Giaconda vineyard was established by Rick Kinzbrunner, a mechanical engineer who became interested in wine in the early 1970's. Rick then spent the next ten years working in the industry, travelling and following his passion for wine. 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 for the Moueix group in Bordeaux, co-owner of the fabled Chateau Petrus.

After returning to Australia in 1980 to take up a position as assistant winemaker at Brown Brothers in Milawa, Rick purchased land in the nearby Beechworth wine region - at the foothills of the beautiful North-East Victorian Alps. Planting commenced in 1982 and the property is now devoted solely to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. A separate planting of Nebbiolo has also been established close to the Beechworth township at Red Hill. Total area under vines at the Giaconda Estate Vineyard is now 4 hectares. Annual wine production is approximately 2,500 dozen bottles.

The 2023 Estate Vineyard Chardonnay leads with an abundance of smoky, nutty, savory reduction. Here, the 2023 feels less exotic and softly spoken than the 2022 tasted alongside, with the 2023 showing more tension and focus. Neither has the extraordinary, otherworldly character of the 2021, also tasted alongside, yet the differences between the three is almost as exciting as having three vintages of Giaconda Chardonnay open at the same time. The 2023 only gets better the longer it is opened, revealing white peach, curry leaf, pink grapefruit acidity, blood orange, coffee grounds, graphite and mustard seeds. What a wine. The sheer intensity of flavor here is astonishing—it penetrates the palate and soars long into the memory. Far from pinching the finish, the reduction provokes a physical response, one that requires more drinking to satiate. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Date: Apr 2025; Drink: 2025-2043; Rating: 98+ Points; Erin Larkin; Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate

This is a tighter, maybe more refined expression of Giaconda Chardonnay, though it still has all the hallmarks of the estate. Plenty of struck match complexity, pink grapefruit, lemon oil, aniseed, oatmeal, fresh nectarine. It fairly sizzles with spice and cool acidity, plenty of flint and chalk dust texture, a nutty and savoury element here, a juicy citrus tang, dried pear with cinnamon, and closes zesty and electric, with a very very long finish. I can’t always say Giaconda has inherent drinkabilty early on, but this wine kind of does, and in that way, it’s probably my favourite release to date. It has great bone structure and cool vintage complexity. Of course it will cellar so well. It would drink well, I think, with a rabbit pulled out of a hat. Date: Mar 2025; Alcohol: 13.5%; Closure: Screwcap; Drink: 2027-2038+; Rated: 98 Points; Gary Walsh; The Wine Front

In challenging Victorian vintages like '23 – cool and wet – the cream rises, quality producers standing up. At Giaconda, we see another stunner of a chardonnay released, a classic work of art that delivers a bouquet of citrus blossom scents with intense Meyer lemon, grapefruit pith, preserved lemon, white peach, nectarine and crushed stone. Has real presence and an immediate sense of concentration. The longer it remains open, the more it reveals, an ongoing treat of complexity in nectarine, peach, toasted almond and gentle spice with a stunning lemon butter-like richness and more, edged in finely laced acidity. Exquisite. Date: Mar 2023; Alcohol: 13.5%; Drink by: 2039; Rating: 98 Points & Special Value Star; James Halliday Wine Companion