Art of Krupinski

Art of Krupinski is a small family-run cellar door on Mount Stirling Road in Glen Aplin, and it has made a name for itself by pairing its own boutique wines with homemade Polish pierogi. For dog owners it is one of the most relaxed stops on the Granite Belt: dogs are welcome inside the open-plan indoor-outdoor space as well as the outdoor seating, right alongside the owners' resident dog.

Dogs at the cellar door

Staff are used to well-behaved dogs settling under the table or wandering nearby while you taste, and the cellar door will generally top up water for a thirsty dog, though bringing your own bowl is still smart. The one thing to manage on arrival is the resident dog: keep yours close and leashed until you know how they will get on. If the property's chickens are roaming the grounds, the leash stays on. This is a calm-dog venue rather than a dog-mixer, and dogs happy to doze near a table will have the better day.

Pepsi: a cellar door with a resident dog is a good sign, but ask before letting yours off lead near the chickens.

What the winery pours

Winemakers Artur and Natalia work in small batches, with chardonnay, cabernet franc and sparkling among the standouts. The cheese platter menu covers the food side, but the pierogi is what separates this stop from the other cellar doors along the strip, and it is reason enough to time a visit around lunch.

Getting there and when to go

The winery is at 364 Mount Stirling Road, Glen Aplin, with free on-site parking, and it sits easily into a Granite Belt wine trail drive. Opening hours are limited, roughly Saturdays and some Sundays from 10am to 4 or 5pm, so confirm before you head out rather than trusting the drive. Weekends are the safe bet for an open door.

Make a day of it

Mountview Wines and Jester Hill Wines are both minutes away in Glen Aplin and welcome dogs too, with Kominos Wines rounding out a realistic three-stop hop for a calm traveller. More dog-friendly cellar doors are on the QLD wineries guide and the Glen Aplin destination page.