Ray Costanzo is a winemaker who likes to push the boundaries.
In addition to making the family's Golden Grove Estate Wines at Ballandean in southern Queensland, Costanzo and his wife Jen also craft some thoroughly modern wines in tiny quantities under their Storm King Wine Co. label. The brand is named after the area where they live.
Using fruit entirely from the Granite Belt, Storm King is making some of the best wines coming out of that state - using some non-mainstream grape varieties as well as extended contact with skins, natural ferments, hand plunging, basket pressing and minimal filtration.
Using fruit entirely from the Granite Belt, Storm King is making some of the best wines coming out of that state - using some non-mainstream grape varieties as well as extended contact with skins, natural ferments, hand plunging, basket pressing and minimal filtration.
All their previous vintages have sold out - a sign that the wines are hitting the mark with consumers.
"This little brand is not about volume, or getting in people's faces," Costanzo says. "It is a project for my myself and my wife that that keeps us happy while also reflecting our sustainable lifestyle."
The new releases include the first vintage of gamay - the Beaujolais grape - from a minuscule first crop, along with a fun 2025 Vermentino, a 2024 Tempranillo and and a 2024 Mataro Graciano.
There is also a rather more mainstream 2024 Shiraz/Malbec blend.
The 2025 Gamay ($50) is a micro-production with fewer than 100 bottles for sale - so you might already be too late. Think partial whole-bunch, carbonic maceration, natural yeast, basket pressing and joyous youthful drinkability.
"I'm very excited about the future of this variety down the road," Costanzo says.
My favourite of the new releases was the super-gluggable 2024 Mataro Graciano ($45) with bright fruit, but impressive savoury notes. Very food friendly.
The 2025 Vermentino ($40) is on the fun and funky side of the spectrum. Think natural ferment on skins, basket pressing, full malo, older oak and lees maturation.
The Costanzos live off grid and make wines that are sustainable, made with minimal intervention but using their scientific backgrounds.
The wines are bright and fun and offer good value. They might just change your mind if you have preconceived ideas about Queensland wines.
See www.stormkingwine.com.au. But be quick - and get on the mailing list for future releases.
