Over 150 punters flocked to Ballandean Estate’s inaugural Autumn Race Day on Sunday 2 May 2020. Aimee McKean and Madeleine Green from Brisbane won the Vineyard Cup with syndicate Madeleine’s Fury. They will be hosting an exclusive Ballandean Estate pop-up tasting at home with ten lucky friends.

Leeanne and Robyn to visit Brisbane for pop-up tasting party

Having the Puglisi sisters in my home pouring some of Queensland’s finest wines to match the menu we put together is going to take festive to the next level. We feel like family every time we visit, can’t wait to return their warmth and hospitality!

We’ve been coming to Opera in the Vineyard as a group for years and are thrilled to be back at Ballandean Estate for Rotary’s charity fundraiser.

We simply could not resist a long weekend on the Granite Belt combined with the chance to dress up, indulge in a long lunch from The Barrelroom and enjoy the party atmosphere, all in the beating heart of Ballandean. Our group stayed at Accommodation Creek Cottages just down the road from the vineyard. We will be back again same time next year for Autumn Race Day 2022.”

Madeleine Green

Charity fundraiser takes on new format

Event ambassador and fourth-generation vigneron Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi says,

It’s been a rollercoaster to get here, this event has been 18 months in the making due to COVID. Our punters have come from as far as Noosa and Brisbane, complemented by a massive show of support from our local punters and businesses such as Stanthorpe Jewellers, Lirah Vinegar, Sancerre Estate, Just Red Wines, Suttons Juice Factory, the Stanthorpe Races and the Queensland College of Wine Tourism.

We’ve had fashions on the field, raffles, alternative races, lucky door prizes, live music from Cole Train and a great day out in the vines. This year, funds raised will be distributed to Stanthorpe charities.

Autumn Race Day major prize winners will be coming back for a return trip to the Granite Belt to experience the Stanthorpe Races in October 2021, accommodation for two at Just Red cabins including breakfast, tickets to the Stanthorpe races, transfers to and from the event, 1 dozen bottles of Ballandean Estate wines, and lunch at the Queensland College of Wine Tourism.

Rotary Club Stanthorpe’s charity fundraiser Opera in the Vineyard raised over $1 million for charity in partnership with Ballandean Estate. After 27 brilliant events, we have shaken up the format to create a new experience for the Granite Belt.” 

Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi

Angelo and Mary Puglisi, pioneers of the wine industry in Queensland, are releasing  Ballandean Estate’s 50th Anniversary Opera Block Shiraz today, a milestone for the Granite Belt, the Puglisi family and Queensland wine.

Newlyweds Angelo and Mary Puglisi embarked on their lifelong wine adventure in 1968 as they founded Queensland’s oldest family-owned and -operated winery. Little did they know that their decision to plant their first block of Shiraz would cement the Puglisi winemaking future.

We’ve come a long way since the sixties, when everyone warned me that the vineyard would fail because only wogs drank wine in Queensland!

2018 was an exceptionally low-yielding year—we have only 150 dozen of the Opera Block Shiraz for this vintage. The long ripening season and cold nights delivered a delicate cool climate Shiraz, intense purple with concentrated berry fruits.

Right now, we are bringing in our Shiraz harvest for 2021 and it is shaping up to be a cracker vintage, one of  the best we’ve ever had, thanks to a warm and an almost too-dry growing season.  

I saw the versatility of Shiraz in the established wine regions of the Barossa and Hunter Valley, and couldn’t resist the challenge of establishing this varietal in our cool climate high altitude granitic terroir. Interstate vignerons thought it was a joke, that Queensland was a tropical climate only capable of producing bananas, bikinis and coconuts!

Mary and I planted those Shiraz vines in 1968, and just a few years later, our 1974 Shiraz Cabernet took out the gold medal at the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland Show (RNA, also known as the Ekka). We knew our dreams were coming to fruition, it had been almost 50 years since a Queensland red table wine had achieved gold, not since Romavilla back in the 1930s.”

Angelo Puglisi

A perpetual acknowledgment to the Puglisi’s influence and respect in the industry, The Angelo Puglisi Grand Champion Wine of Show award, was established in 2019.

