Wines infused with personality
15 March 2018
It's been another watershed year with Giaconda stepping further up the quality ladder. This all starts with the improved team here: my son Nathan fast moving into a more assertive role, and our highly capable and qualified Vineyard Manager, Casey White, both enabling me to concentrate more on what I love doing best – fine tuning important aspects of the wine making instead of, for example, carting bins around on the tractor in preparation for picking at 6:30 in the morning!
This year has afforded me the time to directly manage all of our chardonnay ferments in the cave and infuse some different personality in these fledgling wines. Continuing this sentiment, our wines like many of those from other small traditional, natural and organic producers are infused with the personalities of their makers. I believe this extends to the vines themselves. Thus I make sure to work among the vines regularly: they know me, I know them, and this needs to continue.
Another very important aspect here this year has been the formalisation of our organic 'in-conversion organic' status through certification with the Bio Dynamic Research Institute (BDRI). I have been operating this way for some time now and certification has been a goal that was set, for which Nathan and Casey have been able to bring to fruition over the past year in both the winery and vineyard.
Casey notes “Our initial visit from the team at Demeter Australia involved inspecting the vineyard soils to assess the levels of organic rich humus. They were pleased to find beautiful soils that have tested absolutely free of chemical residues, are rich in humus, and could confidently see the vineyard has been managed with an organic approach for many decades.” Read more >
Nathan adds "We are beginning to hear many other wineries speak about 'operating organically' and 'natural' wine making. From a consumer point of view this terminology can often be vague and misleading and therefore it's important to be genuine in this regard. For us that was undertaking the process of formal certification and continuing to build on the organic practices Rick has already put in place."
Regarding our progress with shiraz, don't miss the 2016 Estate Vineyard Shiraz as this wine is showing huge improvement each year through refined vineyard and soil management. This is certainly the richest red wine I've made, with great tannin structure that is well integrated with a long finish. Planted in 2002, these vines are finally hitting their straps!
View wine release details >
Sincerely,
Rick Kinzbrunner and team
Beechworth's Granite Cave
18 September 2013The granite cellar at Giaconda Vineyard is the latest project of exceptional winemaker, Rick Kinzbrunner. Nick Stock travels to Beechworth in search of chardonnay, a granite cave and a vision for the future of Giaconda.
Rick Kinzbrunner has an enigmatic presence. Tall, slim and considered, he also has a reputation as a bit of a recluse. It may seem unsurprising then that his latest construct at his Giaconda property in Victoria’s Beechworth, happens to be a cave.
“My goal was always to grow the wine in granite soil,” Kinzbrunner says of his newest cellar, drilled and blasted into the granite rock at Giaconda. For him, it is the last link in the chain of a terroir to which he is deeply endeared: vines grow in granite, their grapes fermented and matured in a granite cellar.
Underground, the physical conditions are vastly better for wine maturation than the previous above ground facilities. Naturally cooled, the air is humid and alcohol is more likely to lower over time in this high humidity than concentrate in the arid, evaporative environment up on the surface.
Kinzbrunner calculates that there will be an average nett loss of around 0.5% in finished alcohol in wines made in the cave rather than a gain of around 0.5% in above ground conditions. This means he is able to deliver full, rich and powerful chardonnay at levels of around 13% alcohol by volume, instead of the previous norm that fell around 14% and without employing mech-anical climate control.
“I’ve stuck to my guns, refined my style and the wines I’m making now are the result. It’s the traditional stuff that’s probably closer to what they were doing hundreds of years ago rather than what many people are doing now.” RK
He has seen instant results in terms of refining wine style and quality. The first wine to emerge having been totally vinified inside the granite cave is the 2010 Giaconda Chardonnay and if this wine is anything to go by, the assessment is accurate.
Kinzbrunner is not prone to exaggeration and as one of Australia’s most capable and experienced winemakers; he has little need to stretch the truth. “It’s the first wine I’ve made that I’ve been truly happy with,” he says, “the culmination of everything I’ve tried to do and wanted to achieve.” The 2010 chardonnay is easily the best rendition of his signature white wine to date and the 2011 is developing handsomely in its shadow.
The inspiration for the cave project stems from Kinzbrunner’s time working in California. However, the impetus to embark on its construction is born of his regard for the granite terroir at Giaconda and the desire to chase down the very best and most unique quality in the wines grown and made there. His focus in terms of winemaking is both narrowing and deepening.
Nick Stock, Alquimie, Edition One