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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 93 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 70 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by fizz on 12/6/2023: Screw cap. 13.5% alc.
Dark garnet, minimal bricking. Good balance between dark fruits and layered, textures of leather, earth, dark chocolate. Good appeal, and at a peak. (192 views) | | | Tasted by richard.presser on 11/24/2023 & rated 92 points: Decanted half into bottle for later.
Mousy nose that does not dissipate. Brett? I would not expect it from Giaconda, but checking my prior notes, I believe this is present.
Ditto palate. Underlying fruit is very good but it’s masked by the mousy character that is not dissipating. Disappointing.
7 hours later - half a glass left in a half bottle saw this character breathe off, to my surprise and relief. I have re-rated it accordingly.
Day 2 and 2nd bottle from the magnum. Beautifully clean, complex black cherry aromas with round, full flavours. Good weight, medium length, great balance of richness and elegance. By far the best I have had of this wine, as my prior notes will show. Great to leave it with fond memories. (271 views) | | | Tasted by Stanrocks on 2/16/2023 & rated 95 points: One of the most exciting Syrah tasted lately and we have a bunch under the belly :)
Smells of licorice, sooth, ashes, dark berry fruits, black and blueberry, oak is now perfectly integrated in some wet leaves, forrest floor style, but the wine is mostly over spices and cloves, and the ashes/sooth
Palate is still vibrant with good acidity, powdery tannins, smooth oily texture and very long ashes/sooth and spices aftertaste. This is an incredible bottle. made for Europeans and French shah lovers. This to me is way better than most Barossa over extracted and fruity big style Shiraz.
Quintessential Syrah at its best with still a few years ahead. Again my feeling, like with Napa Cab, our palates are in their comfort zone here, less alcohol, more refined bodies... Colder vintages in Southern Hemisphere or in California mean a lot more acidity and less fruit, more complexity and more depth... another style
Stunner (672 views) | | | Tasted by Vini Ciclismo on 1/22/2023 & rated 93 points: Black core, red rim.
Deep dark fruit, spice and licorice fragrance.
Ripe dark berries , mulberry, plums, graphite and tar. Silky long even palate , good acidity, very fine tannins . Fruit sweetness is still intense while the impact of secondary flavours is only marginally increased since it’s youth. At its peak, but barely faded at 18 years. Impressive. (663 views) | | | Tasted by richard.presser on 12/16/2022 & rated 90 points: From magnum. Fine deposit, mostly tartrate. Decanted into a carafe for now and a bottle for later.
Deep red.
A little musty on opening. Breathed up.
Fine, spicy Shiraz. Fine oak balance. Fully mature.
Spicy Shiraz. Held by its acid. Medium weight. Long. Not for further keeping though will hold for several years.
Ultimately, doesn’t excite. May have a few years ago.
23/12 Second half. Similar view. Beginning to fade. Drink up. From my experience, the bottle has already died. (708 views) | | | Tasted by richard.presser on 6/16/2022: This bottle is past its best. Comments from other recent tastings suggest it is below par. In essence, the fruit has gone. I will check it in a few hours.
7 hours later, no better. Sink a drink material. (942 views) | | | Tasted by robferguson1 on 3/31/2022 & rated 94 points: Third improved overnight with gas and was fantasy, such tasty condition. (957 views) | | | Tasted by SimonG on 1/15/2022 & rated 92 points: Dinner with R&Y and B&A: Recognisably the same lineage as the 02 alongside, though this a full degree less abv. Slightly more monolithic and less nuanced. Very dense and smooth, lots of potential but as with the 02 this requires patience. Decanted 4 hrs in advance. **** (1180 views) | | | Tasted by fizz on 11/28/2021: Screw cap.
Smoke, dark berries, dark chocolate. Seamless palate of mid-weight. Oak and tannins integrated. Balanced. Drinking so well tonight. (939 views) | | | Tasted by rgawlowski on 4/15/2021 & rated 94 points: Exquisite, relatively low alcohol; very smooth, with a subtle nose and broken tannins and delicate fruit; great balance. (1308 views) | | | Tasted by Milos on 7/1/2020 & rated 90 points: Drank over two days and found it more enjoyable the second day. This would suggest still more life left. Colour still quite dark ruby with just very slight brick around the rim. Nose of dark red fruit, almost prune without being overripe, iodine and chocolate. First impression of the nose is rather simple but them more complexity keeps appearing. Palate is dominate by high acid which balances the fruit well. Next to no tannins left. Moderately long finish. (1501 views) | | | Tasted by MJMorris55 on 5/10/2020: Sadly the bottle was past the prime of life. Funky, musty aromas on opening and fading colors. Decanted. Lots of sediment, the wine never cleared up. Flavors were muted but showed hints of past glory. (1427 views) | | | Tasted by fizz on 12/13/2019: Screw cap. 13.5% alc.
