fbpx
Filter by Suburb
Select all
Broadbeach
Burleigh
Coolangatta
Currumbin
Main Beach
Mermaid Beach
Miami
Nobby's Beach
North Burleigh
Palm Beach
Robina
Southport
Surfers Paradise
Tugun
Water Fun

Your autumn wine line-up

Wines that tell a story: Téssera Wines and Welland Wines.

Enjoying a glass of red wine (image via unsplash)
Enjoying a glass of red wine (image via unsplash)

At Wine Simple, we believe great wine isn’t just made—it’s crafted with care, tradition, and heart. Every bottle we offer comes with a story, sourced from passionate small winemakers and hidden gems across Australia’s finest regions.

Welland Wines: Preserving Barossa’s Legacy
In 2017, a historic Barossa Valley vineyard planted in 1923 faced destruction, listed for sale as a development site. A group of friends, led by Ben and Madeleine Chapman, refused to let its legacy be lost.

Outbidding developers, they saved the vineyard and created Welland Wines – a testament to preservation and passion.

Aerial view of the historic Welland Vineyard, which was saved from redevelopment in 2017 (image supplied)
Aerial view of the historic Welland Vineyard, which was saved from redevelopment in 2017 (image supplied)

Old Hands Shiraz 2018 BAROSSA VALLEY – $70
The Old Hands Shiraz is the wine that started it all for Welland Wines. It’s made from the 100 year old vines saved from the bulldozer. It honours the grape growers whose generational knowledge has shaped the Barossa into one of the world’s greatest wine regions. This is classic Barossa Shiraz—bold and generous. Aromas of red fruits, sweet spice, and cedar give way to a palate of dark fruits, chocolate, and soft tannins.

Valley & Valley SHIRAZ 2022 & CABERNET SAUVIGNON BAROSSA & EDEN VALLEYS – $30
The Valley & Valley Range celebrates the unique character of both the Barossa and Eden Valleys. Welland use fruit from both valleys to create the best of both regions.

Valley & Valley Shiraz: Concentrated red and blue fruits are balanced with dark chocolate, mocha, and subtle spice. The palate is rich, with soft tannins and great length.

Valley & Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: Dark fruits, cassis, and licorice shine alongside hints of spice and oak. Smooth, elegant tannins provide a long, satisfying finish. Both wines are carefully fermented and aged for up to 12 months in American oak, offering a true taste of Barossa quality.

Exceptional quality for the price.

Welland 2018 Old Hands Shiraz (image supplied)
Welland 2018 Old Hands Shiraz (image supplied)

Téssera Wines:  Connection in Every Glass
Founded by four friends over a bottle of wine, Téssera Wines is all about bringing people together. Though based in Brisbane, the Téssera team sources fruit from South Australia’s exceptional Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale regions to craft wines that are as memorable as the moments they accompany.

The team behind Tessera Wines (image supplied)
The team behind Tessera Wines (image supplied)

The Good Oil Cabernet-Shiraz BLEND 2021 – $30
The Good Oil Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon is a beautifully balanced 50/50 blend. Using traditional techniques like basket pressing and open fermentation, it matures for 20 months in American oak. The result? Layers of blackcurrant, roasted capsicum, and leather, with a hint of Christmas cake on the finish. Pair it with Barbecued Greek Lamb and Tzatziki for an unforgettable meal.

Peggy Sue Sparkling Pinot Noir – $30
The Peggy Sue Sparkling Pinot Noir is pure celebration. Pale salmon in colour, its delicate bubbles burst with flavours of peaches and strawberries, finishing crisp and vibrant. Perfect for any celebration – or simply “just because”.

Peggy Sue Sparkling Pinot Noir (image supplied)
Peggy Sue Sparkling Pinot Noir (image supplied)

All wines are available online or direct from the winery.

About Matt Chalmers and Wine Simple
Wine Simple offers handpicked, high-quality wines that showcases the craftsmanship of Australia’s best winemakers, with each bottle telling a story. With convenient Australia-wide delivery, Wine Simple brings the finest wines directly to your door.

FYI, Wine Simple is offering Inside Gold Coast readers 10% with the code INSIDEGC.

