Granite Belt’s wine trail sweeps awards at major Qld event

A number of vineyards attached to the vast Granite Belt wine trail left the 40th Queensland Wine Awards grinning. See the winners here.

The team at Ballandean Estate Wines took home a barrel of awards at the 40th Queensland Wine Awards. Photo: Contributed

Vignerons and international critics united for an evening of celebrations on the Granite Belt which saw big wins for the region.

The 40th annual Queensland Wine Awards presentation dinner showcased the best in the business and among those was the state’s oldest family-owned winery.

Ballandean Estate Wines left the awards night with eight awards from multiple categories including Winery of the Year.

The vineyard has been producing wines and proving critics wrong since 1932, having previously won dozens of national, state and an international award.

Earlier this year the estate was crowned with their third Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice tourism award.

Newcomer to the estate and winemaker Boxi Zhen was awarded Winemaker of the Year, while father of Queensland wine Angelo Puglisi won Viticulturalist of the Year alongside Robyn Robertson.

Ballandean Estate Wines fourth generation vigneron Leanne Puglisi-Gangemi said in a statement the awards were on par with some of the estate’s biggest wins.

“This is one of Ballandean Estate’s biggest wins, on a par with taking out the first major national trophy for a Queensland winery as Most Successful Exhibitor in the early ‘90s at the Australian Small Winemakers Show, and our gold medal at the 2018 Saperavi World Prize,” Ms Puglisi-Gangemi said.

“Yet another ringing endorsement for our young gun Boxi Zhen in his second vintage as a Granite Belt winemaker.

“He is really making his mark as Emerging Queensland Winemaker of the Year.”

Ballandean Estate winemaker Boxi Zhen was awarded Winemaker of the Year at the 40th Queensland Wine Awards. Photo: Contributed

A number of other vineyards on Granite Belt’s wine trail were recognised at the awards.

“We congratulate our friends and neighbours from Sancerre Estate Brad and Stacey Allen, Ridgemill Estate, Sirromet, Riversands Wines and Tony Hassell from Just Red Wines, who received the Samuel Basset award for his significant contribution to the Queensland wine industry,” Ms Puglisi-Gangemi said in a statement.

“It’s great to see the work we do in the vineyard recognised. It’s the quality of our fruit that sets us apart, high altitude and cool climate delivering intense flavours and such high acid. “Big thanks for the tender loving cultivation of our vines by vineyard manager Robyn Robertson, and Dad, the Father of Queensland wine, Angelo Puglisi, and to our vineyard and winemaking teams.”

A limited edition release of the estate’s award-winning wines will be available exclusively in the coming weeks.