After about 30 minutes in a decanter, it really started to sing. Graphite, dark berries, chocolate and spice. The palate has good richness but is also detailed. Great balance and length here. Judging by this showing, it should drink well for quite some time yet. (1506 views) | | | Tasted by robferguson1 on 10/20/2019 & rated 92 points: Excellent fruity and still young , lovely 13.5% Shiraz (1481 views) | | | Tasted by robferguson1 on 9/6/2019 flawed bottle: Corked pity (1305 views) | | | Tasted by LFCHALA on 3/26/2019 & rated 93 points: Excelent (1292 views) | | | Tasted by fizz on 3/2/2018: Screw cap.
Attractive and complex nose - blue and red fruits sit perfectly wrapped in gentle spices, graphite and forest aromas. Palate is mid weight, seamless, with good intensity and length. (1708 views) | | | Tasted by fizz on 1/27/2018: Screw cap. 13.5% alc.
Decanted 1 hour. Reduction soon dissipates. Light framed wine of nuance and complexity. Served blind, it's not straight forward to pick a variety. Everything is in balance giving an even, almost silky feel in the mouth. In a nice spot right now. (1538 views) | | | Tasted by Vini Ciclismo on 1/22/2018 & rated 93 points: Almost identical note to 3 years ago. Smokey, plump dark fruits, graphite and blueberry. Silky smooth, fine grained tannins, good acidity. Drinking superbly, seems to be on a plateau. Delicious. (1621 views) | | | Tasted by red.red.vino on 4/30/2017 & rated 95 points: 3 hours in the decanter. Tremendous on the nose, driven by dominating smokey small good meats and savoury notes and flavours, with tart edged red fruits along the sides of the mouth. Medium bodied at best, slightly sour, briary, cassis, in harmony and very well made with a long finish. Still opening after 4 hours 30mins, life in it yet, at least another 5 years. Lovely. (1992 views) | | | Tasted by deverett on 3/13/2017 & rated 94 points: Very similar to my last note with slightly more aged complexity peeking through. I love the smoky, meaty and dried herb flavours that come through. Ripppling tannins with great length are another hallmark. In a terrific spot now, don't think it will get better but should hold for some time yet. If you like Giaconda Shiraz, this is one of the best examples for me. (1896 views) | | | Tasted by LFCHALA on 3/9/2017 & rated 93 points: Very good (1385 views) | | | Tasted by prism on 2/15/2017 & rated 94 points: Top-flight Shiraz from Victoria; evokes Northern Rhône in all the right ways. Blood and iron, perky acid, and deep subtle fruit; light on its feet but powerful. Recommended. Drink now. (1445 views) | | | Tasted by peter.mancell@mfg.com.au on 4/30/2016 & rated 85 points: Upon opening the wine had strong spritzy character, to much acidity and bright red fruit. My wife had a similar view.
We decanted and left for 90 minutes, second try was better, strained and re-bottled (screw cap), will try again tomorrow night.
