editorial

Words by Nannette Holliday 
August 10, 2026
A new estate is bringing a Greek spirit to one of Australia’s most exciting wine regions.
<figure id="attachment_161425" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-161425" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-161425" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Meteora-Vineyard-Queensland-Restaurant-Dishes-and-Chief-Winemaker.jpeg" alt="Dishes served at Meteora Vineyard’s restaurant; chief winemaker Andy Williams." width="1200" height="800" srcset="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Meteora-Vineyard-Queensland-Restaurant-Dishes-and-Chief-Winemaker.jpeg 1200w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Meteora-Vineyard-Queensland-Restaurant-Dishes-and-Chief-Winemaker-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Meteora-Vineyard-Queensland-Restaurant-Dishes-and-Chief-Winemaker-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Meteora-Vineyard-Queensland-Restaurant-Dishes-and-Chief-Winemaker-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-161425" class="wp-caption-text">Left to right: Dishes served at Meteora Vineyard’s restaurant; chief winemaker Andy Williams. (All photos: Heart and Colour Photography)</figcaption></figure>
High on Queensland’s southern border, where the Great Dividing Range brings altitude and cool nights to an otherwise subtropical landscape, a bold new winery experience has emerged among the rocky outcrops of the Granite Belt.
Opened in July, <a href="https://www.meteoravineyard.com.au/?DestinAsian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Meteora Vineyard</a> is the brain child of Brisbane-based entrepreneurs Andrew and Karen Catsoulis, whose Greek heritage is reflected throughout the estate, from its name—inspired by the soaring rock formations and cliff-top monasteries of Thessaly in central Greece—to its warm approach to hospitality.
Meteora’s centerpiece is an architecturally striking building constructed from more than 10,000 reclaimed heritage bricks, steel framing, and hardwood salvaged from old railway bridges. It houses a tasting room and restaurant led by chef Simon Treller, whose seasonal menu showcases local Bald Rock beef, wild mushrooms, and regional truffles. The estate also features Queensland’s first underground wine cave, carved into a granite hillside with space for more than 250 barrels.
But it’s the wine program that really sets Meteora apart from other Granite Belt estates. Chief winemaker Andy Williams champions alternative Mediterranean varietals that showcase both the distinctive terroir and the potential of viticulture in Queensland’s high country. Alongside chardonnay and shiraz, Meteora produces fiano, vermentino, lagrein, and aglianico, making for one of the Granite Belt’s most distinctive tasting experiences. All four will be highlighted in a new collection of bottles to be launched this September.
For those not opting for the helicopter transfer, the drive from Brisbane takes more than three hours. But it’s worth it. Long lunches, private dining, and bespoke wine tastings are all part of the appeal. A wellness center and luxury cabins with private saunas, due to open in October, will complete a destination that feels less like a new arrival than one whose time has come.
<figure id="attachment_161422" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-161422" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-161422" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Meteora-Vineyard-Queensland-Chardonnay-Wine-and-Restaurant-Terrace.jpeg" alt="A bottle of Meteora chardonnay; the estate’s restaurant terrace overlooks the grapevines." width="1200" height="800" srcset="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Meteora-Vineyard-Queensland-Chardonnay-Wine-and-Restaurant-Terrace.jpeg 1200w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Meteora-Vineyard-Queensland-Chardonnay-Wine-and-Restaurant-Terrace-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Meteora-Vineyard-Queensland-Chardonnay-Wine-and-Restaurant-Terrace-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Meteora-Vineyard-Queensland-Chardonnay-Wine-and-Restaurant-Terrace-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-161422" class="wp-caption-text">Left to right: A bottle of Meteora chardonnay; the estate’s restaurant terrace overlooks the grapevines.</figcaption></figure>
This article originally appeared in the <a href="https://subscription.destinasian.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">August/September 2026</a> print issue of DestinAsian magazine (“Grape Escape”). Buy a single issue or subscribe <a href="https://subscription.destinasian.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The exterior of the striking main building at Meteora Vineyard in Queensland, Australia.

Meteora Vineyard: The Granite Belt’s Latest Draw