The 2023 Castagna Chardonnay is a refined and site-driven cool-climate Chardonnay from Beechworth, crafted with a strong emphasis on biodynamic farming, purity, and minimal-intervention winemaking. Produced by Castagna, this wine reflects the estate’s philosophy of expressing vineyard character through texture, minerality, and restraint rather than overt richness.
Sourced from estate vineyards in the granite-rich hills of Beechworth, the fruit benefits from elevation, cool nights, and low-vigour soils, contributing natural acidity, concentration, and mineral tension. The 2023 vintage delivered excellent balance and aromatic clarity, producing a Chardonnay of finesse and precision.
In the winery, fruit was hand-harvested and whole-bunch pressed before fermentation in French oak barrels, with oak used judiciously to support texture and complexity without dominating the fruit. Lees maturation added depth and mouthfeel, while minimal intervention preserved freshness and site transparency.
The wine opens with aromas of white peach, nectarine, citrus blossom, and grapefruit, layered with subtle notes of hazelnut, struck flint, and delicate spice. The palate is tightly structured yet textural, combining vibrant acidity with layered stone fruit and a savoury mineral edge that carries through to a long, precise finish.
Approachable now with aeration, the 2023 Castagna Chardonnay also possesses the balance and structure to evolve gracefully over the next 8–12+ years, developing further savoury and nutty complexity with bottle age.
A poised and characterful Beechworth Chardonnay for those seeking elegance, texture, and authentic cool-climate expression.