Angelo’s decision to convert from table grapes to wine grapes was bold and he and Mary worked hard to produce wines of quality and create a market for their Granite Belt grown wines. Those first vines have been lovingly nurtured over the years and now produce the award-winning Opera Block Shiraz—refined, elegant with intense fruit typical of a cool climate profile.

Our cool climate Shiraz is a family jewel. Most Shiraz vines in Australia are under 15 years old—and the older the vines, the lower the yield and more luscious the fruit.”

Angelo Puglisi

In a nation where most producers pulled up their vines in the late eighties at government behest, this is a remarkable achievement, and testament to the vision of Angelo and Mary Puglisi, pioneers of the wine industry in Queensland.

Ballandean Estate’s single vineyard 50th Anniversary Opera Block Shiraz will be released for public sale at the cellar door and online here www.ballandeanestate.com for $65 RRP Monday 1 March 2021.  

This week Ballandean Estate hosted the Granite Belt’s biggest picnic of 2020, as The Merry Muster, a convoy of seven buses from Brisbane and the Gold Coast, descended on Queensland’s oldest family owned and operated winery.  Fourth-generation vigneron Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi says,

We’ve seen an enormous influx of wine tourists at the cellar door and restaurant over the last few months, and this had slipped off my radar.

Naturally Matt and Bobbi had been planning for the menu for weeks and ensuring compliance for the outdoor event under our COVID Safe Plan.

These busloads of beautiful ladies shared their love and supported the Southern Downs through an heart-rending injection of emotional support and much-need funds into our regional economy.

We wanted to give them the best possible locavore picnic experience. The Barrelroom took days preparing the antipasto entrees – we are talking:

• 3850 pieces of sesame lavosh
• 70 kg of hand roasted capsicums
• 40 kg of grilled zucchini
• 40 kg of roasted local mushrooms
• 18 kg of roasted local cherry tomatoes
• 31 kg of local cheese
• 12 kg of slow-roasted beef for the artisan rolls served with hand-made chutney and onion jam
• and 300 pieces of handmade nougat.

All enjoyed outdoors on the Opera Block with music and a lively market atmosphere. “

Today Stanthorpe is hosting its Boutique Christmas shopping day with Bustling markets, Christmas carols and store openings, says Ms Puglisi-Gangemi. For those that couldn’t make the Merry Muster, you can still support regional bush businesses in Brisbane and finish off your Christmas shopping at Buy from the Bush’s Newfarm popup shop. It is open 7 days a week until the 23rd of December.

Menu at www.barrelroomrestaurant.com 
Call 07 4684 1326 or text 0448 822 203 to book a table.

Thanks to The Merry Muster and photography from Emma Russell for these gorgeous images from the day

Ballandean Estate brings the love to Brisbane in response to visitation doubling

Alternative wine ambassador Ballandean Estate will be bringing the love to Brisbane at Saturday’s Drink Queensland Cellar Door Festival. Since COVID-19 lockdown, Queensland’s oldest family-owned and family-operated winery has experienced an extraordinary uptake in visitation as Queenslanders were freed to travel in their home state.

Fourth-generation vigneron Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi says,

“Our cellar door has seen visitation double in 2020. We’ve had over 30,000 people visit the cellar door over the last five months, compared to 15,000 people for the same period last year. 

“What we’ve been thrilled to discover is that a huge proportion of our Queenslander visitors were here on the Granite Belt for the first time. And we’d like to see them again!

“COVID-19 slowed down our ability to visit our wine amicis. The Drink Queensland Cellar Door Festival is giving us the perfect opportunity to share some of our rare alternative wines with our new amicis and to bring the love back to Brisbane.

“We’ll be sharing and selling some of our best wines, including our truly rare and alternative Saperavi/Durif blend.  It’s a deep ruby wine with a full body, savoury blue fruit, intense bouquet, dry palate and, smooth finish with lingering French oak. This Strange Bird™ is even more unique as it is a vintage variance — hence the name Sinatlis, a lighter-style Saperavi.

“Festival-goers can also sample our single-vineyard 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, our 2018 Shiraz Viognier sourced from 50-year-old Shiraz vines, the ever popular 2020 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc and our much-loved 2017 Opera Block Chardonnay, which spends 14 months in French oak barriques.

