CASTAGNA

We are pleased to present one of the finest and most exciting wineries in Australia, that you may have never heard of! The family owned Castagna Vineyard is just outside the beautiful historic town of Beechworth in Northeast Victoria, high in the foothills of the Australian Alps. They were the first real serious biodynamic winery in Australia, planted in 1997 by former film maker Julian Castagna. The rocky grantitic soils sit 500m above sea level, and the climate here is distinctly Mediterranean. Hot days and cool nights are the norm during the important part of the growing season.

Their maxim ‘Before a wine can be great, it must first be true’ epitomises the new wave of world class Australian wine, very different from the old school. The land is farmed biodynamically using Rudolf Steiner’s principles, not as a selling point, but because they believe it is the best way to achieve optimum fruit quality that also expresses its terroir. These wines are a true expression of place, made with very low cropping of less than two tons per acre, wild yeasts, and minimal interference.

All the wines under the Castagna label are exceptional, with incredible texture and precision on the palate. They also have two other ranges, Adam’s Rib and the Growers Selection. The former is made by Julian’s son Adam Castagna, the goal being to make affordable, extremely drinkable wines, with lots of character. Each year they are made from the best of the available fruit, whatever the variety. The fruit for the Growers selection comes from several local Beechworth vineyards outside the main estate.