The Big Crush

"Vintage 2013 is go!

It’s an anxious time for anyone whose hard work and livelihood is at the mercy of nature."

Read more at the Brisbane Times. 

Winemakers look to top vintages if good weather holds

"Granite Belt winemakers have enjoyed a top season the past few months in the lead up to harvesting."

Read more at the Toowoomba Chronicle.

Glamping: where camping meets glamour

From the Feb/Mar issue of Fitness First Magazine

"Glamping is the result of blending glamour with camping and has become popular in Australia over the last few years with properties popping up all over the country. Unlike traditional camping, where you bring and set up your own tent and gear, glamping means all the dirty work is done, and ‘tent’ takes on a whole new meaning."

.....


"ALURE BOUTIQUE VILLAS
Located just outside of Stanthorpe, Alure Boutique Villas have one luxury self-contained five-star tent with all the trimmings. With a fully equipped kitchen, 50-inch plasma TV, and on the back deck a BBQ as big as my kitchen and a huge heated spa for stargazing, this property is pretty much as far from traditional camping as you can get! 

The cosy four-poster bed, reverse cycle air conditioning and an ethanol run eco-fireplace won’t have you
battling the elements. The owners have designed and positioned the property to be environmentally friendly, using rainwater and recycling wastewater on the gardens.

The room tariff comes with a breakfast hamper and the homemade bread is baked to order. It’s a great stepping off point for wine tasting in the Granite Belt with over 40 cellar doors close by."

Book your accommodation at Alure Boutique Villas.

Ridgemill Estate The Czar Saperavi 2012

"Today’s wine was a gift from a fellow wine writer, Stuart over at The Vinsomniac  It’s very much a curiosity, and while there are some things that can be determined from the bottle and the producer’s website, writing up this wine has left me with more questions than answers. If answers are found subsequently, I’ll certainly update this post.  And with that puzzling introduction, I give you Ridgemill Estate The Czar Saperavi 2012.

This wine is produced and bottled in Severnlea, which puts it in the Granite Belt wine region in Queensland, Australia.  For those not familiar with this country, Queensland is the state in the north east corner and is home to Brisbane, Cairns, Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast, and the Great Barrier Reef.  It’s the tourists’ image of Australia, with kangaroos hopping along the beach, and it’s not an image that lines up well with growing grapes for wine."

[read more at drunk.com]

Escape the city: 24 hours in Stanthorpe

When the Queensland summer heat becomes too much, my favourite formula for escaping the humidity is to head to the hills on a weekend road trip to discover somewhere new – to relax, soak up the atmosphere, sample some culinary delights and explore.

Tucked up in Granite Belt wine country is Stanthorpe, a town affectionately known as the ‘coldest town in Queensland’ during winter. However, during the warm summer months the area is blossoming with life; fruit and vegetables fill the fields, the vineyards hang full of grapes and the town has a lively buzz.

[read more on blog.queensland.com]

Diamondvale B&B rated as one of Australia’s best

WHEN it comes to feedback, the customer's opinion means everything to Tony and Kerrin Cridland.

The couple who own Stanthorpe's Diamondvale B&B bed and breakfast exposed themselves to the harsh scrutiny of public opinion when they registered the business with TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel advisory website which allows customers to write reviews about their experience.

The gamble paid off though and the bed and breakfast was announced recently in the top 10 bed and breakfasts Australia wide in the TripAdvisor Travellers Choice awards.

Book your Stanthorpe accommodation at Diamondvale Lodge.

[read more at the Border Post]