A breath of fresh air
If you find yourself in the burgeoning Granite Belt wine region, be on the lookout for strange birds. But you won’t see these ones in the sky. ‘Strange Birds’ are what the local wine community calls its alternative variety wines – everything from Fiano and Gewürztraminer to Sangiovese and Saperavi – and it’s a major focus in the region. In fact, Granite Belt is one of Australia’s top producers of alternative varieties.
Less than three hours south west of Brisbane in the warm state of Queensland, Granite Belt is a high-altitude breath of fresh air. Its latitude says subtropical but the first thing you’ll notice about the region is its cool temperatures. That’s due to elevation – it’s one of the highest grape-growing areas in Australia at up to 1,000 metres above sea level. It’s also the only place in Queensland that offers four distinct seasons.
Your arrival in the region is heralded by a giant apple on a pole – this is apple country and the region’s main city of Stanthorpe is Australia’s apple capital. The air is clean and the sky vivid blue – the region was actually gazetted in 1905 by the government as Queensland’s ‘health spa’ because it was believed to be beneficial to people with chest conditions – and the green hills are lined with vineyards, olive groves and orchards. Like many smaller wine regions in Australia, there’s a strong sense of community here, and you’ll meet welcoming locals and friendly winemakers offering personalised tours.
In search of the unexpected
Many people are surprised to learn that Queensland – best known for its hot weather, beaches and rugged outback – is home to a thriving, premium wine region. But in fact the climate conditions in the Granite Belt are similar to those of France’s Rhone Valley, and the region produces a wide range of elegant cooler-climate wines. This high quality, coupled with alternative grape varieties and almost 50 intimate cellar doors, makes it one of Australia’s most exciting and underrated wine regions.
The Granite Belt is known for its vibrant expressions of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. And while these classics account for more than half of wine production, the less common varieties help set the region apart. More than 50 varieties grow in the Granite Belt soils, and local producers believe these are critical to the future of Australian wine, because they’re so well suited to our climate.
You can explore these innovative wines by following one of the Strange Bird wine trails. Along the way you may find yourself in the cellar door at Summit Estate. Established in 1997 by a group of families, Summit Estate produces an impressive variety of wines including many ‘Strange Birds’ and award-winning bottles. Its popular sit-down wine tastings and wine education sessions offer a chance to discover your new favourite drop.
Whiskey Gully Wines is another award-winning winery helping to put Granite Belt on the wine map. Housed in a grand 1880s homestead in the heart of the region, they handcraft elegant wines and are usually on hand to share the story behind each one. Chardonnay and Shiraz are the flagship offerings, with a small number of alternative wines thrown in the mix, including fruity Colombard and brooding Malbec.
The Granite Belt wine region is full of surprises – from house-sized granite boulders perched in wondrous national parks, to the state-of-the-art Queensland College of Wine Tourism, the only place of its kind in the world. It all adds up to a fascinating wine region that’s unlike anywhere else. Just be sure to look out for those Strange Birds.