Tried again next night, marginally better but still very acidic, not very gentle mouth feel and not really all that pleasant. (2355 views) | | | Tasted by JulianSkeels on 4/29/2016 & rated 92 points: Mint and herbs on the nose. Some oxidation showing (this is bottled under cork), with leather, meat but always a nice freshness from the acidity and saline finish. Great food wine. Drink now-2022. 92pts (1797 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, July/August 2006, IWC Issue #127
(Giaconda Wines Shiraz Warner Vineyard Victoria) Subscribe to see review text. | By Campbell Mattinson
The WINEFRONT (5/9/2006)
(Giaconda Warner’s Vineyard Shiraz) Subscribe to see review text. | By Gary Walsh
The WINEFRONT (5/8/2006)
(Giaconda Warner’s Vineyard Shiraz) Subscribe to see review text. | By Campbell Mattinson
The WINEFRONT (1/1/2005)
(Giaconda Warner’s Vineyard Shiraz) Subscribe to see review text. |  By Gary Vaynerchuk
Wine Library TV, Fair and Balanced- Australian Wine Tasting, Episode #844 (4/13/2010)
(Giaconda Warner Vineyard Victoria Shiraz) #2; COLOR-dark; NOSE-I love the Rousanne on the nose; a gorgeous lard meets olive oil meets floral; milk chocolate covered rose petals; feels like it's going to be big; PALATE-this quite vegetal -- cabbage and green peppers, but blended beautifully with mulberry and black currant jam; very interesting style; I've rarely tasted a wine this smooth and flavorful that was this medium to full bodied; the mouthfeel is just elegant and silky smooth; charcoal; meatiness; this wine is the real deal; this is a style I love with the greenness and silkiness, but there's something stopping me from scoring this 95 point; JR-94; RP-93+; GV-92 92 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and The WINEFRONT and Wine Library TV. (manage subscription channels) |
| Giaconda Producer website
Giaconda Tasting Notes
The vineyard was established by Rick Kinzbrunner, a mechanical engineer who became interested in wine in the early 1970's and spent the next ten years traveling to wine-growing areas overseas learning as much as possible. After a brief stint in New Zealand he studied at Davis University in California and worked at some of the most respected wineries in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys, namely Stag's Leap, Simi and Matanzas Creek. In Europe he worked a 'stage' with the Moueix group, co-owner of the fabled Chateau Petrus.
After returning to Australia in 1980 to take up a position as assistant winemaker at Brown Brothers Milawa he purchased land near the old Everton Hills Vineyard, and in 1982 commenced planting the classic varieties Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and a small amount of Pinot Noir which was followed in 1986 by another acre. In the last five years further plantings of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay have occurred, with a small amount of Roussanne. Total area under vines in the original vineyard is now 3ha. Recent plantings have added a further 3ha.
At an altitude of 400 metres (1330 feet) the site, which is a south facing slope so that the vines do not receive the direct impact of the sun's rays, is relatively cool. It is in a small valley which benefits from a light breeze much of� the time; useful in controlling disease.
The soil is a granitic loam over decomposed gravel and clay. The clay is important allowing sustained water-release to the vine roots; while the soil, being not too rich, is ideal for wine quality as yields are naturally regulated; approximate harvest being limited to two tonnes per acre. The vines are drip irrigated in some years only when necessary to prevent stress.
Average rainfall is 700 mm, a little of which can be received during summer. Nights are generally cool with days being fairly warm, providing ideal ripening conditions. Vintage occurs between mid-March and mid-April depending on the season; all grapes are hand picked in the cool of the early morning.
The winery overlooks the vineyard and is constructed of local granite blocks and hand-made bricks. The wines are hand-crafted; in the case of the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir using traditional Burgundian methods, and the Cabernet, Merlot and Cabernet Franc according to classical Bordeaux techniques including long maceration. Only top quality French oak is employed.
The first release of Giaconda wines was in 1987 with the 1986 Chardonnay and the 1985 Cabernet blend. Total production has been around 1000 dozen. This will now increase due to the recent plantings to approximately 2000 - 2500 dozen. The wines have been keenly received by winemakers, retailers and enthusiasts alike. The wine press has accorded them many accolades and placed them at or near the top in a number of masked tastings.
OUR LOCATION
Giaconda Vineyard and Winery is situated nine kilometers southwest of Beechworth on the Wangaratta Road in Northeastern Victoria, in the foothills and within sight of the Victorian Alps.
Nantua is the second label of Beechworth winery Giaconda.
Wine making
Wine making should be subtle and always seek balance - this should never seek to dominate the Terroir or characteristics of any given vintage. Giaconda wines are hand-crafted according to basically a natural wine making process. To us this means indigenous yeasts are employed for fermentation, natural bacteria for Malolactic fermentation, French oak barrel ageing, minimal sulphur additions, and no filtration before bottling.
The winery, barrel maturation cave and bottling facility are all set up for gravity flow. This means the wines are very rarely pumped or manipulated mechanically. Instead they are gently moved by gravity or gas pressure during the entire wine making process.
