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,
“At Ballandean Estate, we are experiencing incredible support as Buy Local, Drink Local and Buy from the Bush is resonating with people in the wake of COVID-19. When Christine Bonner, founder of the Merry Muster, called last week to speak to Barrelroom chefs Matt and Bobbi Wells about last minute menu requests, and mentioned 370 people, I was flabbergasted. It was hard to keep my cool — or contain my excitement!
Those aboard The Merry Muster buses came along with their empty eskies, which they’ve filled with artisan-made Christmas presents, fresh local produce, cheeses and Granite Belt wines. This event has gained tremendous momentum, growing seven times in size this year.”
Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi
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
After opening its doors ten days ago to interstate visitors, Ballandean Estate Wines is reporting a minimal impact on visitation. Queenslanders continue to embrace a wine country getaway as visitors pour in from the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane primarily.
Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi, fourth-generation vigneron at Queensland’s oldest family-owned and -operated winery on the Granite Belt, says,
Like all businesses along the NSW-QLD border, we’ve been intrigued as to how the lifting of border restrictions will impact our business. Before Victoria’s COVID situation escalated, we were anticipating an influx of grey nomads.
Since the borders re-opened, we have hardly any visitors identify as from New South Wales. And yes, we’ve been asking! Everyone who comes through our cellar door is required to sign in under our COVID-safe venue plan.
Up until the last few weeks, most of our visitors have been return visitors that know and love the Granite Belt for all of its natural beauty, fine wine, abundant gourmet delights, quirky charms and country hospitality.
What we have been thrilled to discover is that a huge proportion of our Queenslander visitors are here on the Granite Belt for the first time. For so many Queenslanders, the Granite Belt has been sitting on their ‘One Day’ wish list. Now it seems that has rapidly changed to ‘This Year’ and ‘Good to Go!’
Until you experience the glory of the Granite Belt in person, it can be hard to compete with the abundance of destinations within an hour of Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
If the last few weeks are anything to go by, the Granite Belt is set for its best spring season yet! This has traditionally been a quieter time of year. However, we have tastings booked up online through to September, and accommodation house are reporting unheard-of occupancy rates.
I expect that our Tenterfield locals are staying put to avoid the border patrol, and that our southern visitors are either staying put or venturing further north chasing the sun after months of border restrictions.
We hope that Queensland continues to remain COVID-safe and that we can maintain then improve upon the current level of restriction for venues. I think that people are really understanding the importance of hand hygiene, social distancing and contact tracing at venues.
Our cellar door hand Elijah Smith made me a hand sanitiser holster to help me keep safe as I serve tastings to over 500 people each weekend.
Ms Puglisi-Gangemi was instrumental in successfully lobbying the Office of Liquor and Gaming for some easing of restrictions and is an active member of the Queensland Wine Industry Association .
How to make sure you book an unforgettable wine tasting experience at Ballandean Estate
- We’d love it if you could book your tasting in advance online or over the phone. Our peak times are over lunch and on Saturdays, and we highly recommend booking first.
- If you want to come in on the day and have not yet booked, we ask that you pick up the phone and call us on (07) 4684 1226 so that we can fit you in.
- Walk-ins are always welcome, keep your beanie handy as we could be wine-tasting under the pergola in the winter sun if there is an overflow of people.
ENDS
For all media enquiries please contact: Robyn Puglisi-Henderson or Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi
Ph: (07) 4684 1226 Leeanne@ballandeanestate.com, Robyn@ballandeanestate.com 354 Sundown Rd Ballandean 4382 www.ballandeanestate.com
Welcome to Ballandean Estate, Queensland’s oldest family owned and operated winery. Our family has been making wine on our Granite Belt estate since 1932, and we would love to share our estate grown and made wines with you. This year we are celebrating 50 years of Shiraz plantings in our high altitude vineyard and our 30th vintage of Semillon Sauvignon Blanc. As a multi-awarded 4.5-star winery, Ballandean Estate has an excellent range of mainstream and alternative wines that showcase our cool climate and granite terroir with elegance—just marvellous matched with Queensland’s outstanding produce.
The easing of intrastate travel restrictions has seen Queenslanders embracing a wine country getaway, as Ballandean Estate Wines opens its doors for tastings for the sixth week since lockdown. Queensland’s oldest family-owned and -operated winery on the Granite Belt is reporting a significant increase in visitor numbers through the cellar door.
Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi, fourth-generation vigneron and wine industry leader, says,
Queenslanders are tasting their freedom and bringing their friends and families to the beating heart of Granite Belt.
Channel 7 ran a story last night that reported an 1130% increase in Ballandean as a holiday hotspot on Wotif. We’ve been thrilled with the visitor numbers coming into our cellar door for tastings and to dine at The Barrelroom.
Over the weekend, we’ve had upwards of 500 people through the cellar door for sit-down tastings under our COVID-save venue plan. The sit-down format has resulted in greater engagement with guests, a significantly higher average wine sale spend and daily sign-ups to our Ballandean Gold Wine Club, which gives members exclusive access to museum releases, member events and our Gold Club Tasting Room.
The Barrelroom is booking out almost daily and has some delectable new dishes on the ever-changing menu: think handmade porcini ravioli in a cream sauce with shaved truffle. Or slow roasted local Mallow Lamb on potato rosti, served up with a red wine jus and sweet carrot puree.
Ballandean Estate is looking forward to welcoming interstate visitors from Friday 10 July and are delighted with yesterday’s launch of Queensland’s Good to Go tourism campaign for interstate visitors.
We’ve hired two new cellar door staff, young locals Natasha Banbery and Tessa Pascoe. Tessa is a school-based Wine Studies trainee and family friend, and Natasha comes from the Heavenly Chocolate family.”
Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi
Ms Puglisi-Gangemi was instrumental in successfully lobbying the Office of Liquor and Gaming for some easing of restrictions and is an active member of the Queensland Wine Industry Association .
How to make sure you book an unforgettable wine tasting experience at Ballandean Estate
We’d love it if you could book your tasting in advance online or over the phone. Our peak times are over lunch and on Saturdays, and we highly recommend booking first.
If you want to come in on the day and have not yet booked, we ask that you pick up the phone and call us on (07) 4684 1226 so that we can fit you in.
Walk-ins are always welcome, keep your beanie handy as we could be wine-tasting under the pergola in the winter sun if there is an overflow of people.
For all media enquiries please contact: Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi
Ph: (07) 4684 1226
354 Sundown Rd Ballandean 4382 www.ballandeanestate.com
Ballandean Estate is welcoming busloads of visitors through its cellar door today, thanks to award-winning tour operator Fun Over Fifty. Over 75 guests are expected to inject thousands of dollars into the Granite Belt by buying from the bush this Christmas.
Ballandean Estate has a long-standing association with Fun Over Fifty, a friendship that spans over 15 years through its patronage of the Opera in the Vineyard concert series.
Tourism trailblazer’s love affair with the Granite Belt
We are thrilled to have the support of Fun Over Fifty. CEO Toni Brennan is a sustainable tourism trailblazer, and has been bringing tours out to the Granite Belt for years.
It’s great to see tourism operators standing behind the Granite Belt; we have so much to offer over the Christmas holidays! Summer days on the Granite Belt look like vineyard picnics, new vintage releases, hikes, craft beer, summer produce on lunch menus … plenty of inspiration for a little Granite Belt getaway!”
Fourth-generation vigneron Leanne Puglisi-Gangemi
Fun Over Fifty invited village residents from Halcyon Waters at Hope Island, Golden Crest Manors at Nerang and Elements at Springwood to travel to the Granite Belt to spread some Christmas cheer and buy from the bush.
We have three coaches of enthusiastic shoppers coming through the cellar door. They are visiting Jamworks Gourmet Foods and Ballandean Estate Wines and before taking to the shops in town to fill their Christmas stockings.
Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi
Our People, Our Planet
Amongst other initiatives, Fun Over Fifty’s award-winning Our People, Our Planet Program encourages their guests to contribute to its Green Bank, which distributes funds to conservation groups, community projects and restoration works. Fun Over Fifty’s Green Bank has contributed $5000 to the charity Granite Belt Water Relief and is escorting a 10-tanker water convoy delivering 200,000L of drinking water to the town on Tuesday 17 December 2019.
Whether we’re touring Australia or overseas, our ethos is that everywhere Fun Over Fifty travels, we tread lightly and strive to support the regions we visit. It is vital that we all do our bit to help those in regional areas who are doing it tough at the moment.
Fun over Fifty CEO Ms Brennan
