Ballandean Estate Wines achieves Five-Star Rating from Halliday Wine Companion

Ballandean Estate Wines, Queensland’s oldest family-owned and operated winery, has been awarded a Five-Star Rating by the Halliday Wine Companion. This recognition places the Granite Belt winery among Australia’s most outstanding wine producers, acknowledging its consistent production of wines of exemplary quality and character.

Fourth-generation vigneron Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi expressed her pride in the achievement.

Generations of winemaking excellence underpin Five-Star Rating

“We’re always grateful to have our commitment to excellence across five generations of winemaking recognised. Ballandean Estate exceeded Halliday’s stringent criteria with three of our wines achieving the coveted 95-point score: our 2023 Nebbiolo, 2023 Small Batch Reserve Chardonnay, and Angelo’s 1987 Rare Tawny.

“This Five-Star Rating requires wineries to demonstrate a pattern of producing wines of exceptional quality. We’d also like to congratulate Balancing Heart Wines and Symphony Hill Wines for achieving this status.

“Ballandean Estate continues to push boundaries whilst honouring traditional winemaking practices. We’d like to thank our teams in the vineyard, cellar door and production staff for raising the bar when it comes to innvovation and quality. A big shout out to winemaker Boxi Zhen and our vineyard manager Robyn Robertson. 

Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi

Ballandean Estate’s recognition reflects decades of dedication to crafting premium cool-climate wines from their high-altitude vineyards situated over 800 metres above sea level. The Granite Belts’s unique terroir, characterised by free-draining granitic soils and cool-climate conditions, provides ideal growing conditions for both traditional and alternative varietals.

A word from James Halliday

James Halliday praised the winery, describing it as “A rock of ages in the Granite Belt, owned by the ever-cheerful and charming Angelo and Mary Puglisi. Ballandean Estate’s cool-climate, high-altitude and granitic terroir deliver national and international award-winning wines.”

Five-Star Rating builds on awards trajectory

The Five-Star Rating comes following Ballandean Estate’s remarkable success at the 40th Queensland Wine Awards in 2024, where the winery claimed eight major trophies, including Winery of the Year, Winemaker of the Year and Viticulturalist of the Year. The five-star rating places Ballandean Estate among an elite group of Australian wineries recognised for their outstanding quality and consistency.

Established in 1932 by Salvatore Cardillo, Ballandean Estate has been pioneering Queensland winemaking for over nine decades. The estate’s unique terroir, characterised by granitic soils, cool climate conditions, and high altitude, creates ideal conditions for producing wines with intense flavours and natural acidity that have earned national and international recognition.