Festivities inevitably turn minds to the pleasures of the palate.
John Arlidge provides a timely personal perspective on a locally grown industry that came of age in 2004.

Queensland's wine industry has made huge strides in the past ten years and our most established region, the Granite Belt, has recently begun to gain the recognition I believe it deserves. A Robert Channon Wines Chardonnay (the 2002 Reserve Chardonnay) was judged best of its type in Australia at the 2004 Brisbane Wine Show, the nation's second largest show and an important event for the wine industry. In fact, two of the top five Chardonnays at the show were Granite Belt wines. I am pleased to say Whiskey Gully Wines' 2002 Beverley Chardonnay was the other. It won a silver medal.

The strength of the results confirmed for chief judge, Phillip John and other industry observers, that the Granite Belt is a premium wine region. These days gaining top medals in wine shows is a common event for local wines. 2002 wines were particularly productive. It was an excellent year producing intense ripe fruit. 2004 has also been a top vintage for the Granite Belt.

Adam Chapman, managing director and chief winemaker at Sirromet Wines of Mt Cotton, who sources grapes from the Granite Belt, is convinced it is the place to be. He nominates Semillon and Shiraz/Viognier blends as the region's best wines to date exhibiting strong regional characters. 'Almost a lemon myrtle flavour,' he says of the whites. Chapman picks Verdelho, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay as promising white varieties; Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Merlot among the reds. 'Petit Verdot shows promise. It is able to handle the Granite Belt's variable conditions. Cabernet Sauvignon can be difficult to ripen in certain seasons.'

Mark Ravenscroft, winemaker at Robert Channon Wines, nominates Chardonnay, Viognier and Verdelho as suitable white styles for the Granite Belt and Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot in the reds. 'Petit Verdot is doing well and is an emerging variety.' He detects flintiness in the whites with citrus/lime flavours but says regional character is not a big factor for Granite Belt wines. 'We tend not to get big jammy wines like, for example, the Barossa. The wines here are lean and elegant.'

For my money, Chardonnay and Verdelho are the best white varieties for the Granite Belt. Our Chardonnays have classic hallmarks and I too detect lean citrus characters in the best examples that distinguish them as Granite Belt whites. In the reds, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are my pick. We have won gold medals and trophies with both of these varieties since we started showing wines three years ago. They are elegant and there is pleasing depth to the fruit.

But these days, the Granite Belt is not the only Queensland wine region represented at wine shows.

David Russell QC, president of the Queensland Wine Industry Association and owner of Jimbour Station, on the Darling Downs, opines that while the Granite Belt is established as Queensland's cool climate region, the question is what will be the best warm climate area? At present, both the Darling Downs and the South Burnett lay claim. Of late there has been a concentration of wine businesses in the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast hinterlands, sourcing their fruit from the major growing areas. These businesses lead the wine tourism push and some magnificent facilities have sprung up such as Kanungra Valley Wines and Albert River Wines.

Clovely Estate, in the South Burnett, is Queensland's largest vineyard with 450 acres of vines. The company's export manager, Gerald Keatinge, says Chardonnay, Verdelho and Semillon are the area's best whites and Shiraz and Petit Verdot the best reds. Clovely Estate recently signed a distribution contract with Yalumba. 'We look at this as a partnership,' says Keatinge. 'Yalumba have credibility in the marketplace and we feel that will help us get our wines distributed nationally.'

Peter Scudamore-Smith, Master of Wine, sees a great deal of Queensland wine both as a judge and a contract winemaker, sourcing grapes from the Granite Belt, South Burnett and Darling Downs. Scudamore-Smith believes Queensland producers need to increase production and aim to hit the consumer price points of $12 and $13 a bottle. He says that while the Granite Belt is now established, other regions in Queensland are emerging with some excellent wine coming out of the South Burnett region while wine operations on the Darling Downs show potential, citing Jimbour Station (near Dalby) and Gowrie Estate (near Toowoomba) as examples. 'We get big punchy flavours from the warm areas like the South Burnett. The crops are bigger in these areas and we can produce wine more economically,' Scudamore-Smith says.

Stuart Pierce, winemaker at Barambah Ridge, near Murgon, in the South Burnett, is increasingly enthusiastic about pioneering a region he believes has tremendous potential. He says that in good seasons the reds, in particular, have excellent colour and flavour. Pierce nominates Shiraz as the region's best red variety producing richness and blackberry flavours. Early ripening, loose bunched Verdelho is his pick of the white varieties.

Historically, the chief critics of Queensland wine have been Queenslanders themselves - perhaps a hangover from the very early days when Biltmore Cellars at Stanthorpe used to advertise 'the world's worst wines'. Now people like Terry Morris, owner of Sirromet Wines at Mt Cotton, are investing many millions of dollars in the belief that Queenslanders will eventually embrace their home grown product. I think he is right.

For many Queenslanders it will only take a Sydney-sider to say to them one day: 'Gee, you guys make some great wines up there!' for them to puff out their chests and say 'Blood-oath we do'. But until they get third party endorsement, it is inevitable that some Queenslanders will sit on the fence. And why not? After all, tasting wine is a subjective experience and, not surprisingly, many people need encouragement from others before they are prepared to back their judgment. In the meantime some of Australia's best wine is available at the most affordable prices right here. Cheers!

John Arlidge is a Queensland writer, industry correspondent and a Granite Belt grower where he and wife Denice have spent the past several years establishing Whiskey Gully Wines.

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