Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi of Ballandean Estate on the Granite Belt has been honoured with the prestigious Samuel Bassett Award at this week’s 36th Queensland Wine Awards. One of Australia’s most influential woman in wine, Leeanne is the third Puglisi family member to receive this award, which recognises a major contribution by an individual to the Queensland wine industry.
I am truly humbled by this. To stand in the company of industry greats such as Terry Morris from Sirromet and my wine pioneer parents is awe-inspiring. Educating national and international consumers about the quality of Queensland wines is what drives me. That and expanding on my family’s legacy to the Granite Belt.
Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi
Leeanne’s father Angelo Puglisi, Ballandean Estate’s founder and industry pioneer was presented with the inaugural Bassett award in 2003. Estate Matriarch Mary Puglisi was the first female to be recognised for her contribution to the Queensland wine industry with this award in 2015. Estate manager and sister Robyn Puglisi-Henderson collected the award on Leeanne’s behalf in Brisbane on Tuesday 4 September.
We just live and breathe fine wine! It’s great to see Leeanne recognised for her advocacy. She’s worked tirelessly as an industry ambassador for decades.
I picked up the award on her behalf, as Leeanne was at a board meeting of Australian Grape and Wine in Adelaide. This is yet another place where she is the voice of Queensland wine, making sure we are not forgotten.
Leeanne loves a chat at the cellar door, as she does the opportunity to talk strategic Australian wine industry direction with politicians and industry heavyweights.
Robyn Puglisi-Henderson
Ballandean Estate has a rich history of empowered women in wine. Business and Export Manager Robyn Puglisi-Henderson developed the export trade from zero to 20% of business turnover in just five years, and has opened up export trade to China, where there is significant demand for Ballandean’s premium reds.
Leeanne and Robyn’s grandmother Josephine was a true Australian pioneer and business woman. Arriving in Australia from Sicily at just 12 years of age, she went on to build the foundation of Ballandean Estate with her father and husband over four decades. She stared down the Australian army demanding to put her husband and father in internment camps and surrender of farm machinery during World War 2, and instead, she negotiated a deal to supply their crops to feed the Army as an alternative.
At just 19 years of age, estate matriarch and wine pioneer Mary Puglisi visualised opening a cellar door and being the catalyst for Queensland’s Barossa and Hunter Valley on the Granite Belt with husband Angelo Puglisi. She spent 50 years building the Granite’s Belt’s thriving tourism industry.
Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi was recently voted onto the Winemaker’s Federation board, and is Queensland’s first female voice and vote.
The Bassett Award is named after wine industry pioneer Samuel Bassett who established Bassett’s Winery at Roma in 1863 and went on to win many medals for his wines, including 10 of the 11 awarded at the 1901 Royal Brisbane Show.
ENDS
For all media enquiries please contact:
Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi or Robyn Puglisi-Henderson
Ph: (07) 4684 1226
Angelo Puglisi, the Father of Queensland Wine, today returned to the Ekka to present the inaugural Angelo Puglisi Grand Champion Wine of Show. A Tasmanian Pinot Noir took out the accolade, and is the first red wine to win the wine of show in six years.
The Giant Steps Nocton Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018 is a top drop. Chief Judge Jim Chatto reckoned as soon as he tasted it, it was going to be a tough one to beat. Its clarity of fruit, exquisite perfume and profound structure made it an absolute standout.”
Angelo Puglisi
Angelo and his wife of fifty years Mary were presented their first winemaking gold medal 45 years ago at Royal Queensland Wine Show (RQWS) Awards. Back then, Angelo was swaggering about wearing Elvis Presley sideburns, a purple safari suit and pointy shoes, a seventies style-meister!
The Angelo Puglisi Grand Champion Wine of Show award is a perpetual acknowledgment to Puglisi’s influence and respect in the industry.
This is such an honour for me, my family and the Queensland winemaking fraternity. We’ve come a long way since the sixties, when my neighbours warned me that the vineyard would fail because only wogs drank wine in Queensland!”
Angelo Puglisi
Angelo’s fighting spirit has seen him repeatedly triumph over adversity. According to Granite Belt winemaker Mike Hayes,
The Puglisi family, I believe, embody the Queensland fighting spirit like few others. They have done it really tough from the start. But they survived and prospered. Once they were hit with four or five frosts in a row that just about wiped out their entire crop. Then came the hail … But Angelo kept his chin up. He just keep working and working as hard as ever. He drove the same car for 600,000km and he wouldn’t put any of the workers off even though there was little work.
Angelo has been a real battler for his family. For that he has been rewarded with a rich life. He inspires me. I have got nothing but the highest respect for that family and what they have achieved.”
Granite Belt winemaker Mike Hayes
Ballandean Estate will soon release its 2018 Opera Block Shiraz, the 50th Anniversary edition of the shiraz planted 50 years ago. It is available now at the pre-release price of $50 per bottle.
