Another restrained beauty from Giaconda, with a seemingly modest presence until the wine hits the tongue. This is a journey into the heart of shiraz. Aromas of forest berries, pepper, sage, anise and red earth are transformed into levels of layered complexity on the palate. Spice is ever-present, so too wood smoke and leather, with understated, savoury, ripe tannins.
96 points, Wine Companion (March 2021)
Deep, bright red colour with a good tint of purple and a lovely spicy bouquet, which instantly evokes the Northern Rhône. The wine is full-bodied and very intense, lushly-fruited, soft and sweet in the centre, with amplitude and supple texture so that it already drinks really well. It finishes long in the mouth and will age well. A superb shiraz.
96 points, The Real Review (May 2020)
Very bright and sappy with a lot of spice and ripe red plums, as well as graphite and espresso. This is so fragrant. The palate has assertive toasted-spice and roasted-coffee flavors and a sapid texture with such layered tannins. Very focused, very rich and very complex. Try from 2024.
96 points, JamesSuckling.com (July 2020)
Beechworth
Located in the foothills of the Victorian Alps, Beechworth is a small cool climate region with high continentality. The vineyards enjoy a large number of sunshine hours and are generally planted at altitudes of 400m. A variety of soil types are found with the two dominant ones being ancient sandstone gravel and clay and granitic loams over decomposed gravels and clays. While north or north-easterly slopes are generally favoured, the best sites are located away from higher altitude, cold-air drainage channels, with the risk of frost high in both spring and autumn. Restricted water availability means most vineyards are dry-grown. A region of small boutique producers, Beechworth is best known for premium Chardonnay, Shiraz and Pinot Noir, although plantings of Italian varieties including Sangiovese and Nebbiolo also show great promise.
