Beechworth’s Giaconda winery has a cult following thanks to its worked and complex Chardonnay. The winery also fashions some rather good Cabernet Sauvignon and a superb Nebbiolo. Yet the real star here is the Shiraz. Some might turn their noses up at Shiraz as it proliferates in abundance throughout Australia’s grape producing regions. Yet, there are many styles of Shiraz, from rich, spicy, fruit cake Barossa Valley Shiraz, to stylish fruit of the forest Shiraz from the Pyrenees to peppery cool climate ‘Syrah’. Call it Syrah or Shiraz, it is a grape that seems to thrive in Australian conditions.
In the hands of Rick Kinzbrunner at Giaconda, Shiraz takes on an Australia meets the Rhône accent, neither dominating. There’s a core of dark black fruit, intermingled with tar, liquorice, white pepper and hung game. The Giaconda Estate Shiraz is a powerful yet sophisticated wine, more in the mould of Hermitage than Côte Rotie, yet with a plushness and depth of fruit that brings one back to Australia, specifically Beechworth. The wine should be destined for a long cellaring life, during which time it will become more Rhône-like, gaining in complexity.
2008 ESTATE VINEYARD SHIRAZ
Producer: Giaconda
Variety: Syrah/Shiraz
Vintage: 2008
Region: Beechworth, Victoria
ABV: 13.9%
Price: N/a
Closure: Natural cork
Format: 750ml
Date tasted: 10 December 2011
Tasting Note:
Deep crimson verging on opaque. Very intense nose of tar, liquorice, damsons and white pepper. The palate is similarly intense, powerful and full flavoured, with brooding damson and blackberry fruit and hung game meat to the fore. In terms of texture, the wine is velvet-like and plush, ripe tannins and fine acidity providing structure. This is a very youthful Shiraz with a strong Old World leaning. It needs at least another 6-8 years in bottle to reach maturity and should hold for another several years thereafter.
Score: 17.5+/20
In the hands of Rick Kinzbrunner at Giaconda, Shiraz takes on an Australia meets the Rhône accent, neither dominating. There’s a core of dark black fruit, intermingled with tar, liquorice, white pepper and hung game. The Giaconda Estate Shiraz is a powerful yet sophisticated wine, more in the mould of Hermitage than Côte Rotie, yet with a plushness and depth of fruit that brings one back to Australia, specifically Beechworth. The wine should be destined for a long cellaring life, during which time it will become more Rhône-like, gaining in complexity.
2008 ESTATE VINEYARD SHIRAZProducer: Giaconda
Variety: Syrah/Shiraz
Vintage: 2008
Region: Beechworth, Victoria
ABV: 13.9%
Price: N/a
Closure: Natural cork
Format: 750ml
Date tasted: 10 December 2011
Tasting Note:
Deep crimson verging on opaque. Very intense nose of tar, liquorice, damsons and white pepper. The palate is similarly intense, powerful and full flavoured, with brooding damson and blackberry fruit and hung game meat to the fore. In terms of texture, the wine is velvet-like and plush, ripe tannins and fine acidity providing structure. This is a very youthful Shiraz with a strong Old World leaning. It needs at least another 6-8 years in bottle to reach maturity and should hold for another several years thereafter.
Score: 17.5+/20
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