Stanthorpe

Grazing the Granite – held annually in May, this is a great thing to do with a “bunch” of like-mind friends. Grazing the Granite is a wine, cider and food event in the heart of Queensland Premier wine region, the Granite Belt.

With the usual suspects (Balkins, Bakers, McNabbs, Beavis’, Carmonts) we grazed our way through cellar doors tasting many amazing wines and sampling regional foods prepared by some talented local chefs.

Originally built as a local general store some 60 years ago, this Stanthorpe Restaurant was a cosy, friendly eating place with authentic cuisine prepared with “Patty’s Chi”.

Our group enjoyed an excellent meal, Sandra Baker was in charge of interrogating the other restaurant patrons as they exited to the use

the restaurant “facilities” – which could only be done by walking past our table. This provided plenty of entertainment. A good night was had by all.

We planned those sites we would visit and set off enjoying the wineries sampling various wines with matching food tasting plates. We had lots of great wine, food and plenty of laughs.

Some of our favourite stops were Ballandean Estate, Twisted Gum Wines, Jester Hill Wines, Hidden Creek Wines, with the last stop - Whiskey Gully Wines was a favourite.

On the way home we stopped for lunch at the newly renovated Commercial Boutique Hotel, Tenterfield. Excellent modern food and wine – very trendy, a recommended stop-over.