Rare and alternative wine release

Ballandean Estate is releasing its much-anticipated 2018 vintage single-vineyard Saperavi, a full-bodied rare and alternative red. The Granite Belt has garnished itself a fearsome reputation for this varietal, originating in Soviet Georgia, where they have been making wine for more than 8000 years.

The 2018 vintage will be available for tasting at Ballandean Estate’s cellar door and for sale online from Friday 19 March onwards, RRP $42.

Strange Bird™ varietal takes out Saperavi World Prize gold medal

Estate founder Angelo Puglisi says:

says Mr Puglisi, well-known for his experimentation with different varietals and Strange Bird advocacy

A word from the winemaker

Ballandean Estate recently participated in the inaugural Saperavi Symposium, where the handful of Saperavi producers In Australia gathered together for the first time in 2020.

Winemaking

Handpicked after careful monitoring in the vineyard to ensure the perfect balance between flavour, acidity and tannin ripeness.

• Long fermentation is followed by 14 months in reserve French oak barrels that are one to three years of age.
• Higher proportion of new oak in this wine due to big fruit structure and high alcohol.
• French oak soaks up tannin to build a big palate structure.

Viticulture

• In our Bellevue vineyard, the Saperavi vines we planted in 2008 have an ancient look, with nobbly shoots reminiscent of arthritic fingers!
• Angelo was keen to experiment with this Strange Bird™ varietal, as its mid-season ripening makes it less risky than other reds.
• The granite soils reflect heat onto the fruit—speeding the ripening during the day, with cool temperatures overnight—resulting in mature, intensely-flavoured fruit.

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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.  

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

Estate founder Angelo Puglisi has spent over 50 years building his reputation as the father of Queensland wine and industry, from the day he rolled into town with two trucks carrying 1000-gallon barrels down the main street of Stanthorpe back in 1971.  His experimentation with Italian varietals has been a major contribution to the establishment of the Strange Bird™ alternative wine trail.

Fourth-generation vigneron and daughter Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi says,

Ballandean Estate’s GFM 2020 vintage will be available for tasting and sale at the cellar door and for online from Friday 23 October.

Ballandean Estate is launching its second vintage of Malvasia at the cellar door this weekend. The 2019 vintage is a truly rare alternative wine, with only 65 cases produced this year at Ballandean Estate, and less than 200 Australia-wide. Demand will outstrip supply quickly, as last year’s first vintage sold out within weeks and received rave reviews from wine critics.

A word on Malvasia from our Master of Wine Peter Scudamore-Smith

Malvasia release

Why people are falling in love with Malvasia at the cellar door

According to Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi, fourth-generation family vigneron,

Viticulture

Ballandean Estate’s 2018 vintage was the first Malvasia to be released on the Granite Belt. Originating in Croatia, and widely grown throughout northern Italy, the fruit for 2019’s Malvasia vintage was magnificent, with big, loose bunches of fruit on the vines, berries medium to large, yellowish with thick skin, juicy flesh and stone fruit characteristics. Set to thrive on the Granite Belt, Malvasia has a good tolerance of cold winters, early frosts and windy sites.

In 2015, Angelo Puglisi planted one acre of Malvasia on the Ballandean Estate vineyard. 2017’s vintage yielded just 20 litres, an experimental batch. 2019’s vintage was picked in March after an optimal growing season.

Queensland’s 27th Strange Bird™ Malvasia will be available for tasting and sale at the cellar door and for sale online.

ENDS

For all media enquiries please contact: Robyn Puglisi-Henderson or Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi

Ph: (07) 4684 1226 Robyn@ballandeanestate.com

Leeanne@ballandeanestate.com

Ballandean Estate has released the latest vintage of its much-anticipated single-vineyard Fiano. Could this Strange Bird™ be Australia’s best alternative white wine? Originating in southern Italy, and widely grown throughout Sicily and the Campania region, this is a truly rare varietal. Ballandean Estate’s 2015 vintage took out Winestate’s Top Alternative White award.

The latest Fiano vintage is now available for tasting and sale at the cellar door and for sale online.

Fiano specs

• Alcohol: 12.3%
• Price: $30
• Closure: Screwcap
• Drink : 2019–2020
• Fruit: 100%, Fiano single vineyard from Bellevue at Ballandean,  850m above sea level
• Winemaking: A mix of whole bunch and destemmed fruit was combined into the press. The juice was settled quickly in stainless before yeast was added. Stabilised, no finings added, filtered and bottled, unoaked.

A fresh take

Ballandean Estate winemaker Dylan Rhymer has lent a sophisticated finesse to the varietal.