In the case of Chardonnay, our fruit is hand picked, lightly crushed and then basket pressed - before being transferred to French oak barrels (approximately 30% new) for fermentation and ageing.
For the red wines, a combination of whole bunch and de-stemmed crushed fruit is transferred to large concrete tanks for fermentation. These wines remain on skins for an extended period to develop softer, finer tannins and more complexity; before being basket pressed and transferred to French oak barrels (up to 40% new in some cases) for ageing.
Our wines are aged in French oak for almost two years - deep underground in the granite maturation cave, which can be seen below. This cave offers optimal conditions for fermentation and ageing with a stable temperature of 16 degrees centigrade and naturally high humidity all year round.Giaconda Shiraz Warner Vineyard Giaconda tasting Notes
1999 'WARNER VINEYARD' SHIRAZ
This is the first release of Giaconda 'Warner Vineyard' shiraz, grown specifically for us by our neighbour Graeme Warner.
Deep crimson red going to magenta. Plum, prune, licorice, roasted meats, white pepper and spice provide a most complex aroma. The palate has plenty of flavour and considerable length. Rolling powder fine tannins combine with the acidity to carry the black fruits, leather, licorice and white pepper flavours. Remarkable length and weight for a wine from young vines, this will develop over the next five years into a most elegant and satisfying wine.
Neither one dimensionally cool climate, nor bold or extractive in style, Giaconda Warner Vineyard shiraz will in time add another dimension to the list of quality Australian shiraz.
2000 'WARNER VINEYARD' SHIRAZ
Black, though not inky, with flashes of magenta. A heady compote of spice, vanilla bean, violets, tobacco, sweet black plums, savoury oak with a twist or two of pepper. And so too on the palate. What you smell is what you taste. Sumptuous and yet refined, leaving a strong impression of sympathetic winemaking.
This wine has a delicious round texture with fine drying tannins that roll all the way to the back of the palate. Oak and acid play their role whilst the fruit remains the dominant feature. Powerful, intense, but deftly harnessed so that no one aspect is allowed to dominate. Undoubtedly the addition of 1½% Roussanne has added a further dimension to the aromatic appeal of this wine.
2001 'WARNER VINEYARD' SHIRAZ
Deeply coloured magenta hues: roasted meats, black olives, vanilla bean, twists of black pepper and spice and cedary oak notes. The palate is rich, rolling and full: A mirror image of the bouquet. Fine powdery tannins work their way through the wine's mid palate carrying the sweet, black, spicy fruit. The finish is dry, the tannins doing their best work at the end of the wine as a counter - balance to the rich fruit. A glorious wine, packed with flavour, and built around a structure that allows the wine to dance on the palate, rather than trudge along stomping its feet. Deft and savoury.
2002 'WARNER VINEYARD' SHIRAZ
As long as the vintages remain kind you can expect to see a continual upward progression with the Warner vineyard shiraz. Graeme Warner's tireless efforts in the vineyard have the vines working efficiently so that the fruit is fully ripe without excessively high alcohol. The wine has more complexity, power and finesse than the 2001. A combination of high maintenance viticulture and intelligent wine making. Deeply coloured almost black, blackberries, earthy characters, roasted meats, a bit of reduction in the background and a lick of vanilla, black pepper and a seductive flinty graphite-like aroma. Amazingly different!
The palate has tremendous richness, but the tensile graphite-like structure keeps the wine focused. Like the bouquet, the palate is an explosion of flavours, blackberries, leather, spices, vanilla, a snippet of toasty oak, black pepper as a seasoning all fluently pulled together by the fine grained tannins and cleansing acidity.
There is little doubt Rick has headed off in a direction of his own with the desire to pursue intensity and graphite-like characters that are the hallmark of truly great Cote Roties. It's not about overtly peppery characters - it's all about refined power with a subtext of succulent fruit held in check. An incredibly fine savoury tannin profile. Ripeness without sweetness is the goal.
2004 'WARNER VINEYARD' SHIRAZ
The 2004 vintage was an exceptional year for reds; dry, cool weather produced wines that delivered power, finesse and complexity at much lower alcohol levels. In short, ripeness without sweetness, power without the heavy cloying hand of overripe fruit and alcohol. Warner Vineyard Shiraz is, in my opinion, the outstanding red wine of the vintage. Superior in every way to those trail blazing shirazes from 2001 and 2002. This wine breaks new ground,
Colour :
Deep, intense, vibrant with magenta to black hue.
