So for the long weekend my partner and I planned a trip to Stanthorpe. We went there in 2015 for a weekend away, and we loved it so much the first time we went that we decided it would be great to go again! Stanthorpe has to be my favourite place to go for wine in Queensland without a question, but it is also such a nice, relaxing destination to go away for a long weekend. We had such a great time I thought this week I would share with you my favourite places so that if you want to plan your trip you have some tips.

Stanthorpe is within the granite belt which has conditions that allow wine growers to grow many varieties of grapes. The conditions also allow for Mediterranean grapes to flourish, so this is your destination if you love wines like Sangiovese, Tempranillo and also your classics like Shiraz and Chardonnay. I feel like this region can do no wrong when it comes to wine, and the winemakers are so friendly and willing for a chat when you go to the cellar doors. The wineries are smaller in this region than somewhere like the Yarra Valley and so the wineries are more boutique, offering amazing, delicious wines with grapes that are picked by hand for perfection.

But Stanthorpe isn’t all about wine (even though this is my favourite part) as it is also a region well known for produce, especially apples. This means that there are so many stores and activities to explore within the region around fresh produce, and also amazing restaurants that hero the region. You definitely won’t go hungry, and in winter the temperatures drop so you can take your full belly home to a nice, warm fireplace with a glass or two of wine. Can you think of anything more perfect?

Where to stay

We’ve been to Stanthorpe twice and both times we’ve stayed in great places. The first time we visited we stayed at the Girraween Environmental Lodge. It is a little bit of a drive away from Stanthorpe being closer to Ballandean (and some great wineries of course), but if you are into walking and national parks this would be my pick. They have their own private walks throughout their property that you can enjoy, but you can also easily drive down to the National Park and go on some of the walks there. What I loved most about the Girraween Environmental Lodge though was the hospitality. The fire was going every night when we got home, and we were welcomed by the owner to enjoy some of the regions wines with her and her friends on our first night. She even gave us a bottle of wine to enjoy! The rooms are a little bit older but offer everything you could need, and there was even a nice big bathtub to relax in! If you are not fussed about being a little bit out of town, this place is so tranquil and relaxing (you won’t get any phone reception so you can truly switch off).

This time around there wasn’t much accommodation left when we started looking due to the long weekend and some events in town, but I ended up finding a beautiful Air BnB which was absolutely incredible. It was set on its own block with a driveway lined by fruit trees that led up to our very own secluded cabin amongst the woods. Cabin probably isn’t the right term as it was modern and felt brand new. It was a studio with a big king bed and a small kitchen, everything you could need for your stay. You could cosy up next to the fireplace at night, and in the morning enjoy the birds flitting amongst the trees from the balcony. It felt like a little slice of paradise away from everything, and if we didn’t go into town we wouldn’t have seen anyone the whole weekend. We got breakfast supplies as well so we could cook up a feast in the mornings before heading out for the day. I absolutely loved this stay and if you’re looking for a place that puts you in a good spot for visiting wineries I would highly recommend this one.

Things to do

Wine Tour

I highly recommend going on a wine tour to explore the wines of the region. Although a lot of the wineries are close by, they are generous with their tastings and often have extensive menus, which makes driving and trying quite a difficult (and depressing) exercise. Having someone else to drive you around makes it so much easier, safer and means you can really enjoy yourself without having to worry how much you are trying! What we did this time was do a wine tour and then visited a couple of additional wineries on the other days we were there, taking it in turns being the driver. Ideally you would do the wine tour first and then hit the wineries you don’t get to on the other days, but we ended up doubling up a little as we weren’t sure which ones would be on the tour when we went around on Saturday! At least we doubled up on one we really enjoyed!

