Beechworth is a region in the state of Victoria, Australia best known as ‘Ned Kelly country’ after gold found around the town of Beechworth in 1852 brought prosperity to this relatively small wine producing region. The second gold rush was sparked when Rick Kinzbrunner of Giaconda planted these slopes of sub-Alpine north-east Victoria’ with vines (OZ Clarke 2015, p.43). There are now over a dozen vineyards here.

Wine grapes: Chardonnay, Shiraz and Pinot Noir all do very well in this altitude

Vintages: 2002 ‘A superb red year, the long warm dry season enabled the fruit to hang and ripen slowly, and as a result the flavours are complex and ripe with abundant natural acidity,’ Julian Castagna told me. | 2003 ‘Picked early as bush fires close to the vineyard raised temperatures. We should get 750-800mm of rainfall each year, but we have not had that for a while, there being a drought from 2000-2003,’ Julian Castagna told me in 2004. | 2004 ‘A tough year for downy mildew,’ Julian Castagna told me.

Wineries

Certified Biodynamic: Castagna.

No certification: Giaconda.

Bibliography

Oxford Companion to Wine 4th edition ed. Jancis Robinson MW and Julia Harding MW (Oxford University Press, 2015).

OZ Clarke 2015, Oz Clarke Wine A-Z (Pavilion, 2015), p.43.

Tom Stevenson, The Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia 5th Edition (Dorling Kindersley, 2011).