Summit Estate Winery was established in 1997. The winery began when a group of people with a common interest and love of wine decided to do more than just cellar and drink wine, for them a logical progression was to establish a vineyard in a wine growing region that has given them joy and entertainment over many years. So they purchased land on Queensland’s Granite Belt at 925M which makes this property one of the highest and coolest vineyards in Australia. A large number of grape varieties have been planted at Summit Estate including Tannat which is only grown at two other vineyards in The Granite Belt GI.
The estate had seen a number of winemakers over the years currently John Handy Heritage Estate’s winemaker is the consultant winemaker and oversees the winemaking at Summit Estate. Mike Hayes had previously made the estate wines and before Mike there was a master blender originally from Argentina Paola Cabezas Bono. Paola was the originator of one of Summit Estate’s signature wines ‘Alto Blend’. This creative blend, in it’s current manifestation, is a combination of Shiraz, Malbec, Monastrell, Pinot Noir and Grenache. The blend is probably the most requested and purchased wine in the estate’s portfolio.
A feature inside the estate’s cellar door is a large tasting room ‘The Aroma Room’ where customers can spend time acquainting themselves with the considerable nuances that the wines have to offer.
Fridays and Saturdays see the estate remaining open until 8pm. The reason is to experience the magnificent sunsets which patrons can do by relaxing in bean bags which are distributed over the sizeable lawn space while enjoying music, wine and whatever picnic food they wish to bring. If you have seen the sunsets over the Aegean Sea on the north of Santorini in the Greek Islands you will have some idea of what these events have to offer at Summit Estate. Nick Pasley, the Cellar Door Manager, will look after you when you visit for a tasting. Nick holds a lot of wine knowledge and is an educational experience when you taste the wines, it’s a bonus that he is very unassuming and has the skill to guide tasters to their own palates conclusions.
As well as the large tasting Aroma Room Summit Estate has a spacious area immediately inside the entrance where there are a number of tables and chairs in front of a long servery area where the wines are dispensed. The current process for tasting is that you are given two sheets listing the wines, one for whites the other for reds, and a marker. You mark the wines you wish to taste and Nick pours these for you. When you encounter a wine you’re interested in you mark it on the right side of the sheet, this could become a wine you purchase after the tasting. In addition to the Friday and Saturday Sunset Sessions Summit Estate has two popular events each year – Harvest Dinner and Winter Soltice.
Tasting at Summit Estate
Ouside near the entrance and inside – a small section of the large tasting area
The Wines
Red Wines:
• Alto Blend | • Tannat | • Reserve Tempranillo | • Soltice Red | • Merlot | • Queensland Cabernet | • Wild Ferment Syrah | • Pinot Noir | • Wickerman Syrah | • Wickerman Cabernet Sauvignon | • Wickerman Tempranillo | • Emily Rosé
White Wines:
• Fiano | • Viognier | • Chardonnay | • Avant Garde – Marsanne/Viognier | • Avant Garde – Verdelho | • Star Jasmine Moscato | • Pinnacle White | •
Sparkling:
• Sparkling Tempranillo | • Sparkling Red – Mourvedre/Petit Verdot | • Sparkling Pinot Noir | • Sparkling Marsanne | • White Sparkling Muscat
Others:
• Anchorage Tawny Port
Details
Location: 291 Granite Belt Drive, Thulimbah 4376.
Hours: Sunday and Monday 10am – 2pm. Thursday 12noon – 4pm. Friday and Saturday 10am – 6pm
Call Summit Estate Winery 
07 4683 2011
Summit Estate Winery Web Site
