It has to be described as rugged and sturdy and yet it's a perfumed, pretty, fruit-soaked wine of obvious appeal. It's a contradiction in terms, in a good way. Anise, leather, violet and dark chocolate flavours create plenty of action. There are only 1450 individually-staked aglianico vines on the property, but they're onto a good thing here.
93 points, Wine Companion (January 2019)
Red plums and ripest rhubarb, violets and raspberry liqueur - vivacious bouquet. An imposing wine when sipped; a brooding berry core with skin tannins and oak all vying for position. Absolutely brilliant with rare beef - definitely needs food.
92 points, The Real Review (August 2019)
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.
