Our Story

Bou-saada Vineyard and Wines is a family owned and run property cradled in the high ranges above Mittagong in the beautiful Southern Highlands of NSW, just 1 hour south of Sydney. We produce premium cool climate wines and a range of exquisite Dessert Meads, made from the finest Stringybark and Ironbark honey.

Our vision is to produce cool climate wines of the highest quality, while providing a relaxed and peaceful atmosphere for visitors to our boutique Cellar Door, full of character and with views of our handpicked vineyard.

The Vineyard

Sitting amongst the gum trees on gently sloping hills our 13 acre vineyard, established in 1997, produces a range of classic varietals such as Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Merlot. We also produce a small number of Cabernet Franc and Tempranillo grapes.

The quality of our wines is enhanced by our commitment to excellence throughout the growing cycle, including hand pruning the vines and hand picking the grapes, which ensures that only the highest quality grapes are selected.

Due to the cool climate of the Southern Highlands our grapes ripen more slowly than in many other wine growing regions of Australia, leading to the production of crisp, elegant wines with considerable ageing potential.

Cellar Door

The Cellar Door is designed to maximise light and natural simplicity, and has a beautiful view down to the vineyard and to a gorgeous lake beyond. The function room adjoining the Cellar Door has a wood fireplace and is a perfect setting for corporate and private functions. It also has established gallery tracks and lighting, making it the ideal venue for an art exhibition.

The Cellar Door features timber obtained from trees felled in the establishment of the vineyard. The beautiful benchtops and a selection of tables were crafted from Sydney Blue Gum and Stringybark trees, while the external cladding and a large portion of the internal wall structure also showcases timber obtained from the property.

Mead

Mead is one of the oldest fermented drinks in the world, with archaeological evidence suggesting it was first produced in China, Europe and in Africa thousands of years ago. Unlike other dessert wines, ‘Mead’ is made simply by fermenting honey with water.

At Bou-saada, we use the purest Stringybark and Ironbark honey available to make our unique range of Dessert Mead. This ensures each vintage is a stunning and unique reflection of the particular variety of honey used. The process of fermentation is a painstaking one, and can take up to 5 months. Other than honey, water and yeast, nothing else (including additives and preservatives) is added to the production process.

Meet the Family

Michele and Alastair Graham – The Owners

Michele and Alastair Graham were early pioneers of the Southern Highlands wine region. They were instrumental in establishing the Southern Highlands Vigneron’s Association, and worked tirelessly through the late 1990’s and early 2000’s to establish the Southern Highlands as a recognised cool-climate wine growing region. Alastair was President of the Vigneron’s Association from 2004–2006.

Both Alastair and Michele previously worked in the aviation industry, with Alastair’s love of flying reflected in the design of the Cellar Door’s corrugated iron roof. Not to be outdone, Michele’s love of the arts and fine dining is also reflected in the design of the Cellar Door. The established gallery tracks and lighting in the Cellar Door’s function room have seen Bou-saada host a number of art exhibitions over the years.

Jess and Stuart Kinsella – The Apprentices

Jess Kinsella, daughter of Michele and Alastair, and her husband Stuart have recently taken the plunge and come on-board to work at Bou-saada Vineyard and Wines. Previously from Canberra, Jess and Stuart have arrived with their two young children, new energy and new ideas to take the business forward, while consolidating Bou-saada’s reputation in the region as a premium producer of cool-climate wines.