For over 90 years, four generations of the Puglisi family have run Ballandean Estate Wines in Queensland’s Granite Belt wine region near Stanthorpe, creating a cornerstone of Australian vino.
Now the state’s oldest family-owned winery, historically known for its shiraz but also producing a number of more alternative varieties, such as fiano, malbec and a wild-ferment viognier, has been listed for sale with an asking price of $8 million.
The winery’s business services manager, Robyn Puglisi-Henderson – daughter of founder Angelo Puglisi – said the decision to sell came down to lifestyle.
She said the present owners, herself included, and their children were looking to “explore other interests outside the family business”.
“We think it’s kind of an exciting time ... it’s an exciting time for the region as well.”
Robyn Puglisi-Henderson
Puglisi-Henderson said the 77-hectare winery had been stable in the region and she was confident a buyer would come forward. “We’re certainly not in a hurry – we’re not closing the doors tomorrow if we don’t find somebody.”
The family was “open to staying actively involved in the business” for a seamless transition, she said, and its cellar doors would remain open throughout the process.
“You don’t want to sell at a low, you want to sell when the industry is at a high.
“The Australian wine industry [has] crises happening – there isn’t as much wine going to China, people aren’t drinking as much wine – but the smaller wineries [that] concentrate on tourism and experiences and not massive volumes aren’t really as affected by that.
“We think it’s kind of an exciting time, but it’s an exciting time for the region as well … the Granite Belt is a prime position, we’ve got Brisbane, we’ve got the growth of Toowoomba, we’ve got lots of people finding out about us, and I just think it’s a really good time in our industry [here].”
While the winery, on the edge of the New England Tableland, exports to China and sells its product in domestic bottle shops, Puglisi-Henderson said most of the estate’s revenue came from its 50-year tourism business.
She said the business expected an influx of tourists in early July, as the region held its biennial Snowflakes in Stanthorpe winter festival.
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