July 20, 2018
Tipperary Estate at Moffatdale has had a very low profile for the past two years … but two weeks ago the business quietly came back to life.
The small vineyard on Tipperary Road now opens its cellar door and curiously named Pauline’s Pie and Pintxos Cafe for four hours every Saturday and Sunday.
(Pintxos, pronounced “peen-chos”, is Basque for “tapas”.)
Owners Craig and Pauline Gillett said when they decided to retire in 2016, they put their vineyard and bed and breakfast on the market, then went touring around Australia and Europe.
“Taste South Burnett used to retail our wines for us, and the B&B sort of operated itself, so we were able to get away quite a lot,” Craig said.
“But lately we’ve got a bit tired of travelling and Taste South Burnett closed last Christmas, so we thought why not reopen the cellar door?
“It lets customers get our wines again, and Pauline’s pies always did really well whenever we went to food festivals so we decided to start up the cafe, too.”
And the name?
“Yes, it’s unusual and yes, most people who’ve never seen it before find it unpronounceable. But we liked it so we thought ‘why not?’,” Craig said.
Craig said that as retirees, a key point for the couple was that they wanted to run the business in a stress-free way.
“We’re only open on Saturdays and Sundays, and if people are bringing a group of eight or more we ask them to ring and book in advance so we can look after them properly.
“Otherwise, anyone is welcome to come along whenever it suits them and try the wines, have a meal or both.”
The cafe offers 11 shared dishes covering everything from fried camembert with a macadamia crust and cranberry sauce through to skewered pork and fennel balls with a lime and ginger glaze for $12, along with four $18 mains that cover seafood, lamb, beef and chicken dishes.
The menu is seasonal, and the couple hopes to change it every three or four months (the current menu can be found on Tipperary’s website).
Tipperary Estate wines are available by the glass or the bottle, along with tea, coffee and soft drinks.
Craig and Pauline still produce wines, and in the past few years have replaced some of their Shiraz and Chardonnay vines with Tempranillo and Viognier.
The Tempranillo – a rich red wine without tannins – has turned out to be a hot seller, and a Shiraz-Viognier blend is also meeting with customer approval.
But Tipperary’s award-winning Verdelho and a Verdelho-Semillon blend are equally popular with those who prefer whites, and there’s also a sweet bubbly for birthdays or special events.
- Pauline’s Pie and Pintxos Cafe at 167 Tipperary Road in Moffatdale is open from 11:00am to 3:00pm every Saturday and Sunday. Bookings can be made by phoning Tipperary Estate on (07) 4168-4802.
