Ballandean Estate brings in bumper vintage under threat of ex-Cyclone Alfred

Ballandean Estate’s production facility is thriving at full capacity after successfully harvesting 95% of Vintage 25, dodging the looming threat of Cyclone Alfred last week.

Fourth-generation vigneron Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi reflected on the whirlwind week, sharing,

“We are high and dry for Vintage 25! Over the weekend, we received just 15 mm of rain here at Ballandean, and we are counting our blessings, almost 200 tons of fruit. We harvested just 9 tons of fruit during drought back in 2020, which placed terrible stress on our vines. It took them three years to recover, perfect timing for our new winemaker Boxi Zhen, who now has three outstanding vintages to his credit.”

Weather enhancing gowing conditions for an early vintage

The rush to complete the harvest has led to an exceptional vintage in the making.

“The weather has really worked in our favour this year, our dams are full, we had vintage start early in January, no hail and minimal rain conditions bringing the sugars up early for beautifully balanced fruit with an acidic spine. Our next few years of wines are just looking better and better!

“Last week, we brought in Shiraz, Durif, and Merlot grapes, all of which were ready early thankfully. A big shout out to the harvesting team from Sirromet Wines—Phil, Doug, and Brad—who went above and beyond to help us bring in most of our harvest before Cyclone Alfred arrived. We have just a small parcel of our Shiraz and Cabernet out to finish ripening.

“There are some sensational wines under crush, and our production facility is at capacity—a bumper vintage indeed. We are now patiently waiting for ferments to finish so we can make way for our hero red varietals,” Leeanne added.

A warm welcome awaits at the cellar door

The recent cyclone may have kept some visitors at bay, but the Granite Belt vineyard remains as welcoming as ever. Leeanne warmly extended her invitation to wine enthusiasts, saying,

“It’s been a quiet weekend with a smattering of visitors from the Sunshine Coast and Hervey Bay. We just want to assure weather-affected wine lovers that you can expect a warm welcome at Ballandean Estate once you’re ready. The Granite Belt is waiting for you!”

“Wine lovers can look forward to experiencing the estate’s latest vintage releases and award-winning wines.

“We’d love to share our newest vintages and Wild Ferments with you. Our 2023 Wild Ferment Viognier has taken out nine medals thus far, plus a trophy at the Toowoomba Royal Wine Show,” said Ms Puglisi-Gangemi.

Located in Queensland’s beautiful Granite Belt, Ballandean Estate continues to uphold its legacy as Queensland’s oldest family-owned and operated winery. Visitors to Ballandean can enjoy premium cool-climate wines, explore the rustic cellar door, and take in the breathtaking backdrop of wine country just a short drive from Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, and the Gold Coast.