Jester Hill Wines was purchased by Mick and Ann Bourke in March 2010. The first wine grapes were planted on the property in 1993 – those are Cabernet Sauvignon grapes in the photo.
Like all Granite Belt wine makers Mick is enthusiastic, knowledgeable and eager to have a conversation with anyone about Jester Hill Wines and all things Granite Belt. Visits to the Jester Hill cellar door are usually long and memorable, they have a good restaurant that I will include more information about in a later update. Jester Hill may be the only Granite Belt winery that has Petit Verdot vines in the ground. Many other local wineries make Petit Verdot wines but they source their grapes from an excellent local grower Duncan Ferrier. The Jester Hill ‘Touchstone’ Petit Verdot is a good wine, I have tried the 2010 and more recently the 2016, they were both well made and are big wines.
With the word ‘Jester’ included in the wineries name it won’t surprise to learn that many fun activities with a theatrical twist are held at the winery each year. So Mick and Ann love to entertain and Mick is quite a musician, very keen to accompany other musicians on stage.
In some vintages Mick makes a straight varietal Sangiovese, in other years he produces a Sangiovese Rosé. I have yet to try Mick’s straight Sangiovese but am very keen to do so, it’s a variety I really enjoy and Peter Stark at Boireann in 2014 and 2016 made some rippers. It is a ‘touchy and temperamental’ variety on the Granite Belt though and the resultant workload may explain why not many wineries have it in the ground.
The Wines
Red Wines:
• Touchstone Merlot | • Touchstone Cabernet Sauvignon | • Touchstone Shiraz | • Touchstone – Petit Verdot | • Touchstone Sangiovese | • Two Fools ‘Trinculo’ Red (a light style merlot/cabernet sauvignon blend | • ‘Triboulet’ Blend (shiraz/cabernet sauvignon/petit verdot)
White Wines:
• Touchstone Chardonnay | • Touchstone Roussanne | • Touchstone Souvignon Blanc | • Verdelho | • Touchstone Verdelho | • Sparkling Roussanne
Others:
• Sangiovese Rosé| • Joker’s Blush Rosé (sweeter style) | • nv ‘Muckle John’ fortified Shiraz
Details
Location: 292 Mt Stirling Rd, Glen Aplin 4381.
Hours: 7 days 10 – 5pm.
Call Mick and Ann 
0746834380
Jester Hill Wines Web Site
Jester Hill Wines – Mick fourth from left – is one of seven local vineyards who have formed a group called The Magnificent Seven Wine Makers. These are vineyards which are owned by the person who is also the viticulturist and vintner – owner, grower and wine maker if you prefer. Once each year the group show their wines on an evening in Brisbane. This is a wonderful opportunity to sample a range of excellent Granite Belt wines where you can also chat to the wine makers concerned. The current venue is Victoria Park Golf Complex. I cannot recommend this event to strongly to winelovers everywhere, it’s a great night. The pours are most generous and they often seem to increase as the night progressses. A range of very tasty canapes appears approximately thirty minutes after the wine tasting begins and they keep coming for around 45 minutes. The Facebook page is here:
