The story of the Granite Belt is shaped by farmers, foodies and dreamers pursuing their passion amidst the rows of vertile lands.  In 1988, we acquired 20 acres of highly prized land north of Stanthorpe in the Cottonvale district of the Granite Belt. Here, fog and wind from the mountains made Cottonvale the coolest region in the Granite Belt, and the ideal place to grow multiple varieties, in particular Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Fiano. In 1992, inspired by this wellspring of creativity and craftsmanship, we made our inaugural vintage of Chardonnay grown at Cottonvale.   A further 20 acres of vineyard was purchased in 2009, with the Winewood vineyard, which was planted by Dick De Lucca in 1958.

Heritage has been profoundly influenced by our owners, Therese & Robert Fenwick, second-generation Australian farmers who purchased our winery in 2019. After acquiring Heritage, the Fenwick family immediately cemented our focus on Tempranillo and Pinot Gris, by planting acres of highly prized land on the Cottonvale vineyard. In 2019, they began an ambitious program of replanting, while adopting an intimate block-by-block approach to farming to achieve the highest expression of our vineyard and the grape varieties we work with.

Since 2021, gifted winemaker Stephen Oliver has overseen the winemaking at Heritage. In addition to being recognized for making many of the finest wines in our storied history, Stephen oversaw the construction of our modern smart-shed winery, designed to facilitate the small-lot approach that defines our acclaimed estate-grown wines.

“Great wines don’t come from a single vintage—they are the culmination of years of knowledge and experience” says Stephen. “Since 2005, I have had the incredible fortune to work with a beautiful vineyard to create wines that honor Heritage’s historic roots, while also helping to lay the foundation for the next fifty years.”

In 2012, Heritage was honored by Halliday’s Dark Horse Winery.