Tucked into the foothills of the Australian Alps in northeast Victoria, Beechworth is a beautifully preserved historic town that, like many in Victoria, tells a story of mid-19th-century colonial occupation, a Gold Rush and a booming wine industry that went bust by the early 20th century. After nearly 80 years, Beechworth’s wine scene was revived in 1982 and 1985 respectively by two pint-sized but now-iconic wineries: Giaconda, known for its opulent, cellar-worthy Chardonnays, and Sorrenberg, famed for elegant, silky Chardonnay, Gamay and Cabernet blends.
A third producer, Julian Castagna, arrived in Beechworth a decade later, but both his farming and his wines have been equally game changing.
In 1996, Castagna decided to leave his career as a Sydney-based filmmaker behind. “If I was going to change my life, I needed to have a chance at making a world-class wine,” he says.
Beechworth was a still-unknown (and therefore affordable) territory. So, Castagna moved his wife and two young boys into a trailer 1,640 feet above sea level in the Beechworth foothills. The whole family chipped in planting Shiraz and Viognier vines, building a winery and their future home. Never one to follow the grain, Castagna became the first in Australia to commercially plant Sangiovese—a tribute to his Italian heritage. He also became one of the first Aussies to farm biodynamically in the early 2000s, as a way to build up the topsoil in his rocky granite, quartz-filled vineyard.
“They thought I was this crazy hippie from Sydney,” he laughs.
But Castagna persisted, encouraging many others Down Under to farm biodynamically, too. Meanwhile, the wines went from good to great: The “Genesis” Syrah-Viognier is floral, textural, ethereal—more Côte Rôtiethan Barossa Shiraz; the “La Chiave” Sangiovese is reminiscent of Brunello di Montalcino while treading its own path. The evergrowing range now includes Nebbiolo, Roussanne, Chardonnay, a serious rosé and one of the best Chenin Blancs in Australia. There’s a second, equally lovely, label made from younger vines called Adam’s Rib, which is made by Castagna’s eldest son, Adam, a winemaker himself now.
Two and a half decades in, Castagna’s caravan days are over. But his passion for Beechworth, and the distinctive wines that can be coaxed from it, hasn’t waned.
In Victoria’s northeast, at the foothills of the Victorian Alps, a small region called Beechworth is proving to be one of Australia’s most exciting Shiraz regions. Here, finessed bottlings are crafted by small, quality-focused producers like Giaconda from volcanic, mineral-rich soils composed of granite or old sandstone and gravel over clay.
“[Beechworth’s] warm days and cool nights make Syrah sing,” says Julian Castagna, a biodynamic winegrower who makes varietal Syrah, as well as a blend with Sangiovese, a sparkler and a rosé. All are ethereally elegant, beautiful examples of this variety, “if what you like is Syrah with the soul of Pinot Noir,” he says.
Thomas Smith, Australia Buyer – onthetrail.klwines.com
In Victoria’s northeast, at the foothills of the Victorian Alps, a small region called Beechworth is proving to be one of Australia’s most exciting Shiraz regions. Here, finessed bottlings are crafted by small, quality-focused producers like Giaconda from volcanic, mineral-rich soils composed of granite or old sandstone and gravel over clay.
“[Beechworth’s] warm days and cool nights make Syrah sing,” says Julian Castagna, a biodynamic winegrower who makes varietal Syrah, as well as a blend with Sangiovese, a sparkler and a rosé. All are ethereally elegant, beautiful examples of this variety, “if what you like is Syrah with the soul of Pinot Noir,” he says.
Yes, I knew about Giaconda (a producer whose Chardonnay has a global cult following), but that was literally my only reference point. The day I spent here was absolutely eye-opening. I was jaw-on-the-floor astounded by the wines, their unique styles, and the incredible producers that are tirelessly working to put this footnote of a wine region on the global map. I am utterly convinced this is the world’s best wine region that you’ve never heard of.
Like many of the small towns dotting North East Victoria, Beechworth is an old gold rush town that dates back to the 1850s. A quick glance across Main Street, and you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in California gold rush towns like Placerville or Mariposa in the Sierra Foothills. The vineyards themselves are tucked into slopes and escarpments of the area’s rugged hillsides at the base of the Victorian Alps. Over the years, winemakers have been drawn to this site for its continental climate as well as a diverse mix of soil types like old sandstone, gravel, and granite. The footprint is miniscule—there are only 30 producers here, with just over 300 total acres planted (about the same size as Hermitage). Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz make up the top plantings, but the real shocker was the Sangiovese and Nebbiolo, which were easily the best examples of the variety I’ve ever seen grown outside of Italy. I’ll say that again: the best Sangiovese and Nebbiolo made outside of Italy are from Beechworth, Australia.
An incredible visit was on the outskirts of town at the home and winery of Julian Castagna. I had met Julian a few days before at a Wine Victoria showcase in Melbourne where we happened to sit next to one another over dinner. Julian’s passion is wine. He spent a career producing film in Melbourne before retiring to his idyllic hilltop home and vineyards in Beechworth, where he now focuses on Nebbiolo, Syrah, Riesling and really, whatever he feels like playing with year to year.
But don’t take his playful attitude for lack of seriousness. Julian is incredibly dedicated to producing the best wines possible. Here’s an example. All Australian Sangiovese comes from a single UC Davis clone that was brought to the country by the Lloyd Family in the ‘70s. But Julian, unhappy with the quality of the fruit, found a neighbor with a grape vine that looked suspiciously like Sangiovese Grosso, a Brunello clone, and after consulting an ampelographer, propagated his vineyard with it. Yet, a few days later on my trip, another winemaker remarked, “Yeah, that’s total bullsh*t. He flew out to Montalcino and was sneaking around in the night stealing cuttings from Mastrojanni.” Regardless of the validity of either story, it is clear that what’s good enough for everyone else in Australia, isn’t good enough for Julian.
Unfortunately, due to the fact that Beechworth has almost no recognition in the U.S. so far, there are only a handful of wines from Castagna that make it here. But luckily, the two wines that I loved the most from that tasting were both available. The 2015 Castagna “Genesis” Syrah Beechworth $99.99 is light in color for a Syrah, and supremely focused on savory, umami undertones above a ferocious tannin profile and piercing acidity. In terms of cool-climate Australian Syrah, this is one of the best out there. My other favorite from the lineup is the 2013 Castagna “Segreto” Syrah/Sangiovese Beechworth $99.99. Made from suspicious clonal material that was planted in 1996, the Segreto shows off beautiful blue-fruit character, pointed acidity that shoots down the center of the palate, and abundance of meaty, charcuterie with rigid, vertical tannin. An absolutely amazing wine.
Beechworth was an utterly eye-opening experience. The small group of dedicated winemakers are crafting stunning wines that have been completely overlooked by the rest of the world. I encourage you to try these wines and see for yourself why the wines of Beechworth can be described as nothing short of incredible.
LIQUOR LICENCE 2020: 32801981
ABN:20 002 315 175
© Castagna Vineyard, all rights reserved
