On Tuesday this week, Year 11 and 12 students hand-bottled 300 litres of Shiraz for our Annual Wine Release at the Laura Fair. This wine was generously donated and pressed by Stonebridge Wines.

Hand bottling the wine involves sterilising the bottles, pumping the wine from the barrel into buckets, filling the bottles with carbon dioxide to remove oxygen, and hand-pouring the wine into the bottles. The process is finished by sealing the bottles, checking them, and packing them into boxes. The production line the students created was an impressive feat, accomplished with enthusiasm and teamwork, seeing the whole process completed in 2 hours.

The students were excited to be part of the winery environment, providing real-life experience in the winemaking process. Their joy was evident as they laughed and chatted about how this experience could be integrated into their learning.

As they worked together, the students demonstrated a strong commitment to our school culture and the history of viticulture at Gladstone High School. Their efforts in the winery were commendable, and I am incredibly proud of their achievements and the positive energy they brought to this project.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Stonebridge Wines for their generous donation and support in making this viticulture educational opportunity possible.

If you are interested in knowing more about our vineyard and the winemaking process at Gladstone High School, use the QR code below to sign up for the mailing list for our new seasonal newsletter: Growing Minds, Growing Vines.

Lauren Amey -Assistant Principal