There are many ways to make wine. At Castagna, we have always believed that before a wine can be great it needs to be true and truth starts in the vineyard.
In a recent article for The Real Review, respected wine writer Huon Hooke spent time exploring the Castagna wines, vineyard and philosophy with Julian Castagna. His resulting piece, “Castagna: individual and distinctive”, offers an insightful look at what makes Castagna — and Julian — somewhat different. As Hooke observes, Julian is “very much his own man” — an individual with his own ideas and exceptionally high standards. It is a description that sits comfortably with the philosophy behind Castagna, where convention has rarely been the driving force.
Biodynamic farming has been fundamental to Castagna since the beginning. Today, all Castagna estate-grown wines are certified biodynamic, reflecting our belief that healthy soils, healthy vines and a living vineyard are essential to producing wines with genuine character. Hooke describes Julian as one of Australia’s most committed advocates of biodynamics and explores how that philosophy informs the wines — not simply as a farming system, but as part of a broader belief in individuality and place.
That sense of individuality is particularly evident in two of Castagna’s most recognised wines: Genesis Syrah and Un Segreto. Genesis is made from several Shiraz clones sourced from the original James Busby collection, which Julian has observed have gradually come together in their expression of the Castagna vineyard. Un Segreto takes a similarly unconventional path. A blend of Sangiovese and Syrah, the two components are matured separately before being brought together — rather than being blended before maturation. As Julian explains, the intention was always to create “an Australian taste, a wine that doesn’t taste like anyone else’s.” It is this willingness to question convention that has shaped so much of the Castagna range.
While Castagna may be best known for its red wines, Hooke also notes the increasing appeal of the whites, including the Growers’ Selection Savagnin and Harlequin, as well as Chenin Blanc and Ingénue Viognier. Across these wines, texture is an important consideration. Wine is made to be enjoyed at the table, and food has always been part of Julian’s thinking when crafting a wine. As Hooke notes, “texture is an important part of wine’s food friendliness.” That philosophy extends right through to Aqua Santa, Castagna’s interpretation of Vin Santo, made using a blend of Savagnin, Viognier, Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. The grapes are dried before maturation, with flor yeast developing during a solera-style ageing process. The result is a complex, sweet-savoury wine that Hooke suggests is perhaps better suited to cheese than dessert.
Ultimately, Hooke’s article captures something we have always hoped the wines might communicate: that Castagna is not trying to replicate somewhere else. The Italian varieties, biodynamic farming, granite soils, cool Beechworth elevation and Julian’s own winemaking philosophy all contribute to wines that are distinctly Castagna — wines with their own identity, texture and sense of place. Individual and distinctive. We couldn’t have put it better ourselves.
Read Huon Hooke’s full article, “Castagna: Individual and Distinctive”, in The Real Review, published 18 August 2026.
