Castagna ‘Barbarossa’ Nebbiolo 2021 from Beechworth is a bloody, savoury, succulent Nebbiolo that shows serious structure yet feels almost Pinot‑esque in its delicacy – power without weight in a very Castagna way.

Aromatically it’s unmistakably Nebbiolo: red cherry and strawberry, cranberry, rose and orange zest, oolong‑tea spice, forest floor and bitters, with that earthy, savoury edge only this grape can deliver. On the palate there’s an ethereal, “gluggable” brightness at first, but a slow wave of fine, grippy tannins rolls through, carrying strawberry fruit sweetness, tart cherry‑like acidity and exotic spice – a silk glove over an iron fist, built to age comfortably to around 2040.

This Castagna Barbarossa Nebbiolo 2021 is a wine to drink slowly and with fascination, ideally decanted and poured into large glasses alongside rich Italian‑leaning dishes – think braised beef, osso buco, lamb shanks, game birds, truffle and mushroom dishes or aged hard cheeses. Single‑vineyard, biodynamic and only released in exceptional years, it’s a benchmark Australian Nebbiolo for serious collectors.