Beechworth Is the Best Wine Region You’ve Never Heard Of
Time for a little self-admonition. Before actually traveling to Beechworth in North East Victoria, I had absolutely zero knowledge of its wine—or that the region even produced wines in the first place. Yes, I knew about Giaconda (a producer whose Chardonnay has a global cult following), but that was literally my only reference point. The day I spent here was absolutely eye-opening. I was jaw-on-the-floor astounded by the wines, their unique styles, and the incredible producers that are tirelessly working to put this footnote of a wine region on the global map. I am utterly convinced this is the world's best wine region that you’ve never heard of.
Like many of the small towns dotting North East Victoria, Beechworth is an old gold rush town that dates back to the 1850s. A quick glance across Main Street, and you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in California gold rush towns like Placerville or Mariposa in the Sierra Foothills. The vineyards themselves are tucked into slopes and escarpments of the area’s rugged hillsides at the base of the Victorian Alps. Over the years, winemakers have been drawn to this site for its continental climate as well as a diverse mix of soil types like old sandstone, gravel, and granite. The footprint is miniscule—there are only 30 producers here, with just over 300 total acres planted (about the same size as Hermitage). Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz make up the top plantings, but the real shocker was the Sangiovese and Nebbiolos, which were easily the best examples of the variety I’ve ever seen grown outside of Italy. I’ll say that again: the best Sangiovese and Nebbiolos made outside of Italy are from Beechworth, Australia.
My first stop was the last place you’d look for exceptional wine: the Beechworth Insane Asylum. Yes, the insane asylum. When this 128-year-old mental health institution was closed in 1995, Fighting Gully Road winemaker Mark Walpole was first in line to sign a lease and convert the space to a modern winery. Mark had been a viticulturist for one of the largest producers in the region, Brown Brothers, before jumping ship to focus on his own label. Mark began by crafting Chardonnay, Cabernet, and Shiraz, but over the years was seduced by the wines of Italy, and is now focused on Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, and Aglianico. One look at his truck adorned with the license plate “SANGIO” tells you all you need to know.
“You want to see the barrel room?” Mark asks with a sly grin.
He snaps the button on a garage door opener and a hidden garage door gently folds itself open at the rear of the crush pad. Mark beckons me inside. Once the door shuts behind us, we’re in pitch black, “Hold on…” he mentions before he taps a green button and the entire room starts descending.
We gently move downward, 20 feet below into a hidden barrel room. It is dimly lit, with clear walls exposed to show the exterior soils, while supporting beams of natural gravel hold the high ceiling in place. The overall effect is jaw dropping and gives the impression of a villain’s lair from a Bond film. It’s here that Mark walks us through his wines. Across the board, the level of quality here is remarkable. But there were two standouts that I absolutely had to have on our shelves. Sangiovese can take many forms and styles, but Mark’s 2021 Fighting Gully Road Sangiovese Beechworth Victoria $34.99 is definitively rooted in Chianti Classico. Bold and structured with a signature Maraschino cherry fruit, this was an absolutely delightful discovery that changed my attitude toward New World versions of Italian varieties. But an even more dramatic impression was made by his 2017 Fighting Gully Road Syrah Beechworth Victoria $59.99. I tend to judge Syrah rather harshly because it’s my favorite variety, but Mark’s was absolutely out of this world. Black pepper aromatics, savory meaty undertones, rugged structure, intense purple fruit—it was like someone had taken my personal preferences and made a wine just for me. Outstanding, staggering, and profound. This wine was extraordinarily difficult to source and get on our shelves, but in all honesty—I did it mostly so I could have it in my cellar.
Another incredible visit was on the outskirts of town at the home and winery of Julian Castagna. I had met Julian a few days before at a Wine Victoria showcase in Melbourne where we happened to sit next to one another over dinner. Julian’s passion is wine. He spent a career producing film in Melbourne before retiring to his idyllic hilltop home and vineyards in Beechworth, where he now focuses on Nebbiolo, Syrah, Riesling and really, whatever he feels like playing with year to year.
But don’t take his playful attitude for lack of seriousness. Julian is incredibly dedicated to producing the best wines possible. Here’s an example. All Australian Sangiovese comes from a single UC Davis clone that was brought to the country by the Lloyd Family in the ‘70s. But Julian, unhappy with the quality of the fruit, found a neighbor with a grape vine that looked suspiciously like Sangiovese Grosso, a Brunello clone, and after consulting an ampelographer, propagated his vineyard with it. Yet, a few days later on my trip, another winemaker remarked, “Yeah, that’s total bullsh*t. He flew out to Montalcino and was sneaking around in the night stealing cuttings from Mastrojanni.” Regardless of the validity of either story, it is clear that what’s good enough for everyone else in Australia, isn’t good enough for Julian.
Unfortunately, due to the fact that Beechworth has almost no recognition in the U.S. so far, there are only a handful of wines from Castagna that make it here. But luckily, the two wines that I loved the most from that tasting were both available. The 2015 Castagna "Genesis" Syrah Beechworth $99.99 is light in color for a Syrah, and supremely focused on savory, umami undertones above a ferocious tannin profile and piercing acidity. In terms of cool-climate Australian Syrah, this is one of the best out there. My other favorite from the lineup is the 2013 Castagna "Segreto" Syrah/Sangiovese Beechworth $99.99. Made from suspicious clonal material that was planted in 1996, the Segreto shows off beautiful blue-fruit character, pointed acidity that shoots down the center of the palate, and abundance of meaty, charcuterie with rigid, vertical tannin. An absolutely amazing wine.
Beechworth was an utterly eye-opening experience. The small group of dedicated winemakers are crafting stunning wines that have been completely overlooked by the rest of the world. I encourage you to try these wines and see for yourself why the wines of Beechworth can be described as nothing short of incredible.
- Thomas Smith, Australia Buyer