bought a coffee, sandwich and glass of wine at an airport lately knows how quickly the bill can climb.
So here’s some welcome news for travellers flying out of Sydney.
Plaza Premium Group is opening a new independent lounge at Sydney Airport’s Domestic Terminal 2 in early December, with entry starting at $54.
And here’s the attraction: you won’t need a business-class ticket, airline lounge membership or a collection of frequent-flyer points to get through the door.
The 545-square-metre lounge, near Gate 49 after security, will accommodate 113 guests and offer comfortable seating, charging points, Wi-Fi, workspaces, barista coffee, locally inspired food and a full-service bar featuring Australian wines and spirits.
It’s good news for Virgin Australia and Jetstar passengers using Terminal 2.
The opening also comes a decade after Plaza Premium Group entered the Australian market in Brisbane in 2016.
The company is investing $20 million in its Australian expansion, with a rebuilt Brisbane international lounge and a new independent domestic lounge in Cairns also on the agenda.
One detail worth checking before booking is precisely what’s included in the advertised $54 entry price, particularly alcoholic drinks and length of stay.
Still, the prospect of starting a holiday somewhere comfortable, away from the bustle of the terminal, is an appealing one.
Opening: Early December 2026.
Where: Sydney Airport, Domestic Terminal 2, near Gate 49.
Entry: From $54.
More information: Plaza Premium Lounge
Remember the cheekily named $28 Barossa Shiraz we featured last week after it picked up another international accolade?
Well, I’ve since had the pleasure of putting Mother’s Milk to the taste test, and I’m happy to report it lives up to the hype.
This is an outstanding, full-flavoured Shiraz. It’s strong, beautifully smooth and packed with character, without the harsh edge that can sometimes accompany bigger reds.
First Drop Wines has produced a wine that delivers far more than its modest price tag suggests. At around $28 a bottle, I’d happily put it alongside reds costing considerably more.
My Verdict: A beautiful smooth Shiraz that punches well above its weight. At $28, it’s an absolute beauty.
The Region: Barossa, South Australia.
Best with: A juicy rib-eye steak, slow-cooked lamb or a rich beef ragu.
Price: Around $28.
Discover more: First Drop Wines
Sometimes the story behind a wine is almost as interesting as what’s in the bottle.
After a damaging September frost swept through the Broke Fordwich region in 2024, Krinklewood Estate’s vines produced a small secondary crop that became its 2025 Sémillon.
What a great little harvest it turned out to be. The wine has collected 95 points from Halliday Wine Companion, a Best Semillon trophy at the 2025 ANZ Boutique Wine Show and several gold medals.
The winery describes fresh citrus, summer stone fruit and lemon-sorbet characters, with crisp acidity and a clean finish.
Hunter Valley Semillon is one of Australia’s great white wine styles, especially with seafood, and this one has a fascinating backstory.
My Verdict: An award-winning white born from a difficult vintage. One for the summer seafood table and my tasting list.
The Region: Hunter Valley, New South Wales.
Best with: Fresh oysters, grilled prawns or lemon-roasted fish.
Price: $45.
Discover more: Krinklewood
If you fancy a little English country charm without the long-haul flight, Mount Macedon has something special this weekend.
The historic Duneira Estate is throwing open its gates for the Bluebell Festival, when thousands of delicate blue flowers transform the magnificent Dutch Elm Avenue into a springtime spectacle.
There’s plenty to enjoy beyond the flowers, too. Explore the grand homestead dating back to 1875, join a guided garden tour, browse the art collection and enjoy live music.
And because this is Uncorked & Forked, there’s local wine, gin and the irresistible prospect of CWA scones with jam and cream.
When: Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1, 10am–4pm.
Where: Duneira Estate, Mount Macedon, Victoria.
Tickets: $35 adults, $30 seniors; children under 16 free.
More information: Duneira Estate
Now here’s an idea I could happily get behind: a weekend spent wandering between boutique wineries, sampling regional produce and letting somebody else do the driving.
