Beechworth is one of Victoria’s great undiscovered wine treasures. The region is best known for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but because of its moderate climate, it can also produce magic with Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, and several other varieties. It’s a real all-rounder, like a slightly cooler version of Rutherglen. And while wondrous wines abound, it’s the ubiquitous small-town characters and hospitality that really light up the experiences here. Friendly winemakers are more than happy to spend time with you and share their passion for wine.
When you consider the quality of the wine and the experiences to be had in Beechworth (especially in comparison to more commercial regions), the three hour drive from Melbourne is an awfully small price to pay. For true wine enthusiasts, you’ll be hard pressed to spend a better weekend elsewhere. Hopefully the following four experiences we recently enjoyed will prove our point. (To stay abreast of all our wine tips and adventures, like our page at facebook.com/winehuntersaus)
1) A visit to Piano Piano is like a preview of heaven for wine aficionados. Owner and vigneron Marc Scalzo is a passionate man with his hand in a lot of wine barrels, so to speak. He has worked for Brown Brothers, Giaconda, and John Gehrig Wines and is now chief winemaker at Rutherglen Estates in addition to his Piano Piano project! After he takes you on an intimate walk through the surprising microclimates of the vineyards he planted, he’ll sit down with you in the kitchen of his house to sample and discuss his wines, and all things wine. His Piano Piano wines are incredible. The 2018 Chardonnay is a wonderful study in elegance that offers just enough of all the elements you want from a great Chardonnay. As for the 2017 Merlot … let’s just say it will make you rethink what Merlot can actually achieve.
2) Although not technically in Beechworth, Gapsted Wines is a can’t-miss regional adjunct bonus all the same. Gapsted is one of Australia’s 3 or 4 best value wine houses, reliably cranking out a wide range of polished wine deliciousness at better than fair prices. If you want to find a number of refreshing Prossecos, some stunning aromatic white wines (their Ballerina Canopy Chardonnay is sublime), a diverse array of red wines with distinctive cool climate flavours and profiles … and all that for prices generally in the $20 – $30 range, Gapsted is your go-to. And the cellar door experience is as good as the wine. Attentive staff will take through a tasting of as many as 20 wines while you enjoy a Michelin-style lunch in their beautiful winery set amongst the Alpine hills. Lunch here is a must if you visit Beechworth. More wine magic!
3) Indigo Vineyard is a Beechworth stalwart with one of the area’s larger vineyards. Considering the intimate cellar door, one might be surprised to learn the vineyard’s significant size, but that’s because most of Indigo’s fruits go into the wines of the legendary Brokenwood range. At Indigo, you will find perhaps the best single-stop representation of the breadth of Beechworth’s wine profile. The range is diverse, from Rousanne to Nebbiolo, but it is sufficiently concentrated such that each wine is made to a level of quality that really captures Beechworth’s potential. This is the place to understand what Beechworth “looks like” across the grape variety spectrum. We absolutely loved their just-right McNamara Chardonnay and their 2016 Hannaford Cabernets that well and truly captures the essence of Bordeaux. As with everywhere we visited in Beechworth, the staff here are exceptional.
4) And finally, for a very intimate but incredibly rewarding end to your day out in Beechworth, you simply must call into The Ninth Mile. This tiny winery produces two Pinots from its two small vineyards, a Riesling, and a Marsanne Roussanne Viognier. Perhaps because of its laser tight focus on such a small range, The Ninth Mile achieves a distinction, breadth and level in its Pinots and Riesling that is very seldom seen. It is an overused word, but “stunned” really is how we felt drinking these wines and trying to understand their mysteries. How can so much flavour and texture be crammed into one bottle?!? Your preconceptions of what Pinot Noir can be will be blown away. In addition to being a colourful and engaging guy, winemaker Adrian Kearton pours with a fairly heavy hand, so you really get the opportunity to fully ponder each wine. We had such an incredible experience here.
The amazing experiences of Beechworth are #WhyWeLoveWine. We hope you’ll take a punt and see for yourselves…