Five of the Piccadilly Valley's best-known wineries have formed a mini marketing co-operative to raise awareness of this delicate sub-region within the greater Adelaide Hills wine region.
The Piccadilly Valley in the Adelaide Hills specialises in the production of cool climate wines, particularly pinot noir and chardonnay, with an added focus on premium sparkling wine production. With the highest altitudes in the Adelaide Hills, the fruit ripens in some of the coolest growing conditions in the country and with rainfall a whopping mm a year there is little need to irrigate.
Because hospitality workers are guaranteed a decent wage under Australian workplace laws, tipping has always been considered voluntary. Most Australians are also used to the idea of paying a surcharge on a Sunday, or a public holiday, when businesses have to pay their staff an additional penalty rate.
Or even for group bookings, who can be difficult and are notoriously poor tippers. But how about a compulsory extra charge just because it is Monday? Or Wednesday. The business does not make it clear whether or not the charge goes to staff, but if customers are paying a "service" charge then they can hardly be expected to also tip. Adding a surcharge likes this makes it look like a business has simply got its sums wrong when doing its pricing. I spoke out strongly against added charges - I also hate being charged extra for a slice of bread and butter - and was told: "Your extreme position here is out of step and unhelpful to the industry.
Is this additional charge calculated before, or after, GST. And before, or after, any credit card surcharge. Another creeping issue. One insider put it best, I think: "Does it go to the staff, who presumably get paid award wages, or is it a bit of icing on the cake for the business?
