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.
94 Points Wine Enthusiast
Maybe the closest thing to French Syrah you’ll find coming out of Australia, this Shiraz defies the Oz stereotype, offering up elegant perfumes of hickory smoke, black pepper and herbs that bear a striking resemblance to top-notch Cote-Rotie. Layers of blackberry and blueberry fruit provide a solid foundation for the smoky, meaty complexity that emerges on the palate. This is not an overweight, overly tannic wine, but a supremely balanced rendition of Shiraz that should age gracefully for up to 15 years.