A few months ago we visited the Granite Belt, and I wanted to share a review on a beautiful wine we enjoyed from Ballandean Estate. My partner tasted it at the wine tasting but because I was driving I had to pass (believe me I had many other tastings as well, there were plenty to choose from). The lovely lady who took us through our tastings took my partner on a ‘shiraz journey’ because they have so many different types of shiraz, and he loved trying them all. I was a little sad I had to miss out, but luckily we went twice on our trip so she replicated it for me the next day!

There were two shiraz blends on tasting, and my partner had one wine he really loved that we bought, and sadly enjoyed after a day of wine touring which made me think we didn’t get the full enjoyment out of it. However, the night before, when we had dinner at Ballandean Estate, I got to pick a wine off the wine list for us to enjoy. I had a lot of trouble deciding because I love all of their wines, but I ended up picking the other shiraz blend that my partner didn’t buy to give it a go. The best part about buying a bottle was that we were allowed to enjoy it at the restaurant, and when we were finished we got to take the rest home to enjoy in front of the fireplace, I mean how much better can you get?

Get in my belly Shiraz Durif

The wine we bought was the Shiraz Durif 2016. I don’t often drink a lot of shiraz, but I loved all the ones from Ballandean Estate as they weren’t really heavy and thick like some other ones that I’ve tried. I also haven’t drunk a lot of durif but this seems to be quite popular on the Granite Belt, and you can see why! This wine was perfectly balanced between a subtle sweetness and a hint of pepper to balance it. It was rich in flavour without being super heavy.

Why I loved it

It could have been the fireplace talking, but this wine was something really special. There’s something about having a great drinking wine that you can enjoy with dinner or without, and easily take to enjoy by the fireplace while winding down after a long day of travel and exploring.

What to enjoy it with

I loved this because normally with a shiraz I feel like I need to be eating a big chunk of red meat, but this one worked really well with a lighter meal. It was also great on its own by the fireplace as it was perfectly warming and delicious with or without food.

Also, if you want to try the wine that my partner loved so much, you can find it on their website – the Shiraz Viognier 2016. I enjoyed it too, but I think the best experience is going to the Ballandean Estate cellar door and trying them for yourself! Go on your very own ‘Shiraz Journey’ for me, you won’t regret it!