Take a break in the beautiful countryside of the Queensland wine growing areas and savour some of the best wines the region has to offer, with locally grown cheese and other produce. This is a relaxing and inspirational experience for taste buds and soul. Cellar doors are open for wine tasting on many of the farms and breweries scattered around the popular Granite Belt where award-winning Chardonnays, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, and a selection of other cultivars and aromas are there to spoil you. Alternatively, take a trip to the Scenic Rim, where many visits to the cellar doors are by appointment only.
About one and a half kilometres from Crows Nest on the Backbutt Road, is the small vineyard of Holland Wines. The Cellar door is set in a garden full of flowers and wildlife that includes beautiful birds and peacocks. Wine tasting is free, but there is a large selection of wines for sale, to suit all choices. You will discover prices are competitive and delivery is also possible. There is a gift shop for taking home souvenirs, and if you book in advance, teas or finger lunches can be arranged, to enjoy on the lawns under pergola covered wisteria, or in the shade of a sun umbrella. Ample parking is available.
Crane Wines at 162 Hayden’s Road, Kingaroy is a family owned Boutique Winery and B & B and was the first winery started in South Burnett. The homestead is styled old colonial, grand and elegant, with an all-weather garden terrace that can seats fifty people. Crane Wines is eight kilometres from Kingaroy and it takes less than an hour to visit the Bunya Mountains rainforests from there. Up to four adults can be accommodated in two self-contained rooms at the homestead with a bottle of home-grown Crane wine and continental breakfast the next morning included.
Twisted Gum Wines
is located at 2263 Eukey Road, Ballandean, specializing in cultivating small quantities of premium single wines in their Granite Belt vineyard. The cellar door is set in a classic 1920 Queensland style of three sided verandah with magnificent views overlooking vineyards and rolling hills. Open at the weekends from 10am until 4pm, or else by appointment. Their signature wines are full flavoured, dark red and they also produce a Pink Moscato that is very popular with visitors.
The Scenic Rim Wine Country in South East Queensland begins fifteen minutes west of Ipswich; about an hour drive from Brisbane. It is a fast growing area for tourism, producing some premium wines as the climate is favourable for growing diverse varieties of grapes.
At the gateway to the Scenic Rim one kilometre from Harrisville on the Ipswich-Boonah road at Peak Crossing and the Cunningham highway is Normanby Wines. This Cellar Door is open daily from 10am until 5pm except Good Friday, Christmas Day and on Anzac Day, opens after 1pm. Vines of Verdelho and Shiraz planted in 1999 went on to win medals as top Australian wines and Normanby now offers more than 60 champion wines.
