I have done a few articles that are a guide to the Granite Belt in the past few years. We haven’t been able to travel beyond our state as easily due to COVID, which has been a bit of a blessing in the end. Because it’s meant that we’ve been exploring what is on our front door, and loving every second of it.
I wasn’t going to do a guide for our most recent trip but decided it would be worth doing. We visited some new spots, and also went at a different time of year. Normally we go in Winter to soak up the cold weather, but this time we visited right in the middle of harvest. The area was bustling and beautiful. After years of devastating drought, it was incredible to see everything so green.
With so much to explore in this unique wine region, this guide to the Granite Belt 2022 will cover the highlights from our trip to help inspire your own! So let’s dive in.
Guide to the Granite Belt: Where to eat
Essen Restaurant
I’ve desperately wanted to go to Essen our last two trips and finally we went this time around. Essen is the one spot that kept coming up in recommendations about the region and after being I can see why. This restaurant is an award winning and hatted restaurant for a reason. But don’t go there expecting something stuffy. No, this restaurant is warm and inviting, and offers such an authentic experience.
The menu changes weekly based on the produce available and was absolutely incredible. You can opt for two or three courses (we did three and I highly recommend it), with entree, main and dessert. The food was absolutely out of this world delicious. Fresh produce shone through in each and every dish. Oh, and if the food isn’t quite enough to draw you in, this restaurant is also BYO. Meaning you can bring along your favourite wine from a day of visiting the cellar doors of the Granite Belt to enjoy alongside your meal.
Essen is located in Stanthorpe and does two sittings, 5.30 pm and 7.30 pm Wednesday to Saturday.
Balancing Heart Vineyard
We visited Balancing Heart on our last trip to Stanthorpe (read about this here), and I loved it so much that it was top of my list to head back to. The only disappointing thing about it was that we had to head home afterwards because I could have easily stayed here all afternoon.
Balancing Heart is a beautiful cellar door that has a great atmosphere. Outdoor seating overlooks the dam and offers the perfect spot for sitting back and relaxing. The food is simple and delicious with pizzas and platters on the menu along with their wines. I absolutely love the vibe at this cellar door – it reminds me of something you’d find in McLaren Vale or the Yarra Valley. Definitely worth a visit for a more casual lunch, or an afternoon spent enjoying with friends.
Balancing Heart Vineyard is open for lunch 7 days a week. They also do sunset dinners on the weekend.
Stanthorpe Cheese
Stanthorpe Cheese is perfect to stop at on your way into the Granite Belt for creating the perfect cheese platter. You can taste their cheeses for $3 and select your favourites to take home. They do also do toasties and cheese platters if you’re after something more substantial.
Cheese wise there is something for everyone whether you like blue, cheddar or brie. We loved the Outlaw which is a smoked cheddar.
Varias
I’ve visited Varias before and written about it, and this time it certainly didn’t disappoint. It is more of a fine dining experience but the food is absolutely delicious. And you can still get a burger and fries if you want to!
My favourite part about Varias is the Medley of Mains which gives you a taste of three dishes and a dessert paired perfectly with wines. It’s a great way to try a few of their wines and also try different flavours alongside them. For $50 it is also really affordable!
Varias is open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and Friday and Saturday for dinner.
Guide to the Granite Belt: Cellar door highlights
And now onto the fun part – where we went to drink some incredible wine. A guide to the Granite Belt wouldn’t be complete without it!
Going to the Granite Belt in Harvest was such an incredible experience. After years of drought, this harvest had already produced some cracking whites and they were looking to harvest the reds. Although visiting in Winter is nice for fireplaces and cool weather (as well as nice reds), I loved visiting in Summer. It was so beautiful seeing the green vines and speaking to the winemakers about such an important time of the year.
One thing to look out for on a visit to the Granite Belt is the Strange Bird varieties. The region is known for producing varieties that you may have never tried before, especially Mediterranean varieties. At most of the wineries in the area, you can seek these out and try something completely different. Each Strange Bird wine must be produced using grapes from the region itself, so you also know you’re trying Granite Belt wines.
Balancing Heart Vineyard
Balancing Heart is a great spot that’s going from strength to strength. We visited in 2020 just after the new owner Greg had purchased the property. What he’s managed to do since is mind-boggling, and his vision for the future means every time you visit there’s something new to discover.
Apart from the food, the cellar door itself is worth a visit for the amazing wines. Mike Hayes, previously awarded Australian winemaker of the year is at the helm of the wines here and his passion shines through in every single wine. He took us through some of the tastings this time around and his passion is infectious. But the wines speak for themselves in their quality.
From the sparkling to the mouthwatering Viognier and the award-winning 2019 shiraz, there is something for everyone to enjoy. And there will be even more to discover on our next visit I’m sure!
