Ravens Croft Wines was established in 2004 with the purchase of a property on Spring Creek Road. Mark has planted Verdelho and Pinotage on the property.
Mark, originally from South Africa where he made the wines at Onverwacht Wine Estate, arrived on the Granite Belt in approximately 1998 via winemaking stints at Tyrells in the Hunter Valley, Capel Vale and Wise Winery in Western Australia. In the Granite Belt he made the wines for Ballandean Estate for three vintages and then Robert Channon.
Mark is an excellent grower/wine maker and he has the only vineyard on the Granite Belt with Pinotage vines. Pinotage is a variety developed in South Africa from Pinot Noir and Cinsault. In the video on this page Mark is describing the characteristics of the Pinotage grape – note on some devices the volume is muted by default so you will have to turn it on. 
Mark is in his element when he is talking about wine and sampling with visitors to his cellar door. He is very knowledgeable and happy to share that knowledge with everyone. You will not only enjoy your visit to Mark’s cellar door but you will likely leave somewhat more enriched by the overall experience. Mark has the only local winery that also produces an Apple Cider in a ‘scrumpy style’. One of my favourite Granite Belt wines is Mark’s joven style Tempranillo, some vintages are better than others but it is consistently good across them all and being joven it is well suited to drinking in the warmer months of Queensland weather as well as the winter cold. Mark also makes a true cellaring style red wine ‘The Waagee’ which spends 20 months on a combination of new and one year old oak.
The Wines
Red Wines:
• Tempranillo | • Petit Verdot | • Pinotage | • Petit Verdot | • The Waagee
The Waagee is a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Merlot, it needs a sleep in your cellar.
White Wines:
• Good Girls/Bad Boys Chardonnay | • Pinot Grigio | • Verdelho
Others:
Rosé • Mark makes a rosé style wine from different grapes depending upon vintage and availability.
Details
Location: 274 Spring Creek Rd, Stanthorpe QLD.
Hours: Friday to Sunday & Long Weekends – 10:30 to 4:30pm.
Call Mark 
0746833252
Ravens Croft Wines Web Site
Ravens Croft Wines – Mark third from right – 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:
