2019 Giaconda Estate Nebbiolo, Beechworth

Yum. This is real nebbiolo, with cherry, black-truffle, earth and walnut aromas and flavors. It’s full-bodied with a solid center-palate and chewy tannins. Powerful finish. Real deal here. Better after 2025.

97 points jamessuckling.com

It could be argued that a quality pinot noir maker understands the nebbiolo grape more than most. Certainly, Giaconda does. In 2019, we see both power and finesse, aromatic fineness and savoury overtones. Noted tannin presence, but it's perfectly tailored to the needs of the fruit. Brings fragrant rose, rosehip, red licorice, anise and pepper together with cherry, cranberry and earth. A complex grouping of flavours gather on the palate, formed tight in dry, savoury tannins, running long. And the best part? It's just beginning its journey.

96 points Jeni Port winecompanion.com.au

Medium crimson. Beautiful fragrant red cherry strawberry, hint marzipan, roasted walnut aromas with hints of dark chocolate. Wonderfully complex and supple with red cherry pastille, strawberry, chinotto flavours, a hint of flint/graphite notes, fine loose knit chalky/ velvety tannins, superb mid palate viscosity and underlying marzipan, vanilla roasted walnut notes. Slinky and minerally at the finish. Very impressive with lovely density, silkyiness and torque if that’s not a contradiction! 14% alc 

96 points The Vintage Journal

Aromas of wet slate, black cherries, sweet tobacco, vanilla pod, garden roses and orange blossom rise out of the glass of this 2019 Nebbiolo. I have been sitting here smelling this wine for nigh on 10 minutes, trying to tease out the notes that I know will come eventually. On the nose, behind all the uber-pretty floral and mineral aromas, is the heady scent of warm, spiced fruitcake (fresh grated nutmeg, orange peel, cinnamon, currant, a hint of date... some ginger?). In the mouth, the tannins are fresh and gravelly, with salted licorice and arnica root dusting the edges of the fruit. With blood orange, inflections of resin/tar and layers of dark chocolate and mulberry, this is a very impressive, very elegant release of this wine. Bravo. Drink 2023 - 2043.

95+ points Erin Larkin for The Wine Advocate

From the granite soils and high altitude vineyards of Beechworth in Victoria's northeast, Giaconda has quietly mastered one of Australia's most compelling expressions of Nebbiolo outside Piedmont. The 2019 vintage brought warm days tempered by cool nights, allowing extended hang time that built aromatic complexity while preserving the variety's signature acidity and structure. Winemaker Rick Kinzbrunner's meticulous approach in the cellar mirrors Italian tradition while respecting the unique Australian terroir, resulting in a wine of remarkable finesse and ageability.

The wine presents a brilliant garnet hue with orange tinges at the rim, typical of Nebbiolo's evolution. Aromas leap from the glass with intensity: rose petal, cherry eau de vie, blood orange and dried raspberry mingle with tar, black tea, sandalwood and forest floor. There's a distinctive eucalyptus note that speaks to its Australian origins, woven seamlessly into the classic profile. The palate is simultaneously powerful and ethereal, delivering sour cherry, cranberry and pomegranate over layers of licorice, graphite and exotic spice. Tannins are firm yet refined, gripping without astringency, while bright acidity carries the long, haunting finish of dried flowers and mineral.

Pair with dishes that honor both Italian tradition and Australian creativity: think slow braised lamb shoulder with native herbs, kangaroo loin with juniper and wild mushrooms, or duck breast with cherry and rosemary jus. The wine excels with white truffle risotto, bresaola with aged Parmigiano, or a rich osso buco that matches its structural intensity. For something bolder, try it alongside barbecued quail