10 Inventive Ways to Romantic Moments in Wine Country: from $6 to $340
Impress your partner in Granite Belt Wine Country… we’ve got options for EVERY budget! It’s all just a day-trip or weekender away in the Southern Queensland countryside (2hrs from Toowoomba and 2.5hrs from Brisbane).
1. Ready-to-Grab Picnic…
$6 Petit Fours or $20 Antipasto Pack
It’s so easy it’s almost cheating! Set up a romantic sunset picnic at Mt Marlay Lookout and all the work is done for you if you first swing by The Queensland College of Wine Tourism in Stanthorpe. We love their ready-to-grab picnic takeaways, which you can find in their foyer, stocked and ready to go!
Satisfy your partner’s sweet tooth with the $6 petit fours pack, or grab the $20 antipasto picnic takeaway for a lovely selection of cheeses, meats, olives and crackers, complete with wooden picnic cutlery. Add local Granite Belt apple juice to your pick-up list (it’s sold at the college too), or some wine if you’re to a suitable location to enjoy alcohol and you’ve got your whole picnic covered.
2. Going Back to the Chapel
Lunch and snacks under $15
So it may not be the chapel of love… but it’s the chapel of wine and isn’t that even better! Romantic feel-goods come easy when your venue is a cute chapel and we know just the one! Heritage Estate’s cellar door north of Stanthorpe along the New England Highway has the romantic setting all ready and waiting, 7 days a week. Owners Patty and Bryce have an eye for heritage style and inside the old chapel is decked with the charm of antique chairs, silver vases of flowers and beautiful wood panelling all around. It’s a lovely wine tasting spot, coupled with morning or afternoon tea, or a light lunch.
3. Do Business Class… Without Taking Off
Complimentary tastings. Purchase from $45 bottle.
Treat your partner to a Qantas Business Class experience, without the expense of the flights! Available from 1st March, Symphony Hill Wines at Ballandean will be offering complimentary cellar door wine tasting of all three of their wines which are currently being served on Qantas Business Class. Tastings of this suite of wines has never been available before, so treat your partner to this fine wine tasting experience and choose your favourite bottle (or bottles!) together to take home. Symphony Hill are open 7 days.
- 2016 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon RRP $95 (rated 5 stars James Halliday)
- 2016 Reserve Nero d’Avola RRP $65
- 2018 Gewurztraminer RRP $45 GOLD 2018 Australian Small Vigneron Awards
4. The Ultimate Fairytale Cottage with Spiral Staircase!
$140 – $200/night
You too can be smugly satisfied with your romantic efforts, just like Rowan in this pic (hahaha!). That smile says it all, Rowan booked in a cutest-ever fairytale cottage, compete with a spiral decorative staircase to the loft bedroom at Briar Rose Cottages.
If your partner is all about cute cottages, you must also check out Diamondvale Cottages and while we’re talking about impressing your loved one – we also recommend the Octavia suite (the master suite) at Grovely House Bed & Breakfast in Stanthorpe. It offers absolute luxury and privacy – it’s REALLY impressive! View all accommodation in the Granite Belt region here.
5. Three’s Company at Hidden Creek Vineyard
Picnic basket $75 – $90
If your relationship is more of a threesome with your doggie fur-baby coming along to all the outings – bring your pooch along for a romantic waterside picnic at Hidden Creek Winery Café. Here they make absolutely gorgeous picnic baskets, full of local Granite Belt produce, which can be taken anywhere on the property to enjoy in a spot you choose. There’s some beautiful spots under the shady trees by the waterside, with views across towards the vineyard. There’s also alfresco table seating under shady trees and dining inside with views. Open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday for lunch (reservations are essential). View the menu.
Two other top spots for enjoying a romantic moment over a local produce platter:
- In the Barrelroom at Ballandean Estate Wines (amidst the giant and majestic 150 year old German Beer barrels which are the oldest working barrels in Queensland – filled with ageing Port and Liqueur Muscat)
- Overlooking the beautiful countryside and vineyard views at Jester Hill Wines at Glen Aplin (between Stanthorpe and Ballandean)
6. Strawberry Picking and Pink Sparkling Rose!
Pay by weight for strawberries. $24 bottle Sparkling Rose.
Take a romantic stroll through the strawberry patch at Ashbern Farms in Stanthorpe, picking your own strawberries to take home. And for the perfect romantic pairing – take a country drive down to Girraween Estate cellar door and purchase some of their famed Sparkling Rose – their most popular wine. It has beautiful aromas of strawberries and Turkish delight and a palate packed with flavour. View the Strange Bird Wine Trail Map to find Girraween Estate nearby to Balancing Rock Wines and Pyramids Road Wines – all in the picturesque Wyberba Valley near Girraween National Park. It’s a stunning, picturesque area on the Granite Belt for romantic country drives! The strawberry farm is open Wednesday to Sunday and Girraween Estate is open Saturday and Sundays.
7. World-class Dining to Impress at Varias
$310/couple for full day wine tour including an AMAZING lunch
If you’re looking to impress, there’s no going past the World-class dining experience of Varias Restaurant at the Queensland College of Wine Tourism in Stanthorpe. It’s open lunch 7 days and dinner Friday and Saturday nights. To up the romance, we recommend visiting Varias as part of a private full day wine tour for two, with Wine Discovery Tours. They offer lunch dining at Varias Restaurant as part of all wine tours. Varias’ signature ‘Medley of Mains’ offers the ultimate dining experience, featuring local produce served with 3 main meals side-by-side on a platter, followed by dessert and all with perfectly matching wines!Tour price varies with passenger numbers and high/low season. VIEW PRICING & Inclusions.
More about Wine Discovery tours.
photo: @jeneylovetravel
8. Discover Your Inner Wine Animal Together!
We guarantee there will be some fun romantic banter on this wine outing… Visit the cellar door at Rumbalara Estate Wines for a wine tasting, where you’ll be invited to discover together what your ‘wine animal’ is. With wines named ‘The Elephant, The Rhino, The Leopard, The Buffalo and The Lion’ it’s fun discovering which one is to your taste. David the cellar door manager will assure you that you won’t love them all – they are designed so that usually one or a few will stand out and meet your personal taste. Open 7 days a week 10am – 5pm, a short drive south of Stanthorpe.
9. Enjoy this Completely Private Lookout
2 nights stay from $380
If you’re looking for that perfect, private and simply stunning spot to present your partner with a gift or just a special moment, we know just the spot! 31 The Rocks are modern villas located on the outskirts of Stanthorpe and on the bushland at the back of the villas there is a walk up to an absolutely breathtaking private lookout available to guests.
The views high across the countryside and vineyards below re even more special at sunset. It’s the ideal private spot if you want to first deposit a surprise gift to lay in waiting at the top! VIEW CURRENT PRICING
10. A Vineyard Walk to this Love-Heart Balancing Rock!
And finally, what could be more romantic than a stroll through the vineyard to discover this love-heart shaped granite rock, balancing right in the middle of the vineyard! Balancing Rock Wines is located a short drive south east of Ballandean in the beautiful Wyberba Valley area. Balancing Rock wines is open Friday to Monday.
*Note: Prices are based on prices as at February 2019 and updated as practical since this time. Please check current prices with the operator prior to purchase.