Giaconda Estate Vineyard Chardonnay 2021
Giaconda vineyard was established by Rick Kinzbrunner, a mechanical engineer who became interested in wine in the early 1970's. Rick then spent the next ten years working in the industry, travelling and following his passion for wine. After a brief stint in New Zealand, he studied at Davis University in California and worked at some of the most respected wineries in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys (namely Stag's Leap, Simi and Matanzas Creek). In Europe he worked for the Moueix group in Bordeaux, co-owner of the fabled Chateau Petrus.
After returning to Australia in 1980 to take up a position as assistant winemaker at Brown Brothers in Milawa, Rick purchased land in the nearby Beechworth wine region - at the foothills of the beautiful North-East Victorian Alps. Planting commenced in 1982 and the property is now devoted solely to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. A separate planting of Nebbiolo has also been established close to the Beechworth township at Red Hill. Total area under vines at the Giaconda Estate Vineyard is now 4 hectares. Annual wine production is approximately 2,500 dozen bottles.
Golden lime green in colour. An intensely focused bouquet of jasmine flower, white nectarines and grapefruit, galangal and a waft of peaty, toasty oak making its presence in a discrete manner. As it opens, flint and matchstick add another layer to this incredible aromatic show. Multi-layered white fruits power the palate, while spice notes compliment the tingling impact of minerality on the finish. Rapier sharp in its attack and precision; piercing long, clean and steely. The depth of palate and textural roundness is considerable. The finish is tensile, savoury and immensely satisfying.
The 2021 Estate Vineyard Chardonnay follows on directly from the 2019, as no 2020 vintage was made due to bushfires. The winemaking remains consistent with previous vintages: hand-picked, lightly crushed, then basket pressed, fermented wild in oak in the gravity-flow cellar, matured for 18+ months in French oak (30% new), with 100% malolactic fermentation. The 2021 is backward and flinty at this stage, with a staggering flow of flavor across the palate. It has penetrating characters of saffron, yellow peach, preserved citrus, red apple skins, brine, crushed shells and Indian root spice. I acknowledge that I have a blind spot for high-quality oak. It is present here, but it is seamlessly integrated into and matched by the potency of the fruit presence. This is an unbelievable wine that will only grow in stature over the coming years. As for comparison to previous vintages? The best until now was the 2018, but the 2021 is tighter, more focused and even, if you can believe it, longer. My heart (and money) is here, by a whisker. What a phenomenal wine. - Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate, 100 Points
This is a brilliant Giaconda Chardonnay with superb density, fruit complexity, flow and mineral length. Australian Grand Cru. Absolute genius. - Andrew Caillard MW, The Vintage Journal, 100 points
The Finer Details
Style - White Wine
Varietal - Chardonnay
Country - Australia
Region - Beechworth, Victoria
Vintage - 2021
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 13.5%