Vine Guide: Beechworth edition
Small but mighty, this star Victorian wine region punches way above its weight.
Hop in the car in Melbourne, drive three hours north-east and prepare to be charmed by Beechworth – it’s one of Victoria’s loveliest towns. Here, you’ll find streetscapes of heritage buildings with enticing pubs, restaurants and boutiques, while the wider region is home to some A-grade wineries, breweries, distilleries and more. This is also bushranger country (our most infamous outlaw Ned Kelly was tried in the old courthouse and jailed here). You can even take a bushwalk or mountain-bike trail between indulgences – this getaway delivers on all fronts. But if you won’t be making the trip any time soon, you can still get a taste of what Beechworth does best, minus all the travel expenses.
When it comes to wine, Beechworth is probably best known for its chardonnay. Not just any old chardonnay, either, but pinnacle, world-class stuff. This is largely thanks to Giaconda paving the way with their powerful, flinty styles, but this winery – and fellow producers across the region – also make other top-tier varieties and styles. Beechworth pinot noir is up there in the quality stakes, along with shiraz, while emerging varieties are also now thriving. There’s a whole heap to discover here.
Despite its prestige, Beechworth is a small wine region compared to many of its Victorian counterparts. In fact, it’s one of the smallest in Australia. In terms of area under vine, the Yarra Valley is more than 20 times the size of Beechworth, while Barossa is almost 100 times bigger. But even with just over 30 producers in total, Beechworth is a fierce competitor on quality. Nestled in Victoria’s High Country, this wine region covers diverse ground across valleys and plains, all with different soils, altitudes and growing conditions. Throw in a talented collective of growers and makers, and it’s clear this is a very special place to grow and make wine.
- Indigenous name: Waywurru Country
- Elevation: 204–1045m
- Total vine area: 127 ha
- Average amount of wine produced: 358 tonnes
- Soil: Old sandstone over clay, and granitic top soils
- Climate: Diverse conditions across a wide range of elevations
- Average growing season rainfall: 445mm
- White grapes: 39%
- Red grapes: 61%
- Chardonnay 24%
- Pinot noir 17%
- Pinot gris/grigio 12%
- Sangiovese 11%
- Shiraz 10%
- Beechworth is one of five wine regions that make up North-East Victoria, together with Rutherglen, Glenrowan, King Valley and Alpine Valleys.
- The first vines were planted here in the 1850s and thrived, but production dropped off for decades. New plantings started in the 1950s, kicking off a slow but steady rise in vineyards and wine production once more.
- Newer varieties flourishing across Beechworth include Italian grapes nebbiolo and sangiovese, and Spain’s tempranillo.
If you look at the grapes growing in Beechworth, it’s seemingly all about chardonnay and pinot noir. That’s traditionally been the case, and stunning examples of both varieties continue to roll out. When it comes to chardonnay, Beechworth covers a spectrum of styles, from that famed Giaconda classic with its trademark flint – a match-struck quality often associated with the top chardonnays of France’s Chablis – to new-wave expressions taking full advantage of the region’s pristine fruit. Pinot noir also shines in this cool climate, with this tricky grape making a very happy home here.
In addition to those benchmarks, many other varieties are also at their best in Beechworth. Gamay is just one, showing delicate acidity and freshness. Shiraz is another. Not always with the typical power generally associated with shiraz, Beechworth examples are an excellent lesson in the understated beauty of concentrated dark fruit flavours, spice and elegance.
Italy’s sangiovese is one of the most widely grown varieties in Beechworth, overtaking shiraz in terms of volume, while nebbiolo and tempranillo are among the other reds to be making themselves especially comfortable here. Overall production is limited across Beechworth, but that’s just how these producers like it. It also ensures these wines are a little harder to find, but so incredibly worth the effort.
If you’re keen to try some of the region’s standout producers, you’re in for a treat. Savaterre is a good place to start. Just outside of Beechworth, it was this site’s mild summer days, cool, elevated location and surrounding rolling hills that drew Keppell Smith here almost 30 years ago. Today, he turns out top-tier shiraz, pinot noir and chardonnay, as well as sagrantino, which makes a powerful, concentrated red wine.
If you’re into chardy, zoom in on Sentio. Winemaker Chris Catlow sources fruit from various vineyards across the region and beyond, and he takes a special interest in chardonnay. You might like to get a crew together to try the single-vineyard Sentio Beechworth Chardonnay next to the Petit Chardonnay, which comes from several Beechworth sites. See which style you prefer.
Biodynamic from inception almost 30 years ago, Castagna is another producer that puts Beechworth on the map. Having planted his vines here in the late 1990s, Julian Castagna was an early adopter of biodynamics, and he has also done a lot for Australian sangiovese (we love the Castagna La Chiave Sangiovese) while also showing just how great cool-climate shiraz can be (pictured).
And for something a little different, look to Star Lane’s balanced blend of shiraz and sangiovese in the Star Lane Cantare. This producer only makes red wine, also working with nebbiolo, merlot and a super-premium shiraz.
With its track record of super-quality wine, newer wine styles joining long-time regional flagships, and producers both old and new fine-tuning their approaches, the best bit about Beechworth is that it’s only getting better. This is a region in extremely good hands.
One producer leading the charge here is Fighting Gully Road. Mark Walpole (pictured) has long put the focus on Italian varieties – check out his deliciously savoury Aglianico – after falling in love with sangiovese 30 years ago. His smart viticultural techniques and innovative winemaking processes have ensured Fighting Gully Road is at the top of its game.
Another champion of Italian wine styles is Traviarti. The duo behind this Beechworth winery established it specifically to grow and make nebbiolo (although they do make other brilliant styles), and they’ve since been recognised as producing some of Australia’s best examples of this complex variety. However, take note – the couple recently sold Traviarti, but they still have 2023 wines to come and they’ll be trading for a while yet. Still, you’ll want to snap up these wines while you still can – they’re that good.
Also boosting Beechworth in the quality stakes is couple Raquel and Hugh Jones of Weathercraft (pictured). With Raquel the winemaker and viticulturist of the operation, the pair have been turning out high-quality wines that typify the region with a focus on sustainability since 2017. The bright and spiced Weathercraft Beechworth Shiraz is one great example, while their amphora-matured skinsy pinot gris – the Amphora Àmbar – is bound to win over anyone who is drawn to a little more texture and intrigue in their wines.
