Stanthorpe winery's cellar door tops nation

People love the 'behind the scenes' experience at Granite Belt wineries, award-winning cellar door operator says.

Casley Mount Hutton Winery. Picture: Contributed

A STANTHORPE winery's cellar door has been given a top honour by national travel magazine Gourmet Traveller Australia.

Casley Mount Hutton Winery was named the best in the Cellar Door Additional Experiences category for 2019.

Owner Sonya Casley said she was "delighted” to receive the recognition for its vertical tastings, barrel tastings and winery tours.

"We take our customers through every part of the process, from vineyard to winery to bottle,” she said.

Mrs Casley said her team strived to give their customers a good time and show them what went on before they opened a bottle of wine - and they would be thrilled at the recognition.

She agreed that local cellar doors were markedly different from those in the country's other wine regions.

"One thing people say is in other regions they have never been given a winery tour or had an experience like that,” Mrs Casley said.

"I think it's because the owners are usually at the cellar door. As with most businesses in Stanthorpe, the owners are the ones running the business and it makes it very personal.”

Casley Mount Hutton Winery and cellar door were built together, with the winery visible through the cellar door.

"They can see all the barrels, we show them the rooms where we store our barrels, talk about the wines and talk them through the whole process and they really enjoy it,” she said.

"They just continually tell us how much they enjoy knowing what goes on.

"I think that's the secret - engaging your customers in your business.”

Next year the Stanthorpe establishment will celebrate its cellar door's 20th birthday, 24 years since the Casleys planted their vines.

"We love seeing our customers again and again over the years and some have even moved here,” Mrs Casley said.

"We also enjoy the growth and recognition of Granite Belt wines over the past 20 years.”