Moon plants stars soil trees microbes fungi mammals bees, we all are, URLAR.
July marks one year since we officially opened our Cellar Door. Since then, we have welcomed thousands of guests from near and far to our slice of paradise.
We’re honoured to have shared our story and showcased our exceptional range of local wines made right here in Gladstone. We’ve welcomed our URLAR friends and family who have come along for a tasting or to enjoy the carefully curated menu from our talented kitchen team.
A particular highlight has been the functions we’ve hosted - from board meetings to Japanese-themed dinners, anniversaries and local performers - no two days ever feel the same out here.
We recently invited local videographer Sean Woollgar and the SWV Productions team out to Dakins Road to help capture the story of URLAR. You can now see the final video on the “Our Story” page of our website.
A huge thank you to Sean - you’ve beautifully encapsulated the spirit of URLAR, and we’re excited to share it with our community.
We have a few exciting plans up our sleeves for the year ahead, so keep an eye on our social media channels and next season's newsletter. In the meantime, pop in and experience our newly launched winter menu - featuring local suppliers and full of cosy wholesome favourites to keep you warm this winter.
Great wines aren’t made from just any fruit - they’re born of the land that nurtures the vines.
At URLAR, we honour this by weaving sustainable practices into everything we do. In our Cellar Door, this means recycling all our glass and tins, sharing food scraps with the neighbours’ chickens, and using compostable rubbish bags, eco-friendly serviettes and cartons wherever we can.
We also pass on our cardboard wine boxes to friends and locals to help them get their garden beds started. It’s all part of us giving back to the earth.
The Winery
Things are a little quieter in the winery now that the cellar hands have wrapped up for the season, but there’s still plenty happening behind the scenes.
The last of the fruit, our late-harvest Riesling, has been through the winery. We froze the grapes and pressed them while still frozen to help concentrate the flavours. The juice is already looking vibrant and full of promise.
We’ve also been settling the final wines into barrel, where they’ll rest for the year ahead, and starting to prepare others for bottling. Much like last year, we’ll be bottling our Pinot Gris and Riesling soon, along with the last of the 2024 Pinot Noir.
Aaron, our Head Winemaker, is heading to France with Sylvain, the cooperage we source our French oak barrels from. They’ll visit oak forests, the cooperage itself, and wineries in Bordeaux and Burgundy. It’s a great opportunity to connect with where our barrels begin, and we’re looking forward to seeing what he brings back to the winery and our wines.
The Vineyard
Winter is settling in, bringing with it a new season of work in the vineyard.
Pruning is now underway, with the team making their way through the rows to carefully prepare the vines for the season ahead. It’s a vital task that sets the foundation for healthy growth and a strong harvest.
Alongside pruning, we’re getting stuck into a few other winter jobs, including installing new aerators in the iconic URLAR lake (keep an eye on our socials to see Bevan and Steve on a scenic boat ride).
We’re also ticking off general maintenance and preparing for the arrival of sheep. They’ll help manage the grass while bringing life and movement to the vineyard landscape over the cooler months.
Winter might be quieter in some ways, but there’s still lots happening behind the scenes to set us up for the year ahead.
