CASTAGNA is a winery in the township (‘commune’) of in the Beechworth region of Victoria, Australia.

FOUNDER OWNERS | Julian and Carolann Castagna. Julian (an Australian who spent many years in London) was born near Hadrian’s Wall, in Northumberland, UK and was a film director. He met Carolann (who is English), who was working in advertising as a producer, in London in the late ‘60s, and they formed a company together. Their Australian wine project began in 1997 when they planted their first vines. Julian Castagna made the first vintage of wine in 1998 with help from neighbour Rick Kinzbrunner, of Giaconda. 

ESTATE VINEYARDS | The estate is located just over 3 miles (5-5km) outside the town of Beechworth in Northeast Victoria, at 500 metres (1,640 feet), high in the foothills of the Australian Alps. The soil consists mainly of decomposed granitic-loam on a base of clay. The land had previously been grazed by sheep and cattle and the forage had been treated with chemical fertilizers eg (super) phosphate. The climate is distinctly Mediterranean with hot days and cool nights during the important part of the growing season. There are 8ha of Sangiovese, Shiraz, and Viognier.

VINEYARD DESIGN & BIODYNAMICS | ‘The Castagnas consulted permaculture expert David Holmgren, asking him to draw up an ‘ideal design’ for the Castagna’s 50 acres of non-vineyard land from a permacultural perspective. Holmgren, who has (rather unfairly) lived in the shadow of his erstwhile business partner and permaculture expert Bill Mollison [Julian Castagna says “Bill gets the credit, but David is the better thinker”] said he would come only if he could spend two or three nights sleeping on the land first to get the feel of it. Holmgren then worked with a detailed map for contouring, producing his ‘ideal design’ around existing native trees, the house, the vineyard and the straw bale winery. Water collection points were identified, with two bodies of water dug into the property’s clay subsoils, one small lake for pleasure (attracting bird life, the visual aspect) and another for the practicalities of irrigation, should this be required. Having the farm designed along permaculture lines allowed us to maximise our use of the land while minimising our impact on it, but although we used homeopathic medecine we had no idea of Biodynamics. That began when we planted the first vines in 1997, and they were immediately attacked by African black beetles. We were told to use a proprietary brand of insecticide [Lorsban]. I was getting ready to use it, when I looked at the skull and crossbones symbol on the label warning me not to get it on my skin under any event when something clicked inside me. I then became desperate to find a non-chemical solution and I telephoned around frantically with mixed results until I happened upon Biodynamic AgriCulture Australia. They were helpful, gave me some common sense advice, and didn’t ask for any money which I hadn’t expected but was rather touched by. They suggested I did some reading, and recommended Rudolf Steiner’s Agriculture Course. They also gave me the telephone number of a Biodynamic farmer whom I managed to contact. He told me that the Africa black beetle’s preferred habitat is grass roots, and as I’d ploughed up the existing grass to get the vines in I’d effectively said to the beetles that from now on they could eat vines instead. We let the grass grow back, went to visit James and Annie Millton in New Zealand for a tasting and they invited us to stay for three nights. Once you see the power of the Biodynamic preparations, why would would want to farm merely organically?’

Julian and Carolann make their own Horn manure 500 and Maria Thun Barrel Compost 502-507, but buy in Horn silica 501 and the six Biodynamic compost preparations 502-507 from Biodynamic AgriCulture Australia. Horn Manure and Horn Clay are combined. Julian says he uses teas ‘a bit like I use salt and pepper in the kitchen. Plant-based teas can be made from any or all of cow pat pit, worm casts, seaweed, the Biodynamic compost preparations, sometimes horsetail decocotion.’

PESTS & DISEASES | Powdery mildew (oidium) is the main potential problem. ‘In 2000, when we were still getting the vineyard established and before the Biodynamic preparations had had time to do their work, James Millton gave us some very helpful advice on dealing with powdery,’ Julian told me. Sulfur sprays are always used with the addition plant-based teas, eg Casuarina decoction 508.

ORGANIC CERTIFICATION | 2012 Listed as certified by NASAA by the RAW Wine Fair 2012.

WINEMAKING | Hand picking. Basket press. Stainless steel vats. French oak barrels. 

WHITE WINES

VIOGNIER, INGENUE | 2003 Debut. Oaked. / 2006 14%. / 2008 Modernist fruit, noticeable alcohol at Return to Terroir 2011.

PINK WINES

ALLEGRO | 2003 Drought, low yield. The fruit was picked very early in March, more than a month earlier than 2002. Fermented in not-so-old French oak. / 2004 Shiraz. Two tons per acre. Barrel fermented.

RED WINES

UN SEGRETO | 2005 Beechworth Debut. Sangiovese, Syrah. / 2008 Beechworth Syrah, Sangiovese.

LA CHIAVE, SANGIOVESE | 2002 Beechworth Open top fermenters. Aged 18 months in 60% new French oak. 85 cases. / 2008 Rich, and rather (too?) soft style of Sangiovese at Return to Terroir 2011.

GENESIS, SYRAH | 2001 Beechworth Made from five Syrah clones plus a small amount of Viognier to lift the aroma. Aged 20 months in French oak. / 2008 Nice weight, mint and polished modernist fruit at Return to Terroir 2011. / 2009 10mg/l sulfites (Isabelle Legeron, 2014, p195).

CONTACT

Domaine Castagna, 88 Ressom Lane, Beechworth Vic 3747, Australia | Tel+61 03.5728.2888 | www.castagna.com.au

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Isabelle Legeron MW, Natural Wine, An introduction to organic and biodynamic wines grown naturally (2014, Cico Books, London & New York), p195.

RAW Wine Fair 2012, London Monday 21st May.

Return to Terroir 2011, Melbourne 15th March.