Golden Grove Estate
Golden Grove Estate is one of my new favourites in the Granite Belt and so we had to squeeze in a visit while we were there this time around. This family-owned winery produces a range of incredible wines, especially those from the Strange Bird group that the Granite Belt is known for. They are constantly experimenting with these alternative grape varieties and the result is simply delicious.
The wines from Golden Grove Estate are simply delicious, and it was so hard to pick just a couple to bring home. I absolutely loved their Nero d’Avola and Barbera this time around, but their Rosé Brose is one that I keep coming back to every time I visit. Whatever you like you’ll find something here, but you’re even more likely to be blown away by something you’ve never tried before. Their labels are also absolutely stunning.
Raymond’s passion for his wines really shines through in the wines produced, but also in the care he takes at the cellar door. He remembered me from our last visit and even took us around to the winery to check out the wines as they fermented. We even got a taste of the Chardonnay straight from the vat!
Jester Hill Wines
Jester Hill Wines was a spot I hadn’t visited before and now I have no idea why! This cellar door is absolutely stunning with a beautiful outdoor area overlooking the vines. Michael and Ann visited the Granite Belt on their motorcycles in March 2010, and 9 months later were the proud owners of Jester Hill Wines. Still a family-owned and operated winery, they produce a great range of wines including many Strange Bird varieties.
The tastings are very generous at Jester Hill Wines, and Ann took us through all of them in a fantastic tasting. Many of their wines have great stories behind the names – they’re inspired by famous court jesters. I loved hearing about the names behind the wines while we tried them. They also had a really interesting Sparkling Rousanne which was something I’d never tried before.
I think this will be one of my new regular spots!
Tobin Wines
I’ve visited Tobin Wines a few times now and it’s always been packed. They run a well-oiled tasting on the weekends on the hour where they take a larger group through the same tasting. I have to admit I was a little hesitant to visit again as I thought I’d seen all I needed to see. But they had availability on Friday and so we decided to pop in. We were the only ones in the cellar door and it ended up being one of my favourite tastings!
Tobin Wines is all about producing wines based on the grapes they get, which really represent the terroir. As a result, they don’t do much blending or tweaking in the winery, preferring to let the fruit shine through. Their wines were so different this time as they had a few more available to try, and I absolutely loved them. In particular, we got to three Semillon’s from different years side by side, and then compare it to the 2022 vintage straight out of the winery!
What I loved so much about this tasting was the care that went into it. He was so knowledgeable and passionate about the wines, and really took the time to take us through each wine with so much care. He even took us out to the winery to talk us through some of the processes which was such a memorable experience.
Ridgemill Estate
Ridgemill Estate – so nice we went there twice! No seriously, we visited on the first day we were in the Granite Belt, and then the winery tour we were on took us back! Lucky the wines were so good that I didn’t mind one bit getting to try them again.
Ridgemill Estate is a beautiful cellar door and they have a great range of wines to try, from Sparkling to Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio to beautiful red blends. Peter McGlashan, the winemaker, is an expert at blending wines, and this shines through particularly in his reds. They were so beautifully balanced and each offered something completely different. I loved Joshua’s Pup especially!
Symphony Hill
When I first visited Symphony Hill many years ago I have to admit I didn’t love it. It felt a bit stuffy, their wines were very expensive, and I didn’t love the atmosphere. So I hadn’t been back, but we visited on our winery tour and I was blown away. They had so many wines to try it was hard to know where to begin. And each one was absolutely delicious. They also had a range of wines at different price points, so had something to suit every budget.
Wine wise I really enjoyed the tasting and it was hard to pick just a couple. But I loved the Reserve Graciano if you have the budget, the Tempranillo for something in the middle (this was the wine I took home), and the Wild Child Viognier. The Prosecco was also nice and crisp.
To try a great range of wines that are really tasty, it’s worth giving Symphony Hill a go!
Other activities: Stanthorpe Apple and Grape Festival
We were in Stanthorpe at the start of March, which was right in the middle of the Apple and Grape festival that’s run once a year. If you’re looking at planning a trip, I highly recommend going over this time period. The town is bustling with activity, and there’s plenty to do. You can head into town to see the shop decorations or catch some live music and cooking demonstrations, or head out on a tour of nearby farms. Over the last weekend, they also have a three-day festival where you can sample the region’s wines and food all in one place!
Just make sure you book early because accommodation books out fast! We weren’t able to stay for the weekend because of this, but I was so jealous of those who did!
In summary: Guide to the Granite Belt
I hope this guide to the Granite Belt help inspire your next trip. I am always blown away by how every time I go to the Granite Belt there is something new to discover. Whether it is a new wine, a different winery or a different lunch spot. There is so much to discover in this small and mighty wine region.