Giaconda Winery

Giaconda is an Australian winery in Beechworth, Victoria.

History

Throughout the 1970s Rick Kinzbrunner, a mechanical engineer, travelled and spent time with wineries in New Zealand, the USA and France including Stag's Leap, Simi Winery and the owners of Chateau Petrus, the Moueix group.[1][2] During his time in the United States he studied at University of California, Davis.[3]

He came back to Australia in 1980 and took up an assistant winemaker role at Brown Brothers until 1982 when he purchased land in the Beechworth region, planting the original vines to be used for his wines under the Giaconda label.[1][4] The initial planting consisted of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Pinot noir.[5] The winery is nine kilometres south-west of Beechworth.[6]

The winery is named after the Mona Lisa, which is also known as La Gioconda in Italy.[7]

The first Giaconda wines were released in 1987, with a Chardonnay from the 1986 vintage and Cabernet blend from 1985.[5][8]

Kinzbrunner has been described as one of Australia's greatest winemakers.[9] In 2003 he won the Australian Winemaker of the Year award from Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine[10][11][12] and in July 2006 he was named one of the world's best 10 white wine makers by Decanter.[13][14]

The Giaconda vineyard was noted as Australia's "most important vineyard" and was listed in first place of twenty five top vineyards by Australian Sommelier Magazine.[15]

Wines

Giaconda produces about 2500 cases of wine each year. Giaconda produces wine from Chardonnay, Roussanne, Pinot noir, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon as well as a small amount from newly planted Nebbiolo grapes.[16]

Two of Giaconda's wines are included in the Langton's Classification of Australian Wine, the Shiraz at the "Excellent" tier[17] and the Chardonnay at the highest classification level of "Exceptional".[18]

In the 2003 vintage, Giaconda released only one wine under their main label, a Cabernet Sauvignon, due to smoke damage to the grapes from the 2003 Eastern Victorian alpine bushfires.[19][20] The grapes that could still be vinified were released under the label "McClay Road". Kinzbrunner has continued to make wine under this name in subsequent vintages, as a second tier label with fruit from young vines.[21][22]

Giaconda has entered a joint venture with Chapoutier to collaborate on producing a Beechworth Shiraz from the Nantua vinyard called "Ergo Sum". The first wine released was from the 2008 vintage.[16][23]

Other projects

Kinzbrunner has been the importer within the Australasian region for Sirugue wine barrels since 1985.[3]

Kinzbrunner makes two wines exclusively for Vintage Cellars under the "rk" label, a Chardonnay and a Shiraz.[24]

Since 2005, Kinzbrunner has assisted as a winemaking consultant at the Star Lane Vineyard and Winery in Beechworth.[25][26]

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References
  1. "No Spin, just vin". Melbourne: The Age. 1 March 2005. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  2. "Australia's Finest". Melbourne: The Age. 27 May 2003. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  3. "Sirugue Australia". Sirugue Australia. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  4. "Wine entrepreneur marketing secrets". Smart Company. 3 April 2008. Archived from the original on 29 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
  5. "Our Story". Giaconda. Archived from the original on 1 June 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  6. "Giaconda Vineyard". Visit Vineyards. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  7. "Sacre rouge!". Melbourne: The Age. 27 February 2002. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  8. "Giaconda", Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, October 2007
  9. Philip Rich (26 November 2005). The Australian Financial Review. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. "Winemaker of the Year 2003". Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine. August–September 2003.
  11. "ABC News Online - Top drop earns top award for winemaker". Abc.net.au. 31 July 2003. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  12. "Sydney Morning Herald - To and fro over the rules of the game". Smh.com.au. 1 August 2003. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  13. "Giaconda News - November 2006". Giaconda.com.au. Archived from the original on 26 February 2011. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  14. "KMM Vinos - Giaconda". Australiacom.net. Archived from the original on 23 May 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  15. "25 Top Vineyards", Australian Sommelier, p. 29, Autumn 2006
  16. "Giaconda Winery, Beechworth, Australia". Vinography. 4 April 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  17. "Langton's Classification - Giaconda Pinot noir". Langtons.com.au. Archived from the original on 17 October 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  18. "Langton's Classification - Giaconda Chardonnay". Langtons.com.au. Archived from the original on 30 September 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  19. Port, Jeni (7 December 2004). "Burnt Offerings". Melbourne: The Age. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  20. Huon Hooke (16 November 2004), "The impeccable enigma", Sydney Morning Herald Good Living, p. 20
  21. "Giaconda Mid-Year New Releases". Appellation Australia. 5 August 2006. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  22. "Rathdown Cellars - Autumn/Winter Newsletter" (PDF). Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  23. "Giaconda 2008 Newsletter". Giaconda. 1 November 2009. Archived from the original on 13 September 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
  24. "Attraction of Opposites". Melbourne: TheAge. 8 September 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  25. "Star Lane Winery". Visit Vineyards. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  26. "Star Lane Vineyard and Winery". Starlane.com.au. Archived from the original on 15 October 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
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