This time around we found we had a bit of trouble finding a wine tour that was available for this weekend due to how busy the area was, but we ended up getting in to Filippos wine tours which I believe runs every day (they at least ran on a Sunday which was perfect for us). We were on a tour of 11 which seems like a lot but it was a good number with a lot of great people. We got to go to 5 wineries in total and lunch was included which overall was great value for what we paid. The tour guide had so much knowledge of the area and so while you were driving around he was giving us great little bits of information, as well as some tips of places to go that we didn’t get to on the tour. Most of the wineries we had already been to previously, but the ones we did go to were the slightly larger, more established wineries of the region that can accommodate bigger tastings. The best part about all the ones we went to were that each wine maker took the time to really explain each wine and the process they went through. It was an awesome day where we ended up buying just a little too much wine, but what else are wine tours for?

Local produce

Another great thing to do in Stanthorpe is sample the local produce. There is so much great food out there to try, and with no shortage of different producers you’ll find something for everyone. It’s a great way to break up your wine touring and also a good option if you want to bring gifts home for friends, or for yourself if you’re like me! I’m a sucker for delicious tasting treats, jams and cheeses, and so it was all to easy to buy a bit here and there to bring home and enjoy later! Here are my top picks:

Mt Stirling Olives

We went here this trip as someone recommended it to us as something to do when we had a couple of hours to kill before we could get into our accommodation. It is a little bit off the beaten track but also near some wineries (quite close to our Air BnB too), and there are plenty of signs to lead you in the right direction.

The shop is in a shed where you can get more than just olives: they have a vast array of fudges to try, and also sell coffee and tea if you feel like a pick me up. Personally I was there to try the olive products, and we were taken through all the different types along with some delicious olive oils and spices. Personally, my favourite thing was the Bush Lime flavoured Olive Oil which was so delicious and had a great zing to it. I also loved the turkish style olives which were marinated with mustard seeds and garlic as they were a bit different to any other marinated olives I’ve tried.

This place was a great spot for gifts and also to sample delicious olive products, but you could also buy an olive tree to take home if you wanted! Unfortunately living in an apartment we decided to wait until we have a bit more room to let it grow!

Stanthorpe Cheese

Another great place we visited was Stanthorpe Cheese. We’ve been there before but went again as it is always a good option when you want some cheese for your weekend to enjoy with a glass or two of wine. They have plenty of cheeses here, all made with cows milk, and you can guarantee there will be something that you like. We loved the blue cheeses here as well as the creamy bries, but the cheddars are just as good. If you want to dine in, they also have options for cheese platters, as well as a cafe serving all sorts of delicious milkshakes, coffees and sweets. You can also sample a lot of the jams, spreads and chutneys from the area here too.

Vincenzo’s at the Big Apple

Vincenzo’s at the Big Apple is something you won’t miss. No, I really mean it, because it is right under the giant red apple that you see on your way into Stanthorpe. I love this place because it has a lot of different produce from both the region but also a wider area (think cheeses from overseas), and they have a great selection of food available to take home. Sometimes you don’t feel like driving to a restaurant at night, particularly if you have the fireplace going, and so Vincenzo’s offers some great freshly made pasta sauces, pizzas and other ready made meals that are ready for you to take home and eat without the cooking! You can also eat here but I never have myself, although I can say the coffee is great!

Suttons Apple Farm

Across the road from Vincenzo’s you’ll find Suttons Apple farm, which you will also find the produce from across Stanthorpe. I love this place and I was a little sad that we didn’t make it back this time around, but it does give us something to do next time! Here you’ll be able to try pretty much every apple product you could ever dream of existing: I’m talking apple juice, apple sauces, apple jam, apple cider, apple pie. Everything is absolutely delicious so you’ll want to try it all, and probably take home some cider and apple juice! But don’t skip the apple pie because it is absolutely incredible and the thing I was the most disappointed about missing! It has to be one of the best apple pies that I’ve ever tasted, and I don’t say that lightly. Stanthorpe is known for its apples and so you wouldn’t be doing it justice to miss a trip to Suttons Apple Farm.

Heavenly Chocolates

Heavenly Chocolates is on the way to Girraween national park and is the perfect stop when you need a chocolate hit. They are the best place, in my opinion, to go for hot chocolates on a cold Stanthorpe day. They have pretty much every flavour of hot chocolate that you could possibly imagine, and they really hit the spot when you’re filling a little chilly! I had a hazlenut one this time around and it was great, but my partner had the tiramisu flavour and it actually tasted like the dessert!

