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Your late-summer guide to dressing, unwinding and wine-tasting at Jackalope
In February, just remember that ‘holiday’ is a state of mind. And an unspoken dress code.
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One of the simplest ways to get ‘away’ while only driving for an hour or two and donning a felt hat, a flowy dress and embracing copious beverages is planning a winery day. Or, a winery stay. While the summer has so far been a little disjointed, confusing and interrupted in parts, there seems to be a widely-felt, knuckles-whitening tight grip on the feeling of ‘holidays’. We’re already plotting annual leave for the most strategically planned time off, and savouring weekends for every morsel of food with friends or off-the-grid tipple. Here, we catch up with Hotel General Manager of Jackalope, Tracy Atherton, to help ease back-to-work woes and fend off an early 2022 slump.
On the vineyard-studded and wave-tousled Mornington Peninsula, Jackalope has cemented itself as a stalwart of unwaveringly fresh, seasonal culinary delights, awe-inspiring vistas and incredibly sought-after accommodation (that requires some serious forward-planning).
Jackalope has cemented itself as a stalwart of unwaveringly fresh, seasonal culinary delights
If — like the vast majority of Australia — you’ve been left feeling jaded, or disappointed by the quasi summer holidays of the last two months, Jackalope could be the do-over you’re craving. Of course, in true Harrolds style, fashion is not forgotten. We’ve even included a stylist-proof guide to dressing for your days quaffing grape juice, giving a whole new, elevated meaning to the concept of ‘leisurewear’.
For those unacquainted with your dining offerings, can you give us a rundown of the Jackalope experience?
Unifying art, design, and dining in the guest experience, two hatted restaurants delight with contrasting takes on farm-to-fork food. Under the arresting canopy of a 10,000-globe chandelier, Doot Doot Doot delivers upscale dining and a tantalising tasting menu. Across the piazza, our more casual cellar door restaurant, Rare Hare, serves up vineyard views and a food and wine affair with a devil-may-care air. Elsewhere, a cocktail bar oozing curated-cool breathes new life into the property’s old homestead, while a cellar door is open for daily wine tasting and experiences.
We rely heavily on what’s growing in our kitchen garden and work with the Peninsula’s best producers
How has the menu been reinvigorated for seasonal relevance?
We rely heavily on what’s growing in our kitchen garden and work with the Peninsula’s best producers to create true seasonal, regional menus. While not everything is hyper-local, we always look to the Mornington Peninsula first before looking elsewhere in Australia.
Recently we have partnered with a local supplier Boatshed Cheese, based in Dromana, to pair cheeses with seasonal fruits and vegetables from our kitchen garden.
With supply chain issues affecting food supply, we have become even more closely connected with local suppliers, wineries, and distilleries, to support each other during this trying time.
What are some of the ingredients you’re most excited to be working with and where are you sourcing them from?
Daniel’s Run Farm are renowned for producing the best heirloom tomatoes in Australia. We have a healthy allocation, and their summer tomatoes are a staple in many of our dishes.
Another product the chefs are loving is the beetroot being grown in our kitchen garden. It’s beyond delicious, particularly when paired with Boatshed Cheese in Doot Doot Doot.
Any updates or notable changes to the hotel guests should know about?
We launched Sunday Brunch this summer and sold out two months of sittings in a little over a day. With summer in full swing, we’re currently planning our winter program, which will include the return of events like Truffle Trinity and the launch of some innovative guest experiences. Stay tuned.
What wines should we be sipping right now?
As Mornington Peninsula producers, summers are always about sipping cool-climate chardonnay. Our single vineyard 2018 Willow Creek Vineyard ‘Petrichor’ Chardonnay strikes a perfect balance of white peach, orange and lemon citrus. It’s elegant and ever so delicious when drunk while looking over the vineyard as the late afternoon sun dazzles on the vines.
After the year that was, what can we expect at Jackalope for the rest of this summer, and beyond?
An escape from reality. We’re seeing a longer average length of stay than ever before as guests are holidaying at Jackalope, rather than taking a night or weekend away. It’s easy to lose days lounging by the 30-metre infinity pool, sipping spritzes from the pool bar or, for a change of scene, relaxing at Rare Hare over a lazy lunch. Evenings are wonderful too. There’s a sense of occasion in dining at Doot Doot Doot and enjoying a pre-dinner drink in Flaggerdoot, or taking your sips on the terrace as the sun dips behind the vines is a magical experience.
What lessons have you learned from the changing tides of 2021, and how will they influence Jackalope in 2022?
Rolling in and out of lockdowns has been a good lesson in resilience and adaptability. Hopefully we’ll get a consistent run at 2022 which will allow us to focus on hosting some fun events and activations on-property. One of the other learnings is that, for many guests, this is their only meaningful travel in two years. That gives us the opportunity to be part of creating a special series of moments and memories. Now more than ever, it is important that every experience they have with us is considered and meaningful.
Now more than ever, it is important that every experience they have with us is considered and meaningful.