Bouquet :
Brooding; aromas of black cherry. Sechzuan pepper, spices, smoked meats, briary forest floor notes and graphite erupt from the glass. Aromatically stunning.
Palate :
Powerful and savoury; tightly coiled with fine savoury tannins and acidity working in with the graphite characters to produce a tensile wine. An explosion of flavours at the end; black cherry, pepper, smoked meats and briar notes concluding with a lone dry savoury finish.
"A wine to age, a wine to savour, a wine that will lift the bar - power, complexity and elegance achieved with an alcohol level of 13.5% " Doug Neal
2005 'WARNER VINEYARD' SHIRAZ
Wildly exotic nose of brambles, graphite, bacon and charcuterie. So much is happening now with this wine, spicy, earthy with a touch of anise. Incredibly powerful but still retaining a wonderful delicacy. It all comes together with a tight, dry, long balanced finish. This is the style of shiraz that I'm aiming for and a further progression in our goals for Warner vineyard. My recent tastings confirm this will be something very special.
2006 'WARNER VINEYARD' SHIRAZ
Very Rhone-like nose, exhibiting what seems to be evolving as our signature nose of charcuterie, graphite and brambles. This has real depth of aroma. Fine palate, fresh spicy rich shiraz fruit characters. Underlying power and flavour, finishing with balanced firm, fine tannins. Properly stored this should last for decades.
2008 'WARNER VINEYARD' SHIRAZ
Deep nose; violets and charcuterie in the now established style of 05 and 06; concentrated; intense; long and powerful. Lively with obvious firm tannins. This vineyard continues to impress with the depth and complexity of the fruit. It will benefit greatly from cellaring. The Warner continues to attract great reviews
2008 'WARNER VINEYARD' SHIRAZ
The nose is wild; brambles and game with violet undertones. Concentrated lush mouth filling palate. Hints of roasted coffee. This powerful wine finishes with assertive tannins. Very much in the Rhone style. This is the first release from our Estate Vineyard amphitheatre block. After several small crops in previous years we now feel the vineyard is producing top quality fruit and can produce a stand alone wine.
Recent Release Tasting Notes
Giaconda Warner Vineyard Shiraz
The next release, 2012 Warner Vineyard Shiraz, will be available for purchase through this website from 1st November 2013.
Warner Vineyard Shiraz is grown 6.5km from the Beechworth town centre on granite soils typical of the general area. The wine is barrel fermented with approximately 30% new French oak. This wine is aged in barrel for 22 months, deep underground in our granite maturation cave.
2012 Barrel Tasting notes: A very exotic nose of Charcuterie, spices and undergrowth. Ripe black fruits lead to a rich palate, fine but assertive tannins with good balance and acidity will ensure this wine becomes deeply complex and exotic with age. The mouth feel is seamless, fleshy and balanced by great length and fine acidity.
2011 Tasting notes: A complex nose of spice, pepper and undergrowth shows lifted red fruit characters as a result of the cooler vintage. A vibrant palate of sweet plums and cherries with an edge of roasted meats, earth and mushroom. The palate is elegant with a long finish and nicely balanced by fine grained silky tannins.
2010 Tasting notes: The nose is profoundly deep with Scents of herb, red fruits and coffee. A firm and more refined, tightly structured palate reflecting a cooler vintage. Exotic Rhone like characters of wild herbs are developing as a counterpoint to the evident dark fruit. This continues the traditional Warner vineyard style and should offer good ageing potential.
2008 Tasting notes: Deep nose; violets and Charcuterie in the now established style of 05 and 06; concentrated; intense; long and powerful. Lively with obvious firm tannins. This vineyard continues to impress with the depth and complexity of the fruit. It will benefit greatly from cellaring. The Warner continues to attract great reviews.
Variety: Shiraz
Alcohol: 13.3%
Closure: Cork and screwcap
Cellaring: 5-20 years aging potential
Availability: Web sales open 1st November 2013Shiraz Varietal article (Wikipedia) | Varietal character (Appellation America)Australia Wine Australia (Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation) | Australian Wines (Wikipedia)Victoria Wines of Victoria (Victorian Wine Industry Association) |
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