Put your best foot forward at the Kingsley Grove Grape Stomp

Delighted squeals from participants, reacting to their first sensations of grapes squishing between their bare toes, created curious excitement amongst spectators at the recent Kingsley Grove Grape Stomp. It is not every day you have the opportunity to step into a tub filled with cold grapes however, participating in this age-old tradition is an activity voted as an experience which should definitely be added to your bucket list.

Posted by Shea on March 17, 2019

“You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy local and that’s kind of the same thing”

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Delighted squeals from participants, reacting to their first sensations of grapes squishing between their bare toes, created curious excitement amongst spectators at the recent Kingsley Grove Grape Stomp. It is not every day you have the opportunity to step into a tub filled with cold grapes however, participating in this age-old tradition is an experience which should definitely be added to your bucket list.

Hail storms are not something Kingsley Grove Estate have previously had to prepare for in the 21 years since Michael and Patricia Berry established their boutique winery in the South Burnett. In fact, to date, the Berry Family have been lucky enough to watch the big storms circle around their winery, escaping any significant long-term damage to their valuable vines. This was until 2019 where, in 10 minutes, they stood by and watched a hail storm descend onto the Estate leaving none of their vines with usable fruit.

So how does a boutique winery, with their ‘Berry to Bottle’ processing routine, keep their cellar door open and continue attracting visitors to their small family run establishment, in the wake of a devastating storm?

Well, one idea is to organise a family-friendly grape stomp event of course and invite everyone over to free camp onsite at the winery, so they can make a whole weekend of it.

How could we resist!

Kingsley Grove – Located in the South Burnett Region, QLD

Kingsley Grove Estate is located in Kingaroy, a town in the South Burnett region of Southern Queensland. Kingaroy is an Aboriginal word for ‘red ant’, their colour a reflection of the rich red soils of the area. Peanuts are traditionally what visitors would have heard of when talking about Kingaroy however, there is much more to the area than just nuts.

It will take you approximately two and a half hours to reach the South Burnett from Brisbane and, as soon as you head inland, you will be treated with stunning views of agricultural farmlands and mountain ranges. Follow the Country Way through these regional communities and you instantly get a sense of the friendly spirit within the local townships you pass through, with many proudly featuring the heritage of rural Australian lifestyles.

This is definitely the type of weekend getaway where you stop at roadside fruit and vegetable stalls along the way. By all means stock up on the seasonal produce on offer at the farm gate – but make sure you leave space in the car for the wine.

The South Burnett Wine Region

According to Queensland Wine, the South Burnett is now recognised as one of the fastest developing wine regions in Queensland, with 25 established vineyards at the time of publishing. Local makers have begun to attract attention by winning an impressive collection of both State and National Awards, a feat which is truly commendable considering the area is only just over a decade old.

The South Burnett Wine Industry Association are recognising the Verdelho as the regions ‘signature’ wine and its distinct tropical flavour and aroma appropriately reflects the warmer climate of the area.

The Verdelho is definitely a best-selling single wine/varietal at the Kingsley Grove Estate and, with each vintage ready to drink as soon as it is bottled, it’s consistently found to sell out – so you need to get in quick!

Kingsley Grove Estate Vineyard and Winery

You are welcomed into Kingsley Grove Estate via the long driveway which runs directly through the 24 acres (10 Hectares) of vines. There are currently 10 varieties planted in this family owned and run boutique winery and the entire ‘Berry to Bottle’ process is coordinated by the winemaker Simon. It was Simon’s parents, Michael and Patricia Berry, who planted the first vines back in 1998.

Michael and Patricia have since retired which has provided the opportunity for their Son Simon, his Wife Jo and their two Daughters to take on the entire operations of the property and continue to develop the family legacy.

Kingsley Grove Grape Stomp

This might be the home of the Queensland Grape Stomp, but don’t let the manual labour of the recent weekend’s festivities fool you. Dancing about in tubs of grapes was merely a tribute into the history of winemaking, with the intention of injecting some fun into the community – and what a community they have.

Organising an event such as this is where Jo is able to shine and her smiling face didn’t waver the whole day. Jo proudly introduced us all to the colourful varieties of wine at the wineries own cellar door and, together with her team, as well as support from local businesses in the area, treated us to a three course, homecooked banquet, which was topped with seasonal produce and complemented with their very own wine ice cream for dessert.

In between wine tours Simon could be found at the pizza oven and served woodfired pizzas for what felt like the majority of the day. All the children were entertained with face painting and waterslides, as well as being invited to enjoy more than one turn stomping in the tubs.

Let’s Talk Winemaking at Kingsley Grove – with Simon

There is a lot to take in during a wine tour however one thing we did confirm is, contrary to what was going on outside with the grape stomping, Kingsley Grove has little need for ‘people power’ to aid in producing their boutique wine, as the process is supported by the top-of-the-line equipment and latest in technology. It is safe to say Simon is in his element although, he is quick to ensure me he could not do what he does without the help of a lot of people, from their Viticulturist (Peter Stewart) to the lads employed every year to put on and take off bird netting which protects the fresh grapes grown only a few hundred metres walk away.

I was keen to understand what the unique benefits we, as consumers, have the advantage of when supporting a boutique winery, as opposed to mainstream/mass produced wines, so I put the question directly to Simon.

“The main point of difference is in the uniqueness of the product, or what the French refer to as terroir. This essentially means that the wines produced by a boutique operator are all single batch wines made in small volumes from a single block in a single vineyard. Mass produced wines are made primarily from grapes sourced from many vineyards meaning that they are not truly reflective of environmental and climatic conditions of any one region or area within a region. By using small parcels of fruit from our vineyard we can better ensure fruit quality and consistency in ripeness of the fruit. This does not guarantee that all boutiques are better than commercially made wines but does ensure that the finished product has been handmade, had more attention to detail and is truly reflective of the region it was grown.”

If you are looking to expand your knowledge of the beauty of small batch winemaking Simon recommends this article for a bit more insight.

For many of us, Simon included, the added preservatives in wine can cause varying degrees of health issues. So, on behalf of all of you reading this who are sensitive to this ingredient, here is Kingsley Groves take on the matter.

“We normally measure in ppm (parts per million) which is variable, depending on the pH and type of wine. As a rough guide, our table wines are generally finished with a free sulphur level of 15-40ppm (the higher amount being required in a sweet white).”

Those of you who are partial to a bottle of sparkling will be thrilled to know that bubbles are a great choice when considering the level of added preservatives. In fact, the level across wine varieties are (from lowest to highest) sparkling, fortified, reds, rose, dry whites, sweet whites.

Pin For Later

You might, or might not, be aware that rural Australia has been suffering from drought for an extended period of time and the South Burnett hasn’t escaped the carnage. There are choices to be made during a time like this and inviting the public to experience their corner of Queensland is definitely taking a positive stand.

This community of the South Burnett still have a lot to offer, regardless of the events of the season and are determined not to be beaten. The countryside might be unmistakably dry in the surrounding area of Kingaroy however, this agricultural region is still open for business and the best thing you can do right now is to support local. After all, there is beauty in a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains, of ragged mountain ranges, of droughts and flooding rains…

X Shea

Those who would like to know more about Kingsley Grove Estate, including future events, can follow this link to their website or contact the team directly at: contact@kingsleygrove.com

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Disclaimer: CWMS has in no way or means been sponsored by Kingsley Grove Estate to write this post and the thoughts and opinions expressed are purely our own. CWMS is excited to share this discovery and to start conversations which aligns with our Keeping it R.E.A.L ethos. We would love you to support this mission by sharing this post as together, we can all be the difference we want to see in this world…