Grazing the Granite Belt returns to Queensland’s Stanthorpe region on November 7–8, inviting food and wine lovers to discover one of Australia’s most underrated wine regions.
The format is wonderfully relaxed. Participating wineries and food producers serve specially prepared tasting dishes, with local wines, beers and ciders available along the way.
The $155 package includes Saturday shuttle transport, four drink pours, six tasting-dish vouchers and a Sunday brunch option using two of those vouchers. A $110 self-drive package is also available.
Among the participating producers are Ballandean Estate, Jester Hill Wines, Stanthorpe Cheese and Sutton’s Farm Cafe.
A fine excuse for a country escape, particularly if you enjoy discovering smaller wine regions.
When: November 7–8, 2026.
Where: Granite Belt, Stanthorpe region, Queensland.
Tickets: From $110 self-drive or $155 with shuttle transport.
More information: Granite Belt Wine Country
Forget ordering cocktails one at a time. This summer, you might find yourself ordering an entire tree.
Fever-Tree is bringing its Summer of Spritz celebration to bars and restaurants across Australia, complete with colourful Spritz Trees featuring tiered displays of cocktails designed for sharing.
It’s part of the premium mixer brand’s Social Club initiative, running throughout summer at participating venues in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, and there’s plenty more than the traditional Aperol Spritz on offer.
Look out for the floral Hugo Spritz with elderflower, prosecco and mint, a zesty Limoncello Spritz, grapefruit-packed Palomas and a refreshing Lime & Yuzu Spritz.
Participating venues include Melbourne’s Rooftop Bar and Fleet Rooftop, Sydney’s Botanic House, Adelaide’s Merrymaker Rooftop Bar and Bathers Beach House in Fremantle.
Expect themed cocktail menus, rooftop sessions, happy hours and long afternoons catching up with friends. The Spritz Trees are available at selected venues, so check before turning up with a thirsty crowd.
Discover more: Fever-Tree Australia
In North Adelaide, the Caporaso family has opened a 30-seat trattoria named after the woman who helped establish their Italian food business more than half a century ago.
Meet Imma, named in honour of 75-year-old Imma Caporaso, who founded the family’s Mercato business with her husband Mario in 1972.
Located within Mercato at Eighty Eight O’Connell, the restaurant has white tablecloths, family photographs and an emphasis on the Italian tradition of taking your time over a good meal.
Executive chef Nick Bergin has created a seasonal five-course menu inspired by regional Italian cooking, with dishes including venison bolognese, market fish, goat with polenta and panna cotta among the reported offerings.
There’s contemporary flair in the kitchen, but the inspiration comes from decades of family hospitality and a genuine love of Italian food.
With only 30 seats, this could become one of Adelaide’s more sought-after intimate dining experiences.
Where: 88 O’Connell Street, North Adelaide, SA.
Bookings: Imma
They reckon the bar at the Black Stump Hotel in Merriwagga, NSW, is the highest in the Southern Hemisphere.
And there’s a cracking explanation for it. According to local folklore, the unusually tall bar was designed so stockmen could ride their horses straight inside and enjoy a beer without bothering to dismount.
The bar stands about 1.3 metres high, and while nobody can say for certain how the tradition began, local horsewoman Laura Spence recently decided to put the story to the test.
She rode her horse Larry through the pub doors, much to the delight of the locals. Larry apparently enjoyed a few carrots and apples while his rider settled in for a drink.
The pub, which dates back to 1926, is packed with memorabilia, old photographs and the sort of characters that make country Australia such a pleasure to explore.
Located in the tiny Riverina town of Merriwagga, about an hour from Griffith, it’s worth a detour.
Just don’t expect to find many other pubs where the bar is quite so accommodating to four-legged customers.
Where: Black Stump Hotel, Merriwagga, NSW.
Until next Friday… keep discovering, keep tasting and never drive past a country pub on an empty stomach.
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