Start the evening with a relaxed grazing platter and wine flight of your choice at The Barrelroom Wine Lounge at Ballandean Estate. Cosy and intimate, you and your beloved can sink into the leather lounges beside the crackling fire and taste the Estate’s Strange Bird premium varietals or their 50th Anniversary Opera Block Shiraz.
Interestingly, the Granite Belt experiments with lesser-known varietals, unlike other regions which are known for one or two signature grapes. Strange Birds are what the region calls the rare varietals crafted in Granite Belt Wine Country. A wine is only called a Strange Bird if it represents less than 1% of Australia’s vines.
There is no shortage of luxury accommodation options in the region to impress for your romantic weekend away. Stay in a giant wine barrel at the Barrel View Luxury Cabins in Ballandean with 180 degree views spanning across Girraween and Sundown national parks. Equipped with king-sized bed, fluffy robes, private ensuite, bottle of Strange Bird wine and breakfast platter for two, you’ll find this the perfect place to unwind.
If an outdoor spa sits high on your list of amenities, you’ll want to book Alure Stanthorpe. With sophisticated villas or glamping tents available, both inclusive of fireplace and outdoor spa for stargazing, you’ll have all the elements required for romance. Alure also offers additional packages for romance including bouquets of fresh roses, lit candelabra, and a bottle of sparkling wine so you don’t need to worry about a thing.
For a rustic cabin in secluded bushland, you’ll want to try the Granite Belt Retreat. The timber cabins include a private veranda, log fire and two-person spa to soak in with a glass of bubbles. With a bar, restaurant and brewery onsite you won’t go hungry with all guests waking up to a breakfast basket filled with freshly baked bread, butter, house-made muesli and jam, milk, local fruit, coffee and apple juice.