Kominos Wines

Kominos Wines is a family-run cellar door on the New England Highway at Glen Aplin, in Queensland's Granite Belt wine country south of Stanthorpe. The family has been growing cool-climate fruit at this altitude since 1984, and the tasting room has the easy, unhurried feel of a place where the owners do the pouring themselves, often with their own winery dogs wandering the grounds.

Dogs at the cellar door

Dogs are welcome at the cellar door and its outdoor lawn and garden areas on a leash, and visitors regularly mention how warmly both hosts and resident dogs receive them. There is no indoor dining to worry about, so a tasting here is naturally an outdoor affair. Staff are attentive and will bring water out for a thirsty dog. If you are visiting with multiple pets or on a busy weekend, a quick call ahead keeps things smooth.

Pepsi: the hosts remember dogs by name, and their own greeter showed me around. Five bowls out of five.

The wine and the platters

The list is led by Saperavi, the deep Georgian red that has become a Granite Belt signature, alongside aromatic Viognier and other estate wines, with aged bottles a point of pride. Guided tastings run through the day and food platters with a Greek family touch are served between 11am and 3.30pm. The winery also throws the occasional Kefi day, a Greek food-and-dancing afternoon worth timing a visit around. Opening hours run 10:30am to 4:30pm daily.

Getting there

The address is 27145 New England Highway, Glen Aplin, straight off the highway, with parking roomy enough for caravans and coaches to swing through easily. It is roughly 15 minutes south of Stanthorpe and a comfortable detour from the Girraween National Park run, though note dogs there are restricted to picnic areas rather than the trails.

While you're out there

Glen Aplin is stacked with cellar doors: Jester Hill Wines and Art of Krupinski are both on Mount Stirling Road, and Summit Estate Wines sits a short drive north at Thulimbah. Check each venue's own dog rules as you build the circuit. More options are in our guide to dog friendly wineries in Queensland, or browse Glen Aplin.