A Winter Night at Balancing Heart: 100 Layer Lasagne, Award-Winning Wine and Granite Belt Magic

There are some evenings that remind you exactly why it’s so special to be a part of the Granite Belt for your Mirumiru High Country escape.

Under an inky black sky and billions of stars, with the vineyard settling into that crisp Winter stillness this region does so well, we were recently hosted by vineyard owners Greg and Lee-Anne Kentish at Balancing Heart Vineyard alongside an exclusive group of local accommodation providers. The evening was a chance to hear what is new at the cellar door, taste the latest wines, and experience the magnificent new menu offering that is already giving visitors another reason to book ahead.

The star of the night was Balancing Heart’s new 100-layer lasagne — rich, generous, beautifully made and exactly the kind of dish that belongs beside a glass of award-winning Granite Belt wine on a cool evening. It is comfort food elevated, with all the warmth of a long country lunch or relaxed vineyard dinner, and it sits perfectly within Balancing Heart’s broader cellar door experience.

The evening also included a wine tasting session with chief winemaker Mike Hayes, who shared insights into Balancing Heart’s award-winning wines and the careful thinking behind each bottle. Hearing directly from Mike brought the vineyard to life in a way that made the tasting feel personal, grounded and deeply connected to the landscape. This is wine shaped by altitude, granite, cool-climate conditions and a genuine respect for place.

Balancing Heart has become one of those must-visit Granite Belt destinations because it offers more than a simple tasting. It is family-friendly, relaxed and beautifully positioned, with vineyard views, warm hospitality, food worth lingering over and wine that tells the story of the region. Whether you are planning a long lunch, a sunset dinner, a tasting experience or a special stop during your stay at Mirumiru, this is one to add to your itinerary.

Bookings are essential (and we mean essential!), particularly for dinner and busy weekends, and highly recommended for lunch so you do not miss out. If the new menu is anything to go by, Balancing Heart’s cellar door is entering a delicious new chapter — and the 100-layer lasagne is reason enough to make the trip.

Plan your visit: Book directly through Balancing Heart here