Shorter days, lower humidity and cooler temperatures might signal to us Queenslanders that it’s time to bring out the woolly blanket, but to Australia’s vignerons, the change of season brings a collective sigh of relief as vintage ends with all their fruit harvested and the juice safely tucked away in barrel.
However, for these artisan craftspeople there’s no long holiday at the end of the picking period, as it’s the one time of the year that they can get away from the vineyards and winery and showcase their wines to the world at large.
It could be just the attraction of our benign winters here on the Sunshine Coast (or perhaps because we’re just such delightful people!), but year after year there’s a procession of winemakers who visit our region around this time to showcase their wares and sell the product of their hard labour. And 2025 has been no exception. The parade began with the Travis Schultz Winemakers Master Class for SunnyKids hosting three exceptional winemaking talents; Simon Black from Montalto, Peter Saturno of Longview and Steve Kurtz of Kurtz Family Vineyards.
All three family-owned wineries pride themselves on their quality of fruit and small-batch winemaking approach, but the diversity of style and flavour was remarkable. From the crisp, clean, cool climate style from Longview in the Adelaide Hills to the elegance and grace of the Montalto wines from the Mornington Peninsula and the power and presence of the Kurtz reds from the Barossa Valley, there truly was something on offer for every palate.
Choosing a favourite wine from the event was a bit like being asked to name your favourite child. A quick straw poll on the day showed just how close the contest was, with guests being almost equally divided on their nomination for wine of the event. For me, ‘the best’ wine is entirely dependent on situation, occasion and cuisine.
For a pre-dinner aperitif or a casual Sunday afternoon tipple, the 2024 Longview Macclesfield Gruner Veltliner fits the bill. It’s a spicy and aromatic style that pits a purity of fruit on the palate up against a zesty acidity on the conclusion. There’s an understated elegance to the wine, from the lifted pear and lime on the nose to flint and quartz minerality on the edges. It’s tang with a bang, and surprisingly great value at only around $27 a bottle.
As a partner for chicken and pork, or even molluscs and crustaceans, the 2023 Montalto Estate Chardonnay goes hand in glove. It’s a delightful expression of the Queen of Burgundy and showcases the Mornington Peninsula to perfection. On the nose, vibrant citrus notes, barley and nutmeg burst out of the glass before subtle Granny Smith apple, citrus and pear entwine with vanillin spice and toasty oak at the back end. It’s an energetic wine that hits a crescendo on the mid-palate, then delivers stone fruit and a hint of minerality on a lingering finale. Yum and double yum!
When the mercury drops, the fireplace is cranking and inner warmth is a priority, it’s hard to go past the Kurtz Lunar Block Shiraz 2021.
Up front, apart from the prettiness and mint, the nose gives little away, but take a sip and your senses will be greeted by sage and olive tapenade before being overwhelmed by ripe red and black fruits. Blackberry, plums, black cherries and dark chocolate dominate, though there’s also a bewitching cameo by cassis and savoury nuances that briefly congregate on the mid-palate.
Tight acids constrain the fruit and ensure balance — something that not all Barossa reds manage to achieve. But the layers, the complexity, the vibrancy of fruit and the elegance of ripe berries are overshadowed by the sophistication of the Lunar Block. It’s a stunning wine that is typically Barossa, but which is all about the conclusion where the gentle spices and gravelly tannins seem to lengthen stride and do their best work past the proverbial post.
The 2025 Winemakers Master Class raised $208,000 for SunnyKids — funds that will go a long way to supporting the programs that SunnyKids provides to disadvantaged children and their families right across the Sunshine Coast region. A big thank you to this year’s visiting winemakers, Simon Black, Peter Saturno and Steve Kurtz, for bringing their finest wines to the Coast to support this charitable cause. And kudos to NAB Private Wealth for once again being naming rights sponsor and making the event possible. Until 2026, cheers!