Castagna Beechworth Sauvage 2003
2 BOTTLES AVAILABLE.
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. Julian and Carolann Castagna
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 2003 vintage was, to say the least, atypical. It was so so hot, day and night, day after day night after night – not exactly cool-climate viticulture. The wine therefore shows an array of rich, ripe, plumy flavours but lacks the complexity, finesse and vitality that is the norm in our normal cooler vintages. However, the final blend, a combination of most of the shiraz with one barrel of Sangiovese – shows considerable flavour and will drink well over the short to medium term, providing both enjoyment and excellent value. A powerful earthiness dominate this wine with tones of saddle leather, dried herbs and violets – it talks powerfully of the land from whence it came. The fruit is rich plum with charry overtones, the palate is dominated by sweet red fruit and as always in Castagna, very fine grain tannins – in spite of the almost unbearably hot vintage I believe it is great value.
Now, it was hot, and there were bushfires in the area in 2003. And yes, the wine tastes and smells smoky – or more accurately, like smoked bacon. The question then is: does the wine have enough else going for it to carry it off? The answer here is not simple, and will depend on personal taste. I like the wine a lot: I think the genious of what Castagna has done is add sangiovese: forget the smoke, the meshing of Castagna’s naturally meaty, peppery, fragrant syrah (and oftentimes smoky, even in non-bushfire years) with the overt savoury animal characters of sangiovese have made for a wine that’s so interesting it’s difficult to put down. In effect then, the 2003 Castagna Sauvage ($35) tastes like no wine that Castagna has made before, yet it still tastes like a Castagna wine. It’s riper and fruitier, but like so many of his wines, it’s as much a conversation as a drink – and in this case, a wildly animated one. Drink: 2006-2010. 91 points. Campbell Mattinson, Winefront Monthly
