W
hen you think cool climate Australian wine, Queensland probably isn’t the first place that springs to mind. But tucked high in the ranges around Stanthorpe, the Granite Belt has been quietly challenging that assumption.
After reading Wine Selectors’ Weekender Guide to the Granite Belt, in Selector Magazine we fell down a bit of a rabbit hole. Strange Birds, high-altitude vineyards and varieties we’d barely heard of? We had to know more.
Sitting at elevations of up to around 1,000 metres, this is a part of Queensland where altitude matters more than latitude. Warm summer days give way to cool evenings, winters regularly dip below zero and granite rich soils dominate the landscape.
The result? Wines with freshness, natural acidity and structure that might just change what you expect from Queensland wine.
You’ll still find familiar favourites like Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay here, but what increasingly defines the region is its embrace of alternative grapes, locally known as Strange Birds.
Meet the Strange Birds.
Fiano. Saperavi. Graciano. Montepulciano. Malbec.
Not exactly your everyday bottle shop line-up.
There are over 40 Strange Bird varieties that represent less than one per cent of Australia’s total vineyard plantings. Thanks to the Granite Belt’s climate, altitude and willingness to experiment, plenty of them have found a very happy home here.
Some local producers have been championing lesser known varieties for decades. Ballandean Estate Wines, Queensland’s oldest family-owned and operated winery, planted its first Strange Bird variety, Malbec, in 1984.
Then there’s a new generation continuing the experimentation. At New Tricks Wine, Mediterranean varieties including Fiano, Glera, Verdejo, Verdicchio, Montepulciano, Aglianico and Lagrein have been planted at its Lyra vineyard.
At Savina Lane Wines, six emerging varieties are grown alongside Shiraz, including Fiano, Manseng, Viognier, Tempranillo, Graciano and Montepulciano. Some of these grapes have had quite the comeback story too. By the end of the last century, just 19 hectares of Graciano remained in Spain, while only around 37 hectares of Viognier remained in France following WWII.
And the experimentation doesn’t stop with unfamiliar grape names. Dear Vincent Wines combines Shiraz with a small amount of Viognier, co-fermenting the two to create a lighter, more elegant style of red. Their serving suggestion? Slightly chilled, with good mates and a cracking BBQ. We can get behind that.
I guess what we’re saying is, if there was ever a wine region to order something you’ve never heard of, this might be it.
There's still plenty of room for traditionalists.
If Strange Birds aren’t quite your thing, there’s plenty of familiar territory too.
At Ridgemill Estate, Australian favourites like Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Shiraz sit alongside the more adventurous varieties. The estate is also home to some of the Granite Belt’s oldest Tempranillo vines, planted in the Severn River Valley.
Whether you’re sticking with an old favourite or feeling a little more adventurous, the Granite Belt gives you plenty of reasons to fill your glass.
Come for the wine, stay in a barrel.
And we mean that almost literally.
The Granite Belt isn’t only giving us interesting things to drink. At Barrel View Estate, you can spend the night in a luxury wine-barrel-inspired cabin overlooking the Ballandean landscape.
Elsewhere, Ridgemill Estate has self-contained cabins nestled among the vines, giving you the chance to wake up to vineyard views before heading straight to the cellar door.
Want to taste what all the fuss is about?
For our Brisbane wine lovers, there’s an even easier way to get acquainted with the region.
The Granite Belt Wine Pavilion is coming to the Brisbane Good Food & Wine Show, bringing local producers together for three days of tasting and discovery.
You’ll be able to taste wines from the producers you’ve just met, including New Tricks Wine, Dear Vincent Wines, Ballandean Estate Wines, Ridgemill Estate, Savina Lane Wines and Barrel View Estate, alongside even more Granite Belt names including Krupinski Vineyard & Estate, Jester Hill Wines, Big Fella Wines and View Wine.
Grab your tasting glass, try something you can’t pronounce and you might just leave with a new favourite.
Not heading to Brisbane? Consider this your excuse to add the Granite Belt to the travel list. Wine Selectors has done the hard work for you with its Weekender Guide to the Granite Belt, covering the cellar doors, food, accommodation and spectacular scenery worth making the trip for.