Where to eat in the Granite Belt

IT’S home to some of Australia’s top wineries, but this beautiful region, right on Brisbane’s doorstep, is also producing impressive food and beer offerings.

Emma Walters, 23, at Stanthorpe Cheese. Picture: Tara Croser.

IT’S home to some of Australia’s top wineries, but the Granite Belt is also producing an impressive food and beer offering.

Take a look at what’s on the menu southwest of Brisbane

GOLDEN GROVE ESTATE

Ray Costanzo at Golden Grove Estate. Picture: Adam Head

This family-run winery in the Ballandean Valley needs more space in its trophy cabinet after its string of awards in the past few years. Run by Mario and Nita Costanzo and winemaker son Raymond, the vineyard was awarded 5 red star winery status by wine guru James Halliday for the past three years and won Queensland Winery of the Year and Champion Small Winery of Show at the ASWS. Their alternate drops such as durif, nero d’avola and barbera are critic favourites, as are their 2014 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, 2009 Semillon and 2012 Vintage Grand Reserve Granite Belt Shiraz – all claiming 95 points or higher.

HERITAGE ESTATE WINES

Named as one of James Halliday’s Ten Dark Horse wineries of 2016, this family vineyard in Cottonvale is one to watch. Operating out of a converted old brick cold stores, owners Bryce and Paddy Kassulke have worked hard to perfect their crop and drop. Now they’re seeing the fruits of their labour, with their 2009 Heritage Estate Reserve Chardonnay, 2014 Single Vineyard Granite Belt Shiraz 2014 and 2014 Granite Belt Fiano 2014 all considered some of the finest wines in Australia.

 

BOIREANN WINERY

Not afraid to break out of the wine box? Then look no further than this 2ha vineyard in the northern Granite Belt. Owners Peter and Therese Stark specialise in Strange Bird styles and have won critical acclaim for their alternate drops. Their 2013 Tannat, 2013 Mourvedre, 2013 The Lurnea, 2013 Shiraz Viognier and 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon have all scored a gold status-worthy 95 points by James Halliday. The winery has also been named one of the top 100 in Australia.

THE BARRELROOM CAFE & LARDER

The butterscotch mousse with burnt apple puree, buttered oats and lemon myrtle sorbet at the Barrelroom Cafe. Picture: Tara Croser.

Chefs and partners Travis Crane and Arabella Chambers couldn’t be more passionate about putting the Granite Belt on a plate. Since taking over the Ballandean restaurant six months ago, they’ve dedicated themselves to reducing food mileage, making as much of the food as they can onsite and sourcing from the local region. Crane then uses his French training to create stunning fare that’s been winning over locals and tourists.

GRANITE BELT BREWERY

Beer maker Geoff Davenport from Granite Belt Brewery in Stanthorpe. Picture: Tara Croser.

When a tree change brought Geoff and Dee Davenport to the Granite Belt in 2009, business analyst Geoff thought a new career was in order. He did a brewing course at Edith Cowan University in WA, then set up Granite Belt Brewery in Stanthorpe. He brews seven beers – each handcrafted 1000 litres at a time – including the Storm King kosch, Granite pils and India pale ale. Using barley sourced predominantly from Queensland – and no sugar preservatives or pasteurisation – his beers are all super fresh and dynamic in flavour.

BRASS MONKEY BREW HOUSE

After claiming several awards as an amateur home brewer, Ernie Butler decided to turn his backyard hobby into a business, setting up a nano-brewery in a shed at his Severnlea home. The brew house is now a popular haunt for locals and tourists to grab a cold one, including his English Brown, German pilsner, Swagman’s lager and Severn River pale ale, which he serves on tap or by the bottle.

JAMWORKS GOURMET FOODS

Run by Stephanie Ingall and business partner Christine Hood, Jamworks features around 100  jams, preserves, pastes and sauces, from cumquat marmalade to beetroot relish. Their onsite cafe also serves the likes of ice cream, Devonshire teas and an array of meals. 

A cheese platter for two from Stanthorpe Cheese. Picture: Tara Croser.

STANTHORPE CHEESE

When Karen Deeth had an overmilking jersey-cross-friesian cow yielding her an extra 30 litres of milk a day, she decided she’d teach herself how to make cheese using a few books borrowed from the local library. Deeth now runs the popular Stanthorpe Cheese, creating artisan fromage from a single herd of pure-bred jersey cows from one farm. The dairy delights are served in the tasting room in Thulimbah, and also at the onsite Jersey Girls Cafe, where local produce, chutneys and relishes are all on the menu.

HEAVENLY CHOCOLATE

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nspired by the sweets served in the ski resorts of her Argentinian homeland, Alba Conti began experimenting with chocolate and now creates an impressive array of 36 flavours based on the finest Belgian couverture and beautiful Granite Belt ingredients, such as cabernet truffles and lemon myrtles. She also serves an incredible 17 different types of hot chocolate from the region’s only complete chocolate shop in Ballandean.

THE BRAMBLE PATCH

With its award-winning jams and preserves, this Glen Aplin business has become a must-see for visitors to the area. The public love nothing more than tasting the array of chutneys, marmalades and relishes using local produce such as eggplants, tomatoes, capsicums, figs, plums, quinces and grapes, or sitting down for a hot waffle or handmade fruit pie. But it’s perhaps their “ice burger” – a chocolate sponge filled with ice cream, berry sorbet and berry coulis – that’s drawing the most attention of late.

MALLOW LAMB

Andrew Ferrier from Mallow Lamb. Picture: Supplied

When farmer Andrew Ferrier faced a disastrous drop in wool prices, he turned the dire situation into a business opportunity. Based just outside of Stanthorpe, he now specialises in sustainable, organic lamb production – responsible for everything from the breeding through to packaging and labelling of the meat. Selling to customers, butchers and restaurants in Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and locally, Ferrier’s attention to detail has even seen him snare a delicious. produce award for his superior lamb.