Australia’s “Sunshine State” lives up to the billing: most of this vast landmass (approximately 1.85 million square kilometres) is too hot and/or humid for vine cultivation. Situated in the northeast of Australia, Queensland became independent from New South Wales in 1851. With dynamic Brisbane as its capital and the famous Gold Coast on show, Queensland can seduce visitors in a heartbeat.

Although Queensland was not historically associated with premium wine production, it now supports a burgeoning industry in the cooler parts of the state. South Burnett Cabernet Sauvignon is not yet a household name to rival Barossa Valley Shiraz. However, the state’s ambitious winemakers are rapidly closing the quality and recognition gap. With an ever-growing leisure economy bringing significant capital into the state, Queensland’s future in the wine industry is looking bright.

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Climate, geography and terroir

Queensland does not make life easy for aspiring winegrowers. There is relatively little land suitable for high-quality viticulture in the 1,250 miles stretching from north to south. Climate, rather than soil, is the main obstacle: the central and western parts of the state are too dry, while northern Queensland (including coastal areas) boasts a subtropical climate that experiences ‘monsoon’ rains from December to March. Excessive humidity and prolonged drought are no friends of the vine.

However, there are smaller Queensland wine regions where viticulture can prosper. In the southeastern tip of the state, growers harness all the benefits of cooling maritime air and elevation. Their salvation chiefly derives from The Great Dividing Range, a series of mountains, plateaus, and escarpments that flank Queensland’s leading wine zones. Although the overall climate here is subtropical, there are enough high-altitude sites to moderate the intense heat of the summer. As elsewhere, diurnal temperature variation is keenly exploited to keep wines fresh and balanced. Without these cooler mesoclimates, Queensland’s premium wine industry could not exist.

Key grape varieties

Queensland has embraced some esoteric grapes in addition to the French classics from Bordeaux, the Rhône Valley and Champagne, to name a few.

  • Chardonnay – Queensland tends to produce ripe and generous Chardonnay wines, noted for their powerful aromatics and ripe acidity. Minimal-intervention winemaking is increasingly practised, with natural yeast fermentations and no sulphur dioxide preservative.
  • Cabernet Sauvignon – this classic grape variety usually ripens relatively quickly in eastern Australia, yielding berries packed full of flavour and ripe tannin. Local interpretations are typically fruit-forward, with aromas of black fruits, liquorice and chocolate on the finish.
  • Shiraz – the star red grape of South Australia, can also deliver excellent results in Queensland. Like Cabernet Sauvignon, the majority of Queensland wine is ripe and full-bodied, offering rich mocha, blackberry and damson flavours.
  • Grenache – Grenache is one of Australia’s most important red grape varieties. The finest sites in Queensland deliver abundant flavour and body, with a distinct aroma of white pepper.
  • Chambourcin – this hybrid variety has a strong genetic resistance to the complications commonly associated with humid climes – an obvious choice for the vineyards of Queensland. It produces voluptuous red wine with flavours of sour cherry and dark chocolate.
  • Merlot – the eternally popular Merlot is another Queensland success story. Ripe, soft wines are the local trademark, with aromas of blueberry and freshly cut grass.
  • Sémillion – often blended with Sauvignon Blanc in Bordeaux can also yield delicious mono-varietal wine in Queensland. Good examples offer notes of fig, citrus and lanolin on the mid-palate.
  • Sauvignon Blanc – piercingly aromatic Sauvignon Blanc comes in several guises in eastern Australia. It veers from light and easy summer drinking to more complex, oak-aged whites.

Key subregions

There are two paths to cooler conditions in Australia: head further south or go uphill. For winegrowers in the Granite Belt, the elevation makes all the difference. Vineyards in this Australian wine region can climb up to 1000 metres above sea level in some places; it is one of the highest in the state. This creates a cooler mesoclimate that is highly conducive to ripening berries with balanced levels of sweetness, acidity and tannin. Vines are planted close to the border of New South Wales, and about 240 hectares are being cultivated today. Over the past 15 years, investment has flowed into the subregion, with a resultant explosion in the number of wineries and tasting rooms, including the famous Ballandean Estate. The Granite Belt is now responsible for two-thirds of all Queensland wine.

Part of the attraction is the topography: the area boasts one of Australia’s most dramatic landscapes, named after a 200 million-year-old granite formation. Growers have planted a diverse palate of grape varieties in the free-draining soils of the Granite Belt – a mixture of sand and metamorphic rock fragments. This mineral-rich terroir can yield a range of styles, from racy Sauvignon Blanc to silky Pinot Noir.

H3: South Burnett

South Burnett is a great frontier wine region of Australia. It is a niche and up-and-coming vineyard that presents more than its fair share of climatic challenges; rain and humidity in this sub-tropical climate cause problems that range from fungal diseases to berry dilution at harvest time. Yet the area’s close-knit band of growers continue to out-smart the weather, producing delicious, fruit-driven wine.

The area under vine is situated to the northwest of Brisbane, 75 miles inland from the Pacific Coast. The subregion does not enjoy the benefits of cool maritime influences, so South Burnett is a scorching viticultural zone. However, higher-elevation sites (rising to 460m) can provide respite from the intense summer heat. Late-ripening varieties such as Grenache, Chambourcin and Mourvedre consistently produce the best results. They offer a potent combination of concentration and body.

Other subregions

Darling Downs

A collection of boutique winery establishments can be found to the west of Brisbane, around the pretty town of Toowoomba. Production is tiny, but the quality level is very high: delicious white and red wines with plenty of flavour and verve are produced here.

Gold Coast Hinterland

Conveniently close to the border of New South Wales, Queensland’s Gold Coast Hinterland is a wine tourism paradise. It offers unspoilt rainforests, national parks and a niche Australian wine industry. De Beaurepaire, Guneemooroo Estate and First Ridge Wines are the winery names to look out for.

Scenic Rim

Home to the state’s largest winery, Scenic Rim plays host to an expanding number of excellent wineries opening their cellar door, including Bunjurgen Estate, Witches Falls Winery, and The Overflow Estate 1985. High altitude vineyards yield the most premium wines here, and Italian styles are the Queensland wine region’s trademark. The Vermentino can be surprisingly fresh and racy, considering the sub-tropical climate.

Sunshine Coast Hinterland

The Sunshine Coast Hinterland encompasses the towns of Maroochydore and Caloundra to the north of Brisbane. The best wines are juicy and concentrated, with silky tannins and a supple texture.

Enjoying Queensland wine

After a slow start, Queensland is starting to earn recognition as a promising Australian wine producer. There’s a community of keen winemakers and growers, driving ever-greater leaps in quality and consistency. Moreover, the industry has been diversifying its output as well as nailing the international classics. If you seek familiar and unfamiliar wine styles at favourable price points, Queensland can offer many rewards.

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