Granite Belt Wines board the Winelander

Seven of Queensland's top wine producers will have their wines showcased next weekend on the exclusive Queensland Winelander.  When the train departs Brisbane's Roma Street on Saturday 24 July, the 120 passengers will be sipping Sirromet's sparkling Love rose to celebrate the start of their wine on the rails weekend.

On the journey "up the hill" to Stanthorpe, tastings of the white wines will include Felsberg's 2010 Gewurtraminer, Ravens Croft's 2009 Verdelho and Whiskey Gully Wine's Zing Colombard. The party stops overnight in the Queensland wine capital and on the return trip to Brisbane they'll be seeing red. The line up of wines for Sunday includes Lucas Estate's 2007 Merlot, Harrington Glen's Simply Red and a highlight will be the launch of Ballandean Estate's 2006 Shiraz Viognier.  The Ballandean wine receives its first public outing shortly after the train departs Stanthorpe station on Sunday 25 July for the return trip to Brisbane.

While tickets for the main trip sell out months in advance, some availability remains for the featured side trip from Stanthorpe to Wallangarra.  The return trip to the state border on the Saturday afternoon provides travellers with the chance to see first  hand the historic station where the differing rail gauges meet.  Tickets for this section are just $30 adults return, available from Stanthorpe Visitor Information Centre phone 07 4681 2057.