May 13, 2015
Four South Burnett wine outlets have won six awards from Gourmet Traveller Wine magazine, Australia’s leading bi-monthly magazine for wine and food connoisseurs.
During the past year, seven of Australia’s best wine writers – Mike Bennie, Peter Bourne, Tyson Stelzer, Peter Forrestal, David Brookes, Jeni Port and Ken Gargett – travelled around Australia to check every one of the nation’s wine regions.
Their mission was to select the best large and small cellar doors, best tasting experiences and find out who serves the best food in each one.
Their selections all won a Gourmet Traveller Wine Cellar Door Award.
The awards, now in their third year, are designed to provide a guide for Gourmet Traveller Wine magazine’s readers to ensure they have best possible experience in whatever Australian wine region they find themselves.
In determining the winners, the writers searched for the most outstanding cellar doors by judging the quality of wines on offer; staff knowledge and service; stemware; food; atmosphere; venue; location; and how all those factors combined for a complete experience.
This year four of the South Burnett’s wine outlets received a nod from Gourmet Traveller Wine’s judges.
They were:
- Star Cellar Door and Cellar Door With The Best Food: Taste South Burnett, Kingaroy
- Best Large Cellar Door: Clovely Estate, Moffatdale
- Best Small Cellar Door: Moffatdale Ridge, Moffatdale
- Best Tasting Experience: Kingsley Grove Estate, Kingaroy
Kingsley Grove Estate also received a gong for their 2013 Kingsley Grove Brian’s Bin Sangiovese, a $20 tipple that was rated by the judges as this year’s most outstanding South Burnett wine.
Moffatdale Ridge owner – and South Burnett Wine Industry Association president – Jason Kinsella said he was “floored” to receive the award, and delighted to find other South Burnett wine outlets had also received approval from GT Wine’s judges.
“Our region has worked very hard for more than 15 years to gain recognition for South Burnett wines.
“We believe our wines are now the equal of any other wines produced in Australia, and some of our specialty wines are amongst the best.
“These awards are important because they put the South Burnett up with other leading Australian wine regions, and that’s something everyone in our region can be proud about.”
Clovely Estate owner Dr Susan Mercer said she shared Jason’s delight.
Clovely Estate is one of the two largest wineries in Queensland, and produces the largest range of any South Burnett winery.
In August last year Clovely found it had been rated as one of Queensland’s nine top wineries, alongside seven from the Granite Belt and one from Mt Tamborine, in the 2015 edition of James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion.
Given that there are 177 wineries in the State, this was a very rare distinction.
“This new award from GT Wine just confirms the South Burnett is punching above its weight on a national level. We’re thrilled,” she said.
This year’s awards were announced in the April-May edition of Gourmet Traveller Wine magazine, which is available at many newsagents.
There is also an online version of the magazine which allows readers to subscribe for the hard-copy print edition.
Congratulations on some very well-deserved awards and bringing the South Burnett wines and wineries to the attention of a broader public.
Brilliant! Congratulations!