When deciding if we should plant Fiano here in the Granite Belt, we tasted as many different styles from Australia and Italy as we could.

A lot of the Aussie ones were more fruit-driven, in the style of Sauvignon Blanc, while the Italian examples were more complex at higher alcohols, which we preferred.

Our Fiano is picked at almost 13 Baume. It’s 12.3% alc to build weight in the palate, and was handpicked in April 2019 at optimal ripeness. This gives us delicious stone fruit and biscuit aromas with a touch of honey and citrus.

Ballandean Estate winemaker Dylan Rhymer

Find out what the Puglisi family has to say about Fiano

Fiano was first planted first planted in 2009 by Angelo Puglisi, the father of Queensland wine and Ballandean Estate founder. Having seen Fiano in the south of Italy and near his ancestral home in Sicily, Angelo thought he would give it a go.

 You should see my Fiano! The vines just love their position and the reach for the sky—beautiful!”

Angelo Puglisi

Ballandean Estate is set to release its latest Strange Bird™, a 2019 Moscato Giallo to coincide with the father of Queensland wine’s 76^th birthday on Monday 29 July 2019.

Angelo Puglisi, estate owner of Queensland’s oldest family-owned and -operated winery, planted his first acre of Moscato Giallo vines in 2014. A wine pioneer, Angelo’s vinicultural vision has delivered 13 new Strange Birds™ for the Granite Belt Geographical Indication.

Fourth-generation vigneron and daughter Leeanne Puglis-Gangemi says,

First you need to understand the Italian! Moscato Giallo means ‘yellow muscat’. Now you might be thinking this a sweet wine. Not this time! This Strange Bird™ variety from northern Italy is capable of making elegant table wines with emphasis on the aromatics.

Dad harvested the luscious golden fruit in March 2019. Our winemaker Dylan Rhymer has delivered an elegant twist on the varietal. Think medium-dry, a light and luscious mouthfeel, with a hint of lemon and gentle citrus overtone. Best of all, be blown away by the aromatic bouquet!

Our 2019 Moscato Giallo Strange Bird™ has just 9% alcohol, and is a match made in heaven with an afternoon cheese platter and Asian flavour profiles. It’s a big, fruit-driven delight, somewhere between a Gewertztraminer and our Semillon Sauvignon Blanc.

Ballandean Estate’s 2019 Moscato Giallo retails for just $19 a bottle, and can be ordered online and at at the cellar door. We wil be showcasing this wine at The Ekka. You can also buy it at Bacchus Brewing, Schulte’s Meat Tavern and Pantry360. Only 200 cases were produced. This Strange Bird™ will be gone before you know it!

Leeanne Puglis-Gangemi

Mr Puglisi’s remarkable vinicultural legacy was celebrated at the Royal Queensland show last week. He presented the inaugural Angelo Puglisi Grand Champion Wine of Show award to a Tasmanian pinot noir producer. The award is a perpetual acknowledgment to Puglisi’s influence and respect in the industry.

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. Keep your eye out for the 2019 vintage release of the estate’s ever popular Semillon Sauvignon Blanc and Rose wines.

Ballandean Estate’s world-class Sylvaner is set to make a splash on the international stage yet again as this dry summer is delivering optimal growing conditions for a temperamental Strange Bird variety. This decadent dessert wine has had international wine judges raving since 1985, with 15 trophies, 7 gold, 22 silver and 54 bronze awards.

An immaculate pedigree

• The 1991 Ballandean Estate Sylvaner received global acclaim from Alsace wines world expert Tom Stevenson, who declared it “the greatest Sylvaner he had ever tasted”. This accolade was published in his international book The Wines of Alsace. Stevenson profiled over 300 producers and analysed 118 wine villages, 50 grands crus, 84 lieux-dits, 28 clos and 4 wine producing chateaux.
• Rated 93 points by James Halliday (2002 and 2006 vintage), he describes it as “glowing gold; the Granite Belt’s most famous wine, made on and off over the past 25 years when vintage conditions permit; a gentle mix of barley sugar, lime and vanilla, it has excellent balance, and its history shows it cellars surprisingly well.”
• Oz Clarkes Grapes and Wine: the definitive guide to the world’s greatest grapes decreed Ballandean Estate (Australia) as a world-best producer, ranked alongside France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.

Deliver thee the nectar of the Gods!

The last Sylvaner vintage release was in 2014 and sold out quickly. Sadly, the only remaining bottles of Sylvaner in existence are carefully cellared in private homes and within Ballandean Estate’s museum collection. The good news? Ballandean Estate has decreed 2019 the best growing season in a decade.

