Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Play to Win Wine

To celebrate Queensland's win over the 2010 Origin series, here's a chance to win not just any a bottle of Queensland wine but a dozen bottles of Granite Belt reds.

Basically you pick your dream team, choosing a red grape variety in place of an Origin player. It goes like this:
  • If the Winger were a wine, would he be a Pinot or a Merlot?  
  • Would the Centre be a Cab Sav. or a Shiraz?
Click to play and if over 18 you could win a case of Granite Belt reds. Cheers!

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Paola gets the Halliday Nod

The Flying Spaniard is how Australian wine guru James Halliday described winemaker Paola Cabezas-Rhymer (left) and he admits she's escaped his notice until now.

In the Weekend Australian (19-20 June 2010) Halliday reveals highlights of Paola's international wine making career and bestows three of her wines for Summit Estate with 92, 94 and 94 points.

As Halliday reports, Argentinian born Paola has significant and impressive runs on the board with reputable wineries in Spain, Argentina and France before moving to Australia a decade ago.  Their loss is the Granite Belt's gain, and in particular for Summit Estate just north of Stanthorpe.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Origin - Pick your dream team of Granite Belt reds

Recently we encouraged Queenslanders to support the state by drinking Queensland wine.  Did you pick up a Granite Belt red on Origin night?

The fun's not over yet...two more matches plus the chance to win a case of wine, which makes this series refreshingly different.  The next part of this game is to see if you can pick your players and your red  wine varieties.  It's simple:
  • If the Winger were a wine, would he be a Pinot or a Merlot?  
  • Would the Centre be a Cab Sav. or a Shiraz?
You get the picture and its perfect for  league and red wine tragics - click to play. Participate (if over 18) and you could win a case of Granite Belt reds. Cheers!

We've been playing too - pictured here is our pick for Tourism Queensland's design your own Origin jersey competition.  You can vote for ours or design your own on Facebook Queensland.

Monday, June 7, 2010

It takes a lot of beer to make good wine

It has taken almost two decades but the connection with beer has come full circle for one Granite Belt landmark.

Felsberg Winery, just south of Stanthorpe was originally built by former Castlemaine XXXX master brewer Otto Haag.  Otto opened it as a winery but when the business changed hands in 2008, the new owners, Peter & Karen Orr saw potential to add beer to the wine list.

Peter Orr recently flipped the top off the first few bottles, which he says are going down a treat in their Bell Tower cafe.  “It takes a lot of beer to make good wine and at Felsberg we know how important beer is to winemaking. There is nothing better at the end of a hard days harvest than to sit on an upturned bucket in the wine cellar and consume a cleansing ale. We think it is so important that we have actually produced our own beer with the help of our brewery friends at Burleigh Brewing Company. Beer (like wine) is made to be enjoyed in good company and in good times. At Felsberg we take our beer seriously and ensure it is seriously good.”