Bluedog Photography: It's vintage time in the Granite Belt

Bluedog Photography: It's vintage time in the Granite Belt: It's vintage time in the Granite Belt and Sam has a grin across his browned Italian face. 'The grapes are looking good this year,' he tel...

Have you discovered Glamping

This month, thanks to Tourism Queensland, journalists are descending on the Granite Belt to discover the luxurious joy of glamping - glamorous camping.

Queensland Weekender spent a summer in the Granite Belt - if you missed their show check out the details at
www.greatsoutheast.com.au. Not only did they experience Alure's 5 star tent, but they also ventured to the famous Girraween National Park, and the very yummy Bramble Patch.

Next to visit was The Travel Tart - one the world's funniest travel writers and bloggers. Join him on his visit to Alure through You Tube - and Travel Tart TV - in his words "a pretty cool gig....I'd expect something in there in a 5 star Manhattan apartment."

It's the last week of our great FAB FEB HOT DEAL campaign. Don't miss out!

During February, Granite Belt tourism operators are offering fabulous deals on accommodation, tours, attractions and more. So grab yourself a bargain by visiting www.granitebeltwinecountry.com.au

February is the perfect month to visit the Granite Belt – our trees and vines are laden with fruit, and our vineyards and food producers begin the tradition of vintage harvest.

Old Gold Verdelhos on taste at Robert Channon Wines

According to Master of Wine, Peter Scudamore Smith, “the 2002, 2003 and 2004 vintages of Robert Channon Verdelho are probably the greatest lineage of this varietal in the world.”

There are only a few bottles left of these old vintages of verdelho and Robert Channon Wines are putting on a tasting going back from the current vintage to their first vintage in 2001.

Owner, Robert Channon said, ”I have always advocated drinking Verdelho when it is young and zesty (like me, as I used to say), but almost invariably when we have tasted some of our older Verdelhos alongside the newer vintages a show of hands has favoured the older wines. So, I am wrong again.

"We are unlikely to have enough of the older wines to be able do this tasting again, so this will be a one off opportunity to taste this flight of trophy and gold medal winning wines and to see how they have aged.”

The 2001, 2002 and 2003 vintages won Robert Channon Wines the Trophy for Queensland’s Top White Wine for a record three years in a row. They are also the wines that wine guru James Halliday said were, “the best Verdelhos I have tasted.”

The Robert Channon Verdelho has become an iconic Queensland wine, having been served at official banquets in Parliament House in Canberra and State Parliament House in Brisbane as well as being selected as the Queensland Parliament’s 150th Anniversary White Wine and most recently being served at the Brisbane function attended by the Queen.

The tasting will be held in the Swigmore Hall at the Robert Channon winery in the Granite Belt on the weekend of 18-19 February.

There will be a charge of $10 for the tasting. There will also be a very limited number of old Verdelho half dozen packs for sale on the day.

For information click here. 

Tomorrow is the official opening of Summit Estate's Aroma Room.

What is an aroma room for? It’s an enjoyable and didactic experience to play and to exercise our sense of smell.

The room presents 15 fragrances contained in wine from which the aroma of wine can be uncovered.

This will enable you to exercise your senses, and store in your memory aromas that will allow you to enjoy and discover new wine experiences.

But this is no lecture. You'll have fun sampling each aroma!

The gorgeous room (pictured above) is also an experience on its own.

“The red tones and glowing perimeter lamps are the same as if you were looking at Tempranillo grapes in the press,” said Summit Estate winemaker Paola Cabezas Rhymer.

Get Trail Riding

Like a bit of Dirty Adventure?  On the 18-19 February is the Greenlands Trail Rides.

Greenlands Trail Rides are among the largest and most successful motorcycle dirtbike trail rides held in Australia each year.

These multi-award winning annual not-for-profit recreational motorcycle events have been run by the Greenlands State School P&C Association since 2005. Held on over 8000 acres of bushland just west of Stanthorpe on Queensland's famous Granite Belt, the event venue is only three hours from Brisbane.

The trails will take you through some of the finest riding in the region - granite formations, creeks, gorges and more.

Visit www.greenlandstrailride.com.au