2024 Castagna Growers Selection Savagnin

94 pts
Castagna |Victoria |Savagnin
94-point Savagnin from Julian Castagna: spicy, salty and textural, and a delicious taste of Beechworth's biodynamic master.

Price:
Sale price$42.00
Stock:
Re-stocking, ships in 2-5 business days
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Description

Julian Castagna is one of Beechworth's great originals - a former filmmaker turned biodynamic vigneron whose estate Syrah and Sangiovese have a cult following. The Growers Selection range is where he works with fruit from outside his own vineyard, and this Savagnin has turned out to be one of its real highlights.

The 2024 is built around King Valley fruit, whole bunch pressed and sent straight to barrel, with a portion in ceramic egg. It was left to sit there for a good while, malolactic and all, which explains the extra texture. Julian liked the result so much he's since planted Savagnin at Castagna, and he's said he'd eventually like to phase out the grower wines altogether. Worth noting.

It's classic Savagnin, with that curry spice and chamomile lift over stone fruit, quince and ripe apple. There's a salty, almost sea-spray edge, a hint of preserved lemon, and a touch of honeyed richness that never gets heavy thanks to the mouth-watering acidity.

A spicy, textural white with real character, made with the same care as Castagna's estate wines. Very good value for the quality.

94 points
"Rich, ripe, honeyed wine with great character and charm... A totally delicious wine."
- Huon Hooke (The Real Review)

93 points
"It was a winning move, producing a wine that is a joy to drink."
- Jeni Port (Halliday Wine Companion)

93 points
"The palate is textural but not weighty, and with a very nice, clearly marked finish with warming fresh ginger spice."
- Kasia Sobiesiak (The Wine Front)

94 points - "Full yellow colour. A blend of Castagna's own and a King Valley grower. Rich, ripe, honeyed wine with great character and charm, a touch of vanilla, the volume of flavour enlivened and given tension by mouth-watering acidity. Tastes like there's some botrytis but I'm told there wasn't. A totally delicious wine. (Barrel fermented and allowed malolactic)" - Huon Hooke (The Real Review)

93 points - "The search for a 'mid-price' wine led the maker to savagnin grown outside the estate. It was a winning move, producing a wine that is a joy to drink. Needless to say, the grape is now planted at Castagna. Combines the savoury with an exotic spiciness. Green almond and citrus zest sit beside fruit that takes in white peach, citrus and nectarine. Setting it all off is a layering of background spices that speak of Indian flavours, with cardamom and Asian lime leaf. Offers both refreshing, bright acidity and a charming textural quality. All up, a well-balanced wine from start to finish." - Jeni Port (Halliday Wine Companion)

93 points - "The fruit was bought in from the King Valley. Julian marks the wines of bought-in fruit with a coloured ribbon on the label and “Growers’ Selection” on it. However, he notes, “I will phase out growers. Because I really would like only to make wine from our vineyard.” Interview with Julian here. The wine is lightly tropical and nutty, but not overtly so. It’s mango skin, quince, green papaya, apple. The palate is textural but not weighty, and with a very nice, clearly marked finish with warming fresh ginger spice." - Kasia Sobiesiak (The Wine Front)

Savagnin sourced outside the estate. Whole bunch pressed, straight to barrel with a portion in ceramic egg and hangs out for a while. We see immediately Savagnin’s trademark of curry powder, stone fruit and camomile which are subtle but evident – highly aromatic, with a perfume, reminiscent of wild sea aromas then quince, ripe apple, and ever so slight caramel note which adds to complexity. The palate with its salty acidity underpins the fruit – ripe apple, some bosco pear and perhaps even a hint of preserved lemon. Complex, and interesting, a wonderful expression of the variety.

Price Bracket $41 to $50
Type White
Body Medium Bodied
Variety Savagnin
Country Australia
Region Victoria
Australian State VIC
Reviewed By Halliday Wine Companion
The Wine Front
The Real Review
Critic Score 94
Alcohol 13.5%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2024
Closure Screw Cap

Castagna

Castagna helped establish Beechworth as a home for serious Australian wine, championing biodynamic farming, fragrant Syrah and Sangiovese along the way. Founded by Julian Castagna in the late 1990s, it remains a family operation, with son Adam now an integral part of the vineyard and winery.

The estate sits at around 500 metres in the foothills of the Victorian Alps, on decomposed granite over clay. Warm days ripen the fruit fully, while cool nights help retain the acidity that gives these wines their freshness and ability to age.

Certified organic and biodynamic, the vineyard is central to everything the family does. Vines are pruned by hand, yields are kept low and fruit is hand-picked, before fermentation with indigenous yeasts and patient maturation in the cellar.

Syrah and Sangiovese are particular strengths, combining concentrated fruit with perfume, savoury detail and fine tannins. These are the qualities we love about Castagna: distinctive Beechworth wines with plenty of flavour, satisfying texture and a proven capacity to develop in the cellar.

Julian and Adam Castagna Castagna

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