Website: www.winesimple.com.au
Instagram: @winesimple.com.au

STORY SPONSORED BY WINE SIMPLE

Wine Simple (image supplied)
Wine Simple (image supplied)

Your summer wine line-up

Enjoying a glass of white wine at the beach (image by Zan Lazarevic via unsplash)
Enjoying a glass of white wine at the beach (image by Zan Lazarevic via unsplash)

Summer is just around the corner and we’re more than ready to enjoy the sunshine with a glass of wine in hand. Who better to guide us through some top-notch summer sips than Matt Chalmers, founder of Wine Simple and all-around wine connoisseur? Matt’s love for wine goes way back, and after over two decades in law enforcement, he traded his badge for bottles, bringing us the best Australian-made wines.

Matt shared three of his top wine picks for long, lazy summer afternoons. Whether you’re picnicking on Burleigh Hill or enjoying a seafood feast on your balconty, these wines will elevate your summer experience. Let’s uncork!

Torzi Matthews Frost Dodger Riesling 2023 (image supplied)
Torzi Matthews Frost Dodger Riesling 2023 (image supplied)

Torzi Matthews Frost Dodger Riesling 2023
Eden Valley
$24

The Torzi Matthews Frost Dodger Riesling 2023 is perfect for warm summer days. Grown in the high-altitude Eden Valley, this Riesling brims with freshness. Expect lively aromas of lemon blossom and white peach.  The pristine acidity balances beautifully with its juicy citrus core, creating a mouth-watering sensation with every sip.

On the palate, notes of green apple and lime unfold alongside a refreshing crisp mineral-driven finish.

Spend the arvo like a local and head to Burleigh Hill. Grab some local fish and chips, a bottle of this Riesling, find a spot on the grass and I guarantee there is no better spot to watch the waves roll in before the sky turns gold as the sun sets on a yet another glorious day. This Riesling is a must-bring for your next summer evening either on Burleigh Hill or at your favourite spot.

Purple Hands 2024 Colours of the South Pinot Gris
Purple Hands 2024 Colours of the South Pinot Gris

Purple Hands 2024 Colours of the South Pinot Gris
Adelaide Hills
$30

Nothing embodies summer like a cool, crisp Pinot Gris, and Purple Hands’ 2024 Colours of the South does it brilliantly. Vibrant as the season, it offers a refreshing escape with its delicate, fruit-forward profile. The palate delivers purity, with juicy citrus and stone fruit notes, and a touch of minerality that adds depth without any heaviness. Its summer in a glass.

For a truly relaxed Queensland experience, take this Pinot Gris down to Talle (Tallebudgera Creek). Whether cooling off in the calm waters or lounging on the sandy banks, pair it with a fresh prawn and mango salad. Perfect for a laid-back summer day.

Tillie J Chardonnay 2022 (image supplied)
Tillie J Chardonnay 2022 (image supplied)

Tillie J Chardonnay 2022
Yarra Valley
$50

Tillie J Chardonnay 2022 exudes sophistication. Sourced from the Yarra Valley, this Chardonnay showcases balance, elegance, and complexity. From the first sip, layers of ripe stone fruit—peach and nectarine—intertwined with subtle citrus zest and a hint of vanilla bean. A touch of oak adds depth and creaminess without overpowering the wine’s natural brightness.

On the palate, the wine’s velvety mouthfeel transitions beautifully from tropical fruits to a delicate nuttiness and minerality. Its balanced acidity offers a refreshing finish that lingers. This is a wine that speaks of refined craftsmanship.

Picture yourself on a warm summer evening, enjoying the cool breeze on your balcony, overlooking the Gold Coast skyline. Pair it with grilled Queensland lobster or a creamy truffle pasta to elevate its rich complexity. Whether entertaining guests or savouring a quiet night, Tillie J Chardonnay brings luxury to any occasion.

Wine Simple (image supplied)
Wine Simple (image supplied)

All wines are available online or direct from the winery

About Matt Chalmers and Wine Simple
Wine Simple offers handpicked, high-quality wines that showcases the craftsmanship of Australia’s best winemakers, with each bottle telling a story. With convenient Australia-wide delivery, Wine Simple brings the finest wines directly to your door.

Need Wine? Simple. Wine Simple.

