Wine regions Australia - Granite Belt

Granite Belt   Queensland

With its inherent natural beauty, the Granite Belt is Queensland's most well known wine region. Generously flavoured Shiraz and rich Cabernet Sauvignon are becoming popular regional styles.

Rock formations Girraween National Park Photo: Courtsey Tourism Queensland

The region straddles the New South Wales Queensland border. The main town of Stanthorpe is situated on the Great Dividing Range 750m above sea level and 95 km inland from the coast.

The winters are cold and frosty. Most of the region's rainfall comes in spring feeding the growing buds and shoots.

The soil is largely composed of granite, somewhat on the acid side and is very free draining.

The wine industry was pioneered by Italians and their descendants beginning around the 1920s. They produced wine for their own enjoyment and for sale to the Italian cane-growing communities to the north. The modern era began in the 1960s when Shiraz was planted.

Wines

The region is also a key producer of fruit beginning in the 1800s. The success of stones fruits especially cherries and plums, along with apples, pears and berries gives a foretaste to the aromas and flavours of the wines.

The red wines of the region have prominent plum, cherry and blackcurrant flavours. The cool climate, lighter styled Shiraz and fruit driven Merlot are achieving prominence.

Chardonnay and Verdelho are the standout white wine varieties of the region. Flavours of peach, apple and pear infuse these wines along with citrus and melon. The finish is characteristically crisp in style like the region's morning winter temperatures.

Wineries

The Granite Belt has put Queensland wine on the Australian wine map with carefully crafted wines from small vineyards. Forging the reputation are medal winning producers like Robert Channon Wines. They are one of the most awarded wineries in Queensland with highlights for their Chardonnay and Verdelho. They have also released a Sparkling Merlot.

Summit Estate also produces a wide range of award winning wines which includes gold for their reserve Shiraz and a Merlot Cabernet blend.

This is a boutique wine region where family wineries have been pivotal to the development of the industry. Ballandean Estate, the oldest family winery in Queensland was established by the Puglisi family 75 years ago. They produce some of the finest wines in the region. Of particular note is their Reserve Shiraz.

Also of Italian heritage is Golden Grove Estate who have produce medal winning wines and a Med blend of Tempranillo, Durif and Barbera. They also have a focus on fortified wines and semi-sweet wines.

Robinson's Family Wines is another established Granite Belt winery which producers a standout Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Other standout wines are Chardonnay from Bungawarra, Ridgemill Estate and Whiskey Gully Wines; Botrytis Chardonnay from Heritage Wines; Verdelho and Cabernet Sauvignon from Symphony Hills Wines and Merlot from Kominos Wines.

For Shiraz lovers the Granite Belt is a must try. This is massive granite country, inland and north; it's a unique terroir in Australia and the Shiraz from this country captures this quality. The line up of top Shiraz producers in the region includes Hidden Creek, Summit Estate, Lucas Estate, Kominos Wines, Ballandean Estate, Symphony Hill Wines and Windermere Wines.

Of special interest is Banca Ridge Winery run by the students of Stanthorpe State High School, who this year took out the Australian Schools Wine Awards, Best Red Wine of show for their 2004 Merlot and Best White Wine of show for their 2004 Marsanne.

It should be no surprise that the region is well versed in growing table wines from alternative varieties especially the Italian, Nebbiolo and Spanish Tempranillo. At Mary Byrnes Wines you will also find Marsanne, Rousanne, Vioginer and Grenache along with a plum mead (mix of plum and honey).

The region also produces a range of fortifieds and liqueurs. Summit Estate have a good range of fortified wines and Castle Glen Liqueurs who are Queensland's largest producer of port also produce liqueurs and hand-made champagne (in the French traditional style).

The region has a number of very small wineries who produce small parcels of grapes from which they draw their labels. This makes the Granite Belt interesting to explore. So if you are on the road to discovery remember Pyramid Road Wines, Back Creek Estate, Just Red Wines, Mason Vineyard and Wild Soul.

Also adding to the richness of the region are wineries who have mixed production. At Back Pocket they grow single vineyard wines and a pine nut plantation and at Aventine Wines they extract olive oil.

In this great fruit producing region you will also find the Bramble Patch and Hi Value Fruit and Berry Garden with a wide selection of fruit wines.

The region has over 35 cellar doors with tour groups catered for at Aventine Wines, Ballandean Estate and Summit Estate.

Food to Eat

You can eat very well in the Granite Belt, particularly if you are partial to Italian, European or Modern Australian cuisine. The region produces its own array of produce including wonderful fruits and sources fresh food in the surrounding regions which make up the Queensland food bowl.

A number of wineries and vineyards in the region have restaurants and cafes. Amongst them are Claudia's at Thunderbolt Farm, Heritage Restaurant, Beverley Vineyard Restaurant and Cody's. The students at Banca Ridge have special functions as well as serving food throughout the day as do Mason Wines, Back Creek Estate, Hidden Creek, Summit Estate, Ballandean Estate, Lucas Estate and Back Creek Estate. Please see right menu for more.

Places to Stay

"When in Rome ..." as they say is well considered in the Granite Belt with plenty of accommodation amongst the vines at Granite Ridge Estate, Cat's Paw Farm, Hidden Creek Vineyard, Ridgemill Estate, Whiskey Gully Wines, Summit Estate and Amberley Edge Vineyard. The towns and villages of the region also have excellent accommodation services ranging from bed & breakfasts to motels.

Things to Do

The wine industry in the region has been at the forefront of promoting cultural activities and tourism services.

Ballandean Estate has for many years supported the arts by hosting jazz, opera and theatre events. Both Opera in the Vineyard and Jazz in the Vineyard have become annual events.

For lovers of the Blues, there are regular gigs at Lucas Estate.

Theatre, music, art, meet the chef and other innovative food and wine events are hosted by Kominos Wines, Lucas Estate, Robert Channon Wines, Rumbalara Estate , Mountview Wines, Heritage Wines and Whiskey Gully Wines throughout the year.

They don't shrink from the cold in this region, but celebrate it with Brass Monkey season in July; and if you are wondering what a brass monkey is, my hint, think ships.

The second and third week of October is the Spring Wine Festival with lots of events throughout the region. The Apple and Grape Harvest Festival is held every second year in March.

The landscape of the Granite Belt is dramatic and very beautiful with spectacular rock outcrops a natural feature of the region. There are numerous walking tracks with wonderful views, birds, wildlife and wildflowers. Camping is easy as there are excellent national parks in close proximity to the vineyards, including Girraween, Bald Rock, Basket Swamp and Boonoo Boonoo.

Education and service development

The Granite Belt is strengthening its position as a premier wine region with the opening of stage one of the Queensland College of Wine Tourism. This innovative new College is located on Stanthorpe State High School's campus. It incorporates the school's Banca Ridge vineyard and winery in its teaching program along with wine, tourism and hospitality courses from the Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE and the University of Southern Queensland.

The College's modern cellar door and cafe is now open to the public. It sells the Banca Ridge label, and hosts wine and food events .

Harvest time: early March to mid April

Sites with more information: Granite Belt Tourist Association Southern Downs & Granite Belt Queensland College of Wine Tourism

Opera in the vineyards - Ballandean Estate Photo: Courtsey Tourism Queensland