Fortitude Valley Will Soon Be Home to Brisbane's First Inner-City Winery
And you'll be able to help make the wine, as well as drink it.
Throw a stone in Brisbane's inner city, and it'll likely hit a bar. But try to find somewhere that doesn't just pour wine, but makes it, and it's a completely different story. Come early 2019, that'll change with the opening of the Brissie's first urban micro-winery: City Winery Brisbane.
Making its home in the old Campos Coffee in Fortitude Valley, City Winery Brisbane clearly won't boast its own sprawling vineyard on-site. But, after sourcing grapes from around the country, it will be stomping, barrelling, bottling and serving vino in Wandoo Street. Brisbanites will even be able to help with all of the steps in the process (and drink it too, obviously).
As well as a barrel room and winery that'll double as a function space when each year's vintage is complete, and a cellar that will also be used as a 20-person private dining room, the site will feature a 70-seat restaurant highlighting modern Australian cuisine. Chef Travis Crane is heading up the kitchen, whipping up a menu that revolves around an open fire. While the exact dishes won't be revealed until closer to City Winery Brisbane's opening, Crane will be sourcing fresh produce from the establishment's own market garden in Rosewood.
A collaboration between winemaker Dave Cush and City Winery Brisbane's managing director Adam Penberthy, the venture has been more than 18 months in the making — largely due to the difficulties of finding the right warehouse-style location.
When the venue opens its doors, it'll actually nod to the city's winemaking history. "In the 1800s, there were over 350 acres of
grape vines planted throughout the city," Cush explains. "The Lamberts had a vineyard along Lambert Road in Indooroopilly, there was substantial vineyards throughout Mitchelton, and of course Carl Gerler who had a 14 acre vineyard along the Brisbane River where Kingsford Smith Drive is today."
In honour of the latter, City Winery Brisbane's own wine label will be named Gerler.
Find City Winery Brisbane at 11 Wandoo Street, Fortitude Valley from early 2019. To keep an eye out for further details, visit the winery's website.
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