“Drink Queensland Cellar Door Festival is offering up two great sessions of wine tastings, DJs, food trucks and a rollicking good time awaits. It’s your chance to come taste, buy and show your support of Queensland wineries,” says Ms Puglisi-Gangemi.

Ms Puglisi-Gangemi was instrumental in successfully lobbying the Office of Liquor and Gaming for easing of COVID-19 restrictions. She is Queensland’s first female voice and vote on the Winemaker’s Federation board and is an active member of the Queensland Wine Industry Association.

Ballandean Estate will be joining over 20 Queensland wineries at the RNA Showground’ John Reid Pavilion on Saturday 14 November 2020. In early 2021 Ballandean Estate will be releasing its 50^th Shiraz vintage.

TICKETS https://www.citywinery.com.au/…/drink-queensland-cellar…

LEARN MORE https://fb.me/e/3kTLwNjCn

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.

Opera in the Vineyard 2019 dazzled at Ballandean Estate on Sunday 5 May. Over 550 people attended the charity gala, co-hosted by Rotary Stanthorpe, with all funds raised going to charity.

Sunday was our first frost of the season, and from a chilly start of 1 degrees in the morning, the day blossomed into a crisp, cool day, bathed in sunshine and cerulean skies.

2019 is our 27^th Opera event, and we are thrilled to work in partnership with Rotary Stanthorpe. Over $1 million for charity has been raised since the event’s inception. This year’s fundraising will be distributed by Rotary to charities End Trachoma 2020, Hummingbird House and several more.

This year’s theme was Diamonds Are Forever. Guests bedazzled in black tie, kilts, we even had a Lady Penelope! A huge thanks to our major sponsor Stanthorpe Jewellers, who donated a spectacular champagne diamond ring worth over $2500.

Leeanne-Puglisi-Gangemi’ daughter of Ballandean Estate owner and event founder Angelo Puglisi

Opera attendees were delighted by husband and wife operatic stars Rosario La Spina and Milijana Nikolic, who lit up the stage with a passionate performance. It was a rare opportunity for Serbian-born mezzo-soprano Milijana Nikolic to perform with her real-life husband, powerful international tenor Rosario La Spina, as tenor and mezzo is an uncommon pairing. The sizzling duo fell in love at the Academy for Soloists at Teatro alla Scala in Milan.  

Glenda Riley took some glorious photos on the day, see our gallery below.

Don José’s Flower Song  was an audience favourite, an aria sung as Don Jose’s relationship with Carmen reaches its first crisis, high drama indeed!

Rosario’s tenor brought goose bumps to the skin as it reverberated through the valley, Nessun Dorma—the thrill! He soars with breathtaking clarity.  Incredible acoustics!

To witness Milijana bring Carmen to life onstage was extraordinary, her voice just oozes elegance and passion. Brazenly seductive, unrepentantly exotic, recklessly strong-willed: the character of Carmen has enthralled the world’s imagination for more than a century and a half.

Our stage certainly got heated when Carmen (performed by Nikolic) discovers Jose (La Spina) Is heading straight back to the barracks instead of frolicking in the boudoir at the tavern to celebrate his release from prison. Carmen throws an almighty tantrum, to which José responds with the most heart-rending aria about how a withered flower she flung at him helped him through his miserable month of incarceration.

Carmen was mollified, then used her femme fatale powers to persuade him to run away completely and become a smuggler!

Musical director Mark Taylor, Opera Queensland’s Head of Learning, Regional and Community and compere on the day.

The program of songs ranged from iconic tenor arias  to sparkling melodies from the world of operetta—complemented by musical insights, personal stories, and a few surprises.

Opera in the Vineyard was born of a friendship between Angelo and his neighbour, the late David Pugh. Listening to opera and watching the sun set over the vineyards with a glass of Angelo’s shiraz was a cherished tradition, From humble beginnings, this event is now the jewel of the Granite Belt’s social calendar and one of South East Queensland’s premier cultural experiences.  The 2019 performance was created and directed by Opera Queensland.

Husband and wife operatic stars Rosario La Spina and Milijana Nikolic will be lighting up the stage with a dazzling performance at Opera in the Vineyard 2019, a gala charity event held in the spectacular vineyards of Ballandean Estate on the Granite Belt this Sunday 5 May.

Mezzo-soprano meets tenor

This is a rare opportunity for Serbian-born mezzo-soprano Milijana Nikolic to perform with her real-life husband, powerful international tenor Rosario La Spina, as tenor and mezzo is an uncommon pairing.

The sizzling duo fell in love at the Academy for Soloists at Teatro alla Scala in Milan.  Rosario was asked to interpret for the Belgrade beauty, who had won a scholarship at the academy—two weddings, Carmen and certain-to-be-gifted progeny later, this talented couple treasures every moment together.

There will be some true classics performed that everyone will know, so it’s a joyful way to experience opera with celebration of Granite Belt food and wine.

Event founder and Ballandean Estate patriarch Angelo Puglisi

La Scala lovers

Milijana is a femme fatale blessed with a voice that oozes elegance and passion. Her most recent performances include the title role in Carmen for Opera Australia; Amneris for Seattle Opera and Opera Australia; and Jane Seymour (Anna Bolena) for The Metropolitan Opera New York.

Australian-born international tenor Rosario La Spina was trained at the young singers’ academy at La Scala, Milan. In 2002, Rosario won first prize in the Mario Del Monaco International Opera Competition and made his principal role debut at La Scala as Riccardo (Oberto) reprising the role in Genoa. Since then, he has taken leading roles in the Italian and French repertoire around the world. His tenor is exquisitely pure and soars over an orchestra with breathtaking clarity. 

Diamonds are forever

The glittering duo will be joined on stage by pianist providing a luscious accompaniment on grand piano.  The program of songs ranges from iconic tenor arias  to sparkling melodies from the world of operetta—complemented by musical insights, personal stories, and a few surprises.

Rotary Stanthorpe raises over $1 million for charity

Event founder and Ballandean Estate patriarch Angelo Puglisi  is looking forward to the 27th iteration of the gala event which has raised over $1 million for charity in partnership with Rotary Stanthorpe. Funds raised will be distributed to Rotary charities Ending Trachoma, Hummingbird House in Brisbane and several more.

Opera in the Vineyard was born of a friendship between Angelo and his neighbour, the late David Pugh. Listening to opera and watching the sun set over the vineyards with a glass of Angelo’s shiraz was a cherished tradition, From humble beginnings, this event is now the jewel of the Granite Belt’s social calendar and one of South East Queensland’s premier cultural experiences.  The 2019 performance will be created and directed by at Opera Queensland. For more information visit https://ballandeanestate.com/events/opera-in-the-vineyard/

Our Shiraz Vineyard Party was a soiree to remember. Fifty years since the first wine grapes were legally planted on the Granite Belt—at Queensland’s oldest operating winery—now THAT’S worth celebrating!

Over 230 guests gathered to revel in the vineyard overlooking the Opera Block Shiraz vines, planted 50 years ago in 1968. The current vintage of 2016 Opera Block Shiraz was flowing, and guests enjoyed a smoker BBQ lunch, live music, croquet, bocce and a 50th birthday cake.

Angelo Puglisi took guests on a tour of the Opera Block vineyard to give them the chance to experience the 50-year-old vineyard. The thick trunks of the Shiraz vines have been lovingly tended to by Angelo’s hands for 50 years. As we witnessed the new flowers bursting on the vines for the 51st vintage to be created in 2019, Angelo was bursting with pride.

Across the weekend attendees were given the opportunity to pre-purchase the 2018 50th Anniversary Edition Opera Block Shiraz, created in a spectacular yet low yielding year. This wine will be released and delivered in November 2019.

2018 marks the 50th anniversary of Shiraz plantings on the Opera Block vineyard at Ballandean Estate, Queensland’s oldest family-owned and -operated winery. This makes our wine unique, as most Shiraz vines in Australia are under 15 years old—and the older the vines, the lower the yield and more luscious the fruit. In a nation where most producers pulled up their vines in the late eighties at government behest, this is a remarkable achievement, and testament to the vision of Angelo and Mary Puglisi, pioneers of the wine industry in Queensland.