By Dominique Tassell
Girraween Estate, a husband-and-wife winery in the Granite Belt, has had their Sauvignon Blanc crowned Australia’s best at the Royal Queensland Wine Awards.
The Royal Queensland Wine Awards are a national competition, with over 1400 wines entered from over 200 wineries.
Steve Messiter from Girraween Estate says he knew the wine was a good one, with a chance at a medal, but didn’t expect it to take out the whole award.
There’s been a huge demand for the wine since the wine, so much so that they’re officially out of stock.
Steve says they’ll make another batch in April.
“It’s a 12-month cycle,” he says. “We normally don’t sell out until we make the next batch.”
Steve says they’ll definitely use the same method to make next year’s Sauvignon Blanc, after trying something different this year by fermenting two-thirds of the wine in the tank while the other third was left to ferment in the barrel. He left that third in the barrel until demand got too high to spare it.
Steve says keeping the wine in the barrel too long could ruin the fruity aspect of the Sauvignon Blanc, but keeping it in there for just a little while makes it more complex.
Steve and Lisa Messiter purchased Girraween Estate in 2009, after Steve began studying a Masters degree in Wine Technology and Viticulture, but the vineyard had long been established on the Granite Belt.
Girraween Estate planted table grapes in 1948, going on to add Shiraz grapes in 1977 and Chardonnay grapes in 1981.
The table grapes were then grafted over to Sauvignon Blanc in 1986.
Most recently, they planted Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1990s.
Since purchasing the vineyard, Steve and Lisa have embarked on a rejuvenation and improvement plan for the vineyard and have added a winery to the property so that all wines can be produced on-site. Steve is the winemaker.
The aim has been to improve the already excellent grape quality and produce wines that will move Girraween Estate into the top bracket among Australia’s boutique producers.
While this award is a huge honour and jump in recognition, Girraween Estate has long been recognised as a standout producer.
Previous wins include:
* 2017 Shiraz – Silver medal, 2018 Qld Wine Awards
* 2016 Reserve Chardonnay – Silver medal, 2017 Qld Wine Awards
* 2016 Shiraz cabernet – Champion Qld red wine and Gold medal at the 2017 Australian Small Winemaker’s Show
* 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon – Silver medal, 2017 Australian Small Winemaker’s Show
* 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon – Silver medal, 2015 Australian Small Winemaker’s Show
* 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon – Silver medal, 2014 Australian Small Winemaker’s Show
* 2013 Shiraz cabernet – Silver medal, 2014 Australian Small Winemaker’s Show
* 2013 Sauvignon Blanc – Silver medal, 2013 Qld wine Awards
* 2011 Chardonnay – Champion Qld white wine and Gold medal at the 2011 Australian Small Winemaker’s Show
You can pick up a bottle of Girraween Estate’s other wines at their cellar door in Wyberba.