Heavenly chocolates is also a great place to go if you’re after gifts, or something for yourself. They have plenty of choice when it comes to chocolates, so you’re sure to find something that will satisfy your cravings! We bought some peanut butter rocky road and it was incredible!

Walks

To work off all the food and wine we were drinking in Stanthorpe, we decided to go on a walk at Girraween national park. There are heaps of trail options here so regardless of your fitness level or how long you want to walk for, there should be something to suit you. We ended up going on a walk that was about 30 minutes because we weren’t in walking clothes, and found the track to be quite easy to do regardless of our attire. The scenery is worth the walk as well with amazing rock formations throughout the forest, as well as creeks through the granite. It’s a nice way to break up all the wine tasting and make room for some more food!

Food

The Barrel Room

We had been to the Barrel Room at Ballandean estate before, but I remember there being a simpler menu. We decided that we would go for dinner this time to try it out, and it was the most incredible meal. The restaurant is behind the cellar door for Ballandean estate, which is a great winery to visit if you have the time and also one of the oldest in the region. The restaurant is small and intimate with 5 giant barrels taking up the side of it, making for an impressive sight and location for dinner. I loved being able to read the news articles from when the barrels were first delivered and seeing them there!

The food here is all sourced from the region, and the quality of each dish was amazing. I tried things I normally wouldn’t try like turkey foie gras and venison, and both surprised me with how delicious they were. I had a pork dish which was also incredible, but I think the standout to me was the venison.

What I liked most about this restaurant was that the prices of the wine matched those you would find in the cellar door, which made the price of the meal really reasonable. We were also told if we didn’t finish the bottle that we could take it home, which was great as we could have a glass with dinner and enjoy the rest once we were safely home.

The service was also great here, but everyone is so friendly at Ballandean estate and happy to talk to you about the food and the wine. We had such a special meal here and I can’t wait to go back!

Varias

We went to Varias on our winery tour, so I’m not sure if you would be able to get the same experience as us, but I still think it is worth a visit. Varias is at the QLD college of wine tourism and the restaurant is run by the students who are learning about wine making and hospitality. It is such a great initiative, and a great place to visit to see what they do. I couldn’t believe how good the food was that we tasted, and the wine that the students had made that was on tasting was also quite nice.

We had the ‘medley of mains’ which gave us a taste of three dishes, along with a glass of wine that was paired perfectly. It was such a great experience trying three different dishes and being able to have the wine along with it as you really got a feel for the pairings of wine with food. Every dish was delicious and the wine went beautifully, so I would definitely recommend this option if you go for lunch, particularly as it was quite light. I want to go back for a full meal however as the menu looked pretty delicious!

A side note, their tasting room allows you to pour your own tastings, which is both incredibly convenient and also very dangerous!

Brass Monkey Brew House

We went to Brass Monkey Brew House because it was recommended as somewhere that locals go to enjoy some food and great beer. The beer they serve is all made in the area, including the hops plants, so it is truly local beer. It has a really nice down to earth feel, and there are plenty of communal tables to enjoy your food.

They have a couple of great pub food items on the menu that go down perfectly with a tasting paddle of their beers, as well as the cooler weather in Stanthorpe. We enjoyed the meatlovers pizza which had so many toppings I thought it was going to be overpowering, but it wasn’t and even had some spinach on the bottom to balance out the meat. We also had a bratwurst which was paired with mustard, onion relish and cheese in a bun, and was so decadent and delicious.

If you’re after a meal that isn’t super fancy but is just plain delicious, I would definitely recommend this great place. You can stop in for a beer, some good food, and you might even get to pat an adorable pup!

Wine

You’ll have to wait until next week for my wine recommendations because that’s a whole new post!

So there you have it, my top tips for Stanthorpe. I hope that this might inspire you to go to this great place, or maybe give you some ideas if you already have a trip planned!

Until next time, happy eating!

Ella xx