A Strange Bird that needs the stars to align and the sun to shine

James Halliday’s 2008 Wine Companion states that “.. the (Ballandean) estate specialty, Sylvaner Late Harvest, is a particularly interesting wine of great character and flavour if given 10 years bottle age”.

How Sylvaner came to be planted at Ballandean Estate

One of Australia’s leading wine scientists, Dr Bryce Rankin, in a 1973 discussion with Ballandean Estate owner Angelo Puglisi, suggested that Sylvaner and Chenin Blanc would grow well on the Granite Belt. Dr Rankin was principal research scientist at the Australian Wine Research Institute, which he helped establish, for over 20 years, and author of hundreds of scientific papers.

That year estate owner Angelo Puglisi planted approximately 1.5 acres of Sylvaner on two blocks at Ballandean Estate. The first vintages from 1973 to to 1985 were made as a dry table wine style. In 1985 Angelo employed winemaker Rodney Hooper, whom with some other young winemakers, had become interested in the production of dessert wines. Controlled environment botrytis was experimented with but was not successful. So the cane cutting method was employed and had good results. The 1985 Sylvaner was born.

Is your family feast food modern or traditional? Matching your Christmas menu to divine wines is a pleasure. And to make it a make it a breeze, we’ve put together this easy food and wine matching guide. Let us inspire you with some Ballandean delights.

Starters

We like to keep it light and lovely with amuse bouche, fruit platters, smoked salmon blinis, arancini balls , antipasti and heaving platters of prawns. Getting our amici to mingle as they jingle is our aim, so finger food is ideal — give your guests a free hand to hold their drink! A glass of bubbles is a great way to start festivities. Try our Range Reserve Sparkling – it’s light, medium dry, with a delicate bead.

Seafood

What’s a fresh prawn without a squeeze of lemon? Citrus fruits are perfect with seafood, as the acidity offsets the richness of seafood and the sweetness complements delicate flavours.

Our Semillon Sauvignon Blanc marries well with fresh Queensland seafood—Moreton Bay Bugs, prawns, Hervey Bay Scallops, oysters and sand crabs. Look for citrus flavours, mouth-watering and energetic acidity.

For richer seafood such as baked salmon or barramundi, garlic prawns, oysters mornay you need a medium to full bodied wine—why not flirt with Fiano, Viognier, Chardonnay, or a chilled Rosé?

Baked glazed ham

Your porky centrepiece has three things to consider for a good wine match — the saltiness, the spice of the glaze and the fat content.

A sweet glaze needs a succulent fruit-driven wine to offset the saltiness of the ham. Rosé with its raspberry nuances works well, as does Fiano and Viognier.

What about red wine? Choose a fruit-driven red that’s light on the tannins — merlot, shiraz viognier or our sparkling shiraz!

Chicken

Our oaked Opera Block Chardonnay is a match made in heaven with a simple roast chicken. If you have a slightly spicy stuffing or one with fruit like apricots in it, a rich white wine like Viognier or Fiano is a good choice. As for reds, Shiraz Viognier and Rosé are a lovely choice for chicken served with its own juices or with gravy.

Beef and Lamb

Our single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon’s ripe red fruits, tannic structure and herbaceous notes will make hearty beef and lamb roasts sing. If you are sizzling up some steak or lamb chops on the barbie, the tannins in our Opera Block Shiraz are a joy-filled complement— the berry and cassis aromas will make it sing.

Dessert

You can’t go past our Late Harvest Viognier to serve with Pavlova or traditional plum pudding think orange and apricot blossoms with a honeyed botrytis sweetness. If Mum’s making her marvellous mince pies, try our 15yo Blend Fine Old Tawny or Rum and Chocolate Port.

Cheese platter

Chardonnay loves soft creamy cheeses like brie and camembert. Bitey, hard mature cheeses work well with full-bodied whites and tannic reds. Whether you choose Chardonnay, luscious Viognier or juicy Shiraz Viognier you’ll find an easy harmony between the cheese and wine. When it comes to blue, go for gold! Sweet dessert wines and rich fortified wines make the perfect partner for pungent blue cheeses.

Ballandean Estate is set to release its 30th vintage of Semillon Sauvignon Blanc on 12 November 2018. Angelo Puglisi, estate founder of Queensland’s oldest family-owned and -operated winery, planted his first Semillon vines in 1973.

He was excited by the possibility of the Granite Belt’s warm days and cold nights delivering intensely-flavoured fruit and divine wine. The ensuing success of the Semillon vines encouraged him to plant Sauvignon Blanc vines in 1985. A wine pioneer, Angelo’s vinicultural vision has delivered 30 vintages of delectably crisp, zesty wine.