FYI, Wine Simple is offering Inside Gold Coast readers 10% with the code INSIDEGC.

Website: www.winesimple.com.au
Instagram: @winesimple.com.au

STORY SPONSORED BY WINE SIMPLE

13 Gold Coast venues with exceptional wine offerings

La Bella Cellar interior (Image: © 2020 Inside Gold Coast)
La Bella Cellar interior (Image: © 2020 Inside Gold Coast)

When it comes to wine growing and producing, whether you know it or not, Australia is up there in the world with some of the best. And although we might not have the legacy and history of our European cousins, we still knock out some fantastic drops!

Whether you’re a fan of Euro classics or enjoying wines from our very own Terra Australis, we think a well-rounded wine list, and therefore drinking experience, should be celebrated. So next time you feel like the wine selection should be just as good as the food, we’ve gone to great lengths to find the Gold Coast venues with great wine lists and cellars where you can sip to your heart’s content.

La Bella Cellar
If you haven’t come across this humble ode to all things Italian and delicious, then we suggest you go about booking yourself a table pronto. One sentiment many people share through gastronomy is to match a country’s food with their wine. Here at La Bella Cellar, you have countless opportunities to do so with a carefully curated list displaying hard-to-find Italian regions and varietals. But if you feel like Australian wine is just as good — and it is — they have a clever section where you can experience the same grapes and styles but from good ol’ Straya.
Where: 9/3 Deodar Drive, Burleigh Heads

Nineteen at The Star (image supplied)
Nineteen at The Star (image supplied)

Nineteen at The Star
A five-star venue overlooking the ocean and 19 floors up is the perfect place to enjoy an exceptional wine, and Nineteen at The Star is precisely that. Not to mention they have a walk-in, glass window wine room filled with hundreds of bottles of the very finest wines from across the world. Of course, the team at Nineteen are absolute stars when it comes to wine knowledge, not to mention pairing said wines with their dishes. Treat yourself to a delicious time at Nineteen; it’s pure magic.
Where: The Star Gold Coast, Casino Drive, Broadbeach

Palette
Combining art and food in a brand-new opulent setting, HOTA’s Palette restaurant hinges its menu closely on what is featured within the current exhibition in the adjacent gallery, meaning you’ll be eating with your eyes as well as your mouth. Executive Chef Dayan Hartill-Law believes strongly in freshness and seasonality, mirrored by their Australian/New Zealand dominant wine list, showcasing some fantastic producers in our own backyard. If you feel the need to keep things as close to home as possible, you’ll just adore their ‘local list’ with wines exclusively from nearby Granite Belt and Mount Tamborine regions.
Where: Ground Floor, HOTA Gallery, HOTA, 135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise

Social Eating House + Bar
A casual, fine dining venue in the heart of Broadbeach, Social Eating House + Bar is the perfect place for an-award winning feast plus a glass of wine or two to match. The wine menu is broken down into easy-to-choose sections, including light and aromatic whites, light to medium body reds and bigger shiraz, to name a few. The team are highly knowledgeable and can certainly help you find something to suit your tastes.
Where: Shop 137-138, 3 Oracle Boulevard, Broadbeach

The Glenelg Public House (image supplied)
The Glenelg Public House (image supplied)

The Glenelg Public House
Long loved by Gold Coasters as the place for sophisticated home-style cooking and consistently excellent service. And it isn’t just the wine list you should be excited about; start things off with one of their superbly made house cocktails, and you’ll peruse the sizeable collection of select wines a little easier. If you’re a fan of red wine and matching it up to a melt-in-your-mouth steak, this is the place where all your dreams can — and will — come true.
Where: 2460 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach

The Wine Barrel
As you might expect, a restaurant called The Wine Barrel has quite a selection of wine for your tasting pleasure. The Mudgeeraba gem boasts one of the very best wine lists around, and the gurus behind the bar will ensure, yours is an experience to remember. From Margaret River to Tuscany and sparkling to sherry, there’s sure to be a tipple that’ll tickle your tastebuds (and the food is the goods too). We love this place!
Where: 8/59 Railway Street, Mudgeeraba

Glass Dining & Lounge Bar
The shimmering waters and reflective hulls of nearby superyachts hopefully won’t dazzle your eyes too much when you open the drinks menu at Main Beach’s Glass Dining & Lounge Bar. Take in the extensive collection of worldly drops, and you’ll realise there is great emphasis on stellar Champagne and Australian Shiraz. So, how does starting with freshly shucked oysters and finishing off with free-range grass-fed steak sound to you — because from where we’re sitting, it sounds marvellous.
Where: Marina Mirage, 74 Seaworld Drive, Main Beach

Orzo (Image: © 2020 Inside Gold Coast)
Orzo (Image: © 2020 Inside Gold Coast)

Orzo
Firmly settled as a prime lunching spot, Orzo can be found at The Oracle Boulevard Broadbeach, serving up exquisite modern seafood dishes and, of course, a wine list to match. As you might expect, the wines are of the Italian variability from various regions, and each is stunning. Whites, reds, rosés and sparklings, anything you could want to sip, and each paired perfectly with the impressive menu. Ask the team for their recommendation and prepare to be dazzled by the goodness.
Where: 1N-02, The Oracle, 12 Charles Avenue, Broadbeach

Jafa
Up Southport way is the stunning little space Jafa – a wine and pizza bar boasting quite the unique array of vinos that pair perfectly with the menu. Have you ever tried an orange wine? There’s some on the menu here; trust us, it’s amazing. Not to mention an impressive array of reds from Syrah to Nebbiolo and some we’ve never encountered.
Where: 7/253 Ferry Road, Southport 

Destino
Suppose your heart misses the Mediterranean Sea, as ours does. Might we suggest you take a visit to Sanctuary Cove and drop anchor at this perfect, white-washed afternoon grazing spot? Enjoy the dappled light and spoil yourself with cocktails, select dips, and imported cheeses — but make sure you have selected a suitable glass of wine to go alongside these morsels. Choose something delectable and European like French Provencal Rosé or Spanish Tempranillo, and imagine you’re on the Amalfi, even just for a short while!
Where: 38C Masthead Way, Sanctuary Cove

Gemellini (image supplied)
Gemellini (image supplied)

Gemellini
An institution adored by a league of perpetually hungry fans out there on our coastline. Gemellini (and the OG Gemelli) has been bringing classy Italian mealtimes to Nobby Beach for a little over five years now and shows no sign of slowing up. For wine lovers out there, you’re in for a treat. If you go by the glass, you can match great examples of European classics with their drool-worthy handmade pasta dishes. If you feel like delving into their hefty bottle selection, you can sip away and sample the best pizzas this side of Naples: sure to take you straight to Italian cuisine nirvana!
Where: 2247 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach

Jimmy Wah’s
The Burleigh Heads gem has a carefully crafted wine list of some of the most iconic producers around, along with small and innovative winemakers making their own unique type of magic. Most of the list is available by the glass, so you’re invited to sample something unique from around the world. Each tipple is a perfect match to the exceptional modern Vietnamese food menu. If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of spending time at Jimmy Wah’s, they simply must be next on your list.
Where: 1724 Gold Coast Highway, Burleigh Heads

Moo Moos
Often touted as the best steak restaurant on the Gold Coast, if you’re in need to satisfy the carnivore within you, then look no further. Indulge your thirst for something more refined and work your way through their vast vintage and non-vintage Champagne collection and start a lunch/dinner you won’t forget in a hurry. And if you need a follow up, their list is extensive and informs the reader on styles and grapes with a handy little introduction to each section.
Where: 2685 Gold Coast Highway, Broadbeach

Words by Alex Mitcheson.

Jimmy Wah's (image supplied)
Jimmy Wah's (image supplied)

26 hatted Gold Coast restaurants in 2025

Palette, HOTA (image supplied)
Palette, HOTA (image supplied)

Look we’re all partial to a good hat but if you’re a chef, a hat is all that and a bag of chips. Each year, the Australian Good Food Guide awards hats to the crème de la crème in the restaurant world. Although many of our neighbouring states and cities may have once turned their noses up at the GC dining landscape, sir, times are a’changin!

This year, a whopping 26 of our fave local eats destinations scored at least one hat, and we are proud as punch! The AGFG rates each restaurant out of 20. No restaurant has yet achieved the holy grail of a perfect score.

BLOWFISH Ocean Grill + Bar, Broadbeach (Image: © 2023 Inside Gold Coast)
Western Australian Rock Lobster w. Cognac + Gruyere, BLOWFISH Ocean Grill + Bar, Broadbeach (Image: © 2023 Inside Gold Coast)

In a twist everyone saw coming, Broadbeach cleaned up with eight venues receiving hats, including BLOWFISH Ocean Grill + Bar, which debuted on the list this year with a score of 13. Social Eating House and Bar (13) also made the list with fellow Oracle Boulevard residents Mamasan Kitchen + Bar, (13), kōst (12) and Orzo (12).

kōst Bar & Grill, Broadbeach (Image: © 2023 Inside Gold Coast)
kōst Bar & Grill, Broadbeach (Image: © 2023 Inside Gold Coast)

Of course, a couple of The Star Gold Coast’s restaurants collected gongs, including Japanese sensation Kiyomi (14) and Modern Australian go-to for a fancy night out Nineteen at the Star (13).

Rounding up Broady’s winners are grinners list with a score of 13 is long standing steak restaurant, Moo Moo The Wine Bar and Grill.

JuJu Restaurant & Rooftop Bar Mermaid Beach (Image: © 2024 Inside Gold Coast)
JuJu Restaurant & Rooftop Bar Mermaid Beach (Image: © 2024 Inside Gold Coast)

Moving slightly south to Mermaid Beach and boutique dining superstar The North Room scored a whopping 15, while the beloved Little Truffle has scored 14 and esteemed Japanese restaurant Etsu Izakaya earned a 13.

Euro-inspired newcomer Juju brought a whole new level of fun and flavour to Mermaid in October and made its debut with a score of 12, as did The Oxley’s sizzling new addition, Lars.

Lars Bar & Grill, Nobby Beach (Image: © 2024 Inside Gold Coast)
Lars Bar & Grill, Nobby Beach (Image: © 2024 Inside Gold Coast)

Robina’s Eddy + Wolff represented with a well-earned 12. It just goes to show that the ‘burbs can cook up a winner too, not just the Insta-set-favoured pockets. Speaking of, Mudgeeraba’s intimate Japanese (and under-the-radar superstar) Anekawa, earned itself a 14.

Rick Shores, Burleigh (image by Mathilde Bouby)
Rick Shores, Burleigh (image by Mathilde Bouby)

Now let’s talk Burleigh and again, there are a few to unpack here. Rick Shores scored 13 for its delectable contemporary pan-Asian cuisine. The Gold Coast highway strip represented with Vietnamese pin-up boy Jimmy Wah’s, Kin and newcomer LIMLAY Thai Street Food & Bar all scoring 12.

Hidden gem, La Bella Cellar also got a well deserved nod (13).

Daniel Ridgeway’s new Palm Beach offering Madame V was shown some love with 12.

Madame V, Palm Beach (Image: © 2024 Inside Gold Coast)
Daniel Ridgeway, Madame V, Palm Beach (Image: © 2024 Inside Gold Coast)

Let’s journey back to the central neck of the woods, starting with Surfers Paradise’s Modern Australian superstar Palette located at HOTA, Home of the Arts, who proudly scored 16, earning them the highest score and making them the first three hatted restaurant on the Gold Coast.

The JW Marriott Gold Coast’s seafood superstar Citrique earned a 14, while the QT’s Japanese phenomenon Yamagen and The Langham’s Cantonese gem T’ang Court scored 12.

Neighbouring Main Beach’s modern Australian waterfront venue La Luna scored a 12.

Culinary Stars Showcase, Citrique, JW Marriott Gold Coast (image supplied)
Culinary Stars Showcase, Citrique, JW Marriott Gold Coast (image supplied)

Anyone who still says we’re lacking in the quality eats department here on the Goldie, now is the time to concede defeat because this list of local victories confirms what we already knew – our foodie scene has officially become a force to be reckoned with and there’s plenty more to come…

Words by Belinda Symons

Citrique, JW Marriott Gold Coast (image supplied)
Citrique, JW Marriott Gold Coast (image supplied)
© 2025 All Rights Reserved.