Castagna Vineyard

The Castagna Vineyard is situated at an altitude of 500 metres five-and-a-half kilometres outside the beautiful town of Beechworth in Northeast Victoria, high in the foothills of the Australian Alps. Our soil consists mainly of decomposed granitic-loam on a base of clay. The climate is distinctly Mediterranean with hot days and cool nights during the important part of the growing season.

The land is farmed biodynamically; using Rudolf Steiner’s biodynamic principles, because we believe it is the best way to achieve optimum fruit quality that best expresses its terroir. The vineyard is hand-pruned and the fruit is hand-picked. We crop at a bit less than two tons per acre. The winemaking is very traditional using only our own vineyard’s indigenous yeast with minimal interference. Elevage varies between 18-20 months using only the very best, tight grain French oak available, about half of which is new each year. Our intention is to make, as simply as possible, wine which is an expression of the place where it is grown.

The Castagna Vineyard is situated at an altitude of 500 metres five-and-a-half kilometres outside the beautiful town of Beechworth in Northeast Victoria. Our soil consists mainly of decomposed granitic-loam on a base of clay. The climate is distinctly Mediterranean with hot days and cool nights during the important part of the growing season. The land is farmed biodynamically using Rudolf Steiner’s biodynamic principles. We believe this is the best way to achieve optimum fruit quality that best expresses its terroir. Our intention is to make, as simply as possible, wine which is an expression of the place where it is grown.

Hello – My name is Adam Castagna, I am the assistant winemaker here at Castagna and I am making, here at Castagna, my very own label, Adam’s Rib.

The intention with Adam’s Rib is to make available, drinkable, affordable wines, but with lots of character. They are called ‘The Red’ and ‘The White’, and the varieties will be the best of available fruit. This year ‘The Red’ is a blend of nebbiolo and shiraz. ‘The White’ we have settled as a blend of chardonnay and viognier.

I am very fortunate; I have, for years, been subjected to fine wines. At dinner, when I was knee-high, my father started me off with a spoonful of this or that – often great wines if it was a special dinner party – the wine was always mixed with water, the idea being that with each passing year there was more wine less water. Fortunately, now, there is very little water. I think those spoonfuls are coming home to roost for I am just now beginning to understand balance and flavour. And to think, all I ever wanted to be was a fireman.