Giaconda Estate
Few names in Australian wine carry the same reverence as Giaconda and its founder, Rick Kinzbrunner. After returning to Australia in 1980, Rick established his vineyard in Beechworth, at the foothills of Victoria’s North-East Alps, planting vines from 1982.
Set at over 400 metres altitude, the vineyard benefits from warm days and cool nights—ideal for slow, even ripening. Ancient granitic soils with clay provide both drainage and water retention, producing wines of depth, precision, and balance. The estate is now fully organically certified, focusing on Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz.
Winemaking follows a minimal-intervention approach, with indigenous yeasts, natural malolactic fermentation, careful oak maturation, and no filtration—allowing the vineyard to speak clearly in every bottle.
Inspired by the great wines of Burgundy, Rick is best known for his Chardonnay, widely regarded as one of the finest in the New World, rivalled only by his equally compelling Pinot Noir. Both wines combine power with finesse and have earned global recognition.
With extremely limited production, these wines remain highly sought after and rarely available beyond a small allocation.
A silky, seductive and complex Pinot full of intense spiced berries and plum
97 points – James Halliday
Grape Variety – Pinot Noir
Region – Beechworth
Victoria, Australia
Vintage – 2019
Winery – Giaconda
Profile – Red and black cherries, spiced, medium bodied, layered