Giaconda

Written By Angus Hughson

2024 Giaconda Release

Giaconda is a priceless gem that lies on a magical reef of granitic soils to the south of Eldorado, once a flourishing goldrush township during the 19th Century. The gold is all but depleted, but the sub-alpine landscape around Beechworth has become one of Victoria’s most beautiful wine regions. Its reputation has been advanced by a small number of committed vignerons, many who have pioneered sustainable viticulture and winemaking. The fortunes of Beechworth and its surrounding communities have ebbed and flowed, but its potential as one of Australia’s emblematic wine regions cannot be overstated.

Nonetheless Giaconda, established in 1982, has become the reference. The south facing Estate Vineyard is beautifully sited and famous now, but its standing hinges on the remarkable craftsmanship and work ethic of Rick Kinzbrunner. The vineyard and the man are completely inseparable like culture and language.

The progress and reputation of Giaconda Estate Vineyard Chardonnay underscores this point. A four-decade journey of mostly hard solitary grind in the vineyard, unrelenting curiosity and imaginative winemaking have brought something of tangible and great value. In the wake of this magnificent obsession are the rewards of staying true to original visions, trusting close associates and keeping away from negative forces.

When the 2021 Giaconda Estate Vineyard Chardonnay was launched on La Place de Bordeaux through negociant JP Moueix in 2023, it enjoyed remarkable success, highlighting its transcendent and mythical reputation around the world. The follow up 2022 vintage will probably cause the same rush of blood and deservedly so, because the wine is equally spectacular.

But the Giaconda story is not only about chardonnay. Rick Kinzbrunner has also pioneered and settled on rousanne, pinot noir and shiraz at his Estate Vineyard. A fascination for nebbiolo, from a vineyard site nearby, is also achieving impressive results. The 2024 Giaconda releases below highlight Australian fine winemaking at its best. And it’s all harnessed to the fidelity, maturity and character of vineyard site. These are all complex and expressive wines which highlight Rick Kinzbrunner’s imaginative virtuosity and impactful contribution to the cause of fine Australian wine.

2022 Giaconda Estate Vineyard Chardonnay, Beechworth - Victoria,

Pale lemon colour. Fragrant camomile, grapefruit, pure lemon, marzipan hint waxy aromas with superb flinty, quartz notes. Richly concentrated minerally and pure-fruited with ample grapefruit, lemon pastille, hint lime flavours, fine slinky, light chalky textures, lovely mid palate viscosity and underlying, perfectly balanced marzipan, vanilla oak. Finishes bitter-sweet and crunchy with grapefruit glacé, hint quinine, aniseed notes. A palimpsest of flavours and structures with remarkable energy, volume and flow. A brilliant follow up to the gorgeous 2021 vintage and difficult to separate apart. An exquisite Giaconda Estate Vineyard Chardonnay. Australian Grand Cru to its core (again!). Drink now – 2032 13.5% alc 99+ Points

2022 Giaconda Estate Vineyard Rousanne, Beechworth - Victoria

Medium pale colour. Lovely waxy, honey, lemon glacé, aromas with hints of lime marmalade, roasted almonds and Turkish Delight. Creamy textured and sinuous with attractive pure lemon/ lime pastille, hint apricot, golden fruits, lovely waxy/ honeyed richness, well-balanced marzipan, vanilla, spice notes and long minerally fresh acidity. Bitter lemon/ tonic water notes at the finish with a hint of star anise. Luxurious and exotic with wonderful presence, density and length. Drinking beautifully now. Drink now – 2028 13.8% alc 96 Points

2021 Giaconda Nebbiolo, Beechworth - Victoria

Medium deep crimson. Roasted coffee, dried roses, black cherry, strawberry aromas with leafy, chinotto notes. Medium bodied yet vigorous palate with attractive red cherry, strawberry, chinotto flavours, hint truffle notes, fine looseknit chalky/ al-dente tannins and some tobacco, roasted walnut notes. Builds up leafy firm and tight with juicy bitter, sweet freshness. Delicious wine with bangs of flavour and drive. Should develop and expand with a touch of bottle age. Drink 2025 – 2034 14.5% alc 94+ Points

2022 Giaconda Shiraz, Beechworth – Victoria

Medium deep crimson.  Lifted blackberry, black cherry pastille, ginger spice marzipan aromas with hints of cloves and black pepper. Inky deep with blackberry, black cherry fruits, fine chalky/ hint chocolaty tannins, lovely mid-palate concentration and well-balanced mocha, marzipan vanilla notes. Finishes brambly and peppery. Juicy, generous and vigorous with a lovely spectrum of flavours. Will settle and develop more layered complexity and suppleness with bottle age. Drink 2025 – 2036 13.8% alc 95+ points

2023 Giaconda Release

The story of Giaconda is a remarkable journey of faith in nature, self-belief and ambition. Rick Kinzbrunner is making some of Australia’s most exquisite wines. This year’s releases are a wonderful testament to a great Australian winemaker and an exceptional vineyard site. The multi-layered and complex Giaconda Estate Vineyard Chardonnay is a gloriously evocative wine and one of the finest releases of all time. It highlights incredible attention to detail, the natural distinguishing marks of a great vineyard and a super vintage.

This is backed up by the 2021 Giaconda Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir, from the same vineyard,  which is about as good as you can get. Having tasted a fair swag of 2021 Pinot Noirs around the country, regarded as a top notch vintage, this wine is particularly expressive and resonating. The 2019 Giaconda Nebbiolo also highlights Rick Kinzbrunner’s virtuosity and creativity as a winemaker. These releases are a tour-de-force and further display the extraordinary singularity and brilliance of Giaconda. This estate is destined for international stardom.

2021 Giaconda Estate Vineyard Chardonnay, Beechworth - Victoria

Medium pale colour. Intense flinty, lemon glace, grapefruit, nectarine, beeswax, wetstone hint matchstick aromas. Beautifully seductive wine with gorgeous ripe nectarine, lemon glace, grapefruit flavours, expressive flinty, waxy notes, fine loose knit al dente textures, superb creamy viscosity, underlying marzipan, vanilla notes and wonderfully integrated acidity. Extraordinary wine. This is a brilliant Giaconda Chardonnay with superb density, fruit complexity, flow and mineral length. Australian Grand Cru. Absolute genius. Drink now – 2032 13.5% alc 100 points

2021 Giaconda Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir, Beechworth - Victoria

Medium deep crimson. Fresh wild strawberry, raspberry pastille, aromas with a hint marzipan/ roasted almond notes. Beautifully balanced Pinot Noir with strawberry, raspberry, red cherry, hint chinotto fruits, fine chalky/ al dente textures. Superb mid palate viscosity and underlying vanilla marzipan oak notes. Finishes slinky and long. Wonderful voluminous Pinot Noir with superb concentration and mineral torque. One of the finest of the 2021 Australian vintage. Drink now – 2030 13.8% alc 98 points

2019 Giaconda Nebbiolo, Beechworth - Victoria

Medium crimson. Beautiful fragrant red cherry strawberry, hint marzipan, roasted walnut aromas with hints of dark chocolate. Wonderfully complex and supple with red cherry pastille, strawberry, chinotto flavours, a hint of flint/graphite notes, fine loose knit chalky/ velvety tannins, superb mid palate viscosity and underlying marzipan, vanilla roasted walnut notes. Slinky and minerally at the finish. Very impressive with lovely density, silkyiness and torque if that’s not a contradiction! Drink now – 2028 14% alc 96 points

Angus Hughson
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