Castagna Chenin Blanc 2022 from Beechworth is a deeply textural, medium‑bodied Chenin that plays more in the serious Loire/Savennieres space than simple refreshment – waxy, layered and quietly powerful. It’s fully certified organic and biodynamic, and widely regarded as a benchmark Australian Chenin.

The colour sits in deep yellow hues, and the nose is complex: jasmine, chamomile and spring blossom, honeysuckle and paper daisies, over yellow peach, pear and spiced apple, with baked brioche, apricot kernel, pink grapefruit and lemon pith. On the palate it’s waxy, chewy and concentrated yet restrained – lemon curd, lanolin, chamomile tea, crystallised ginger, poached quince and baked apple, all threaded with saline, mineral notes, vibrant acidity and a long, palate‑staining, fresh finish.

This Castagna Chenin Blanc 2022 is made for thoughtful food – think roast chook, pork with crackling, richer fish, mussels or clams in cream, dauphinoise potatoes, or mushroom and herb dishes where umami and texture shine. It’s a collectible white built to age, sitting among the top Australian Chenins in recent “best of” line‑ups, and described by critics as “another ballistic white” and “Australia’s answer to Savennieres.