If David were to defeat Goliath in the modern day, he’d probably celebrate with a nice glass of Beechworth Chardonnay. It’s a wine from a locale small in stature, but it wields the power capable of bringing the big dogs to their knees. Ahhh, the synergies. And David’s stemware choice? Goblet. Definitely a goblet.

Along with these cooling influences, however, are the complex geology and soil types that allow the Chardonnay grape to shine. The Beechworth Geographical Indication (GI) takes up most of the elevated land surrounding the townships of Beechworth and Stanley. The region is composed of two major base rock groups: Ordovician greywacke, sandstone, mudstone, and shales; and Devonian granites and granodiorite. There are three unofficial subdivisions in the region, differentiated by climate and geological formation. Broadly speaking, Beechworth’s soils are composed of free-draining decomposed granite naturally low in fertility.

A Chardonnay vineyard at Savaterre © Beechworth Vignerons Association

The small-but-mighty Beechworth region is home to a mere 35 family-owned growers and producers with around 130 hectares under vine. For context, there are 160 producers in the Yarra Valley with nearly 2,900 hectares under vine, and over 200 producers in Margaret River with 5,840 hectares under vine. And yet, Beechworth is home to some of the country’s powerhouse Chardonnay producers such as Giaconda, Savaterre, and Fighting Gully Road. Younger producers are also beginning to make their mark with the grape. Vignerons Schmölzer and Brown and Sentiõ – both reported on in my recent ‘Australian Future Legends: Chardonnay’ report – are good examples. Sustainability is deeply embedded in the culture of Beechworth’s vignerons, too. Around 20% of producers in the region are certified biodynamic by either Demeter or NASAA (National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia), with many others practising organic viticulture without formal certification.

It’d be remiss to skip over Giaconda, given its importance on many levels. As reported here in May 2024, Rick Kinzbrunner makes Chardonnay that ranks among the world’s best. This was evidenced at a recent dinner Jasper and I attended in Melbourne, where a 2004 Giaconda Chardonnay outclassed some heavy-hitting White Burgundies. This is not a unique story, and one that will no doubt be told and told again. However, the importance of Giaconda not only lies in its wine quality but also its founding influence. Rick bought the Giaconda site on a whim in 1981, having seen a for sale sign pop up on the property he’d long admired. This decision sparked a renaissance that many followed, marking the beginning of the modern Beechworth wine region

Due to the region's high quality, low yielding, and massively in-demand fruit, it naturally positioned itself as a premium region with the term ‘entry-level’ scarcely becoming part of the Beechworth offering. This is somewhat unique in Australia, as most regions have enough fruit source and scope to offer up an entry-level offering if they so desire.

Today, Beechworth Chardonnay stands as one of Australia’s most compelling cool-climate expressions of the grape. What it lacks in scale, it makes up for in precision, power, and provenance. This isn’t just a region punching above its weight – it’s redefining what Australian Chardonnay can be. And whether in a goblet or a Zalto, it’s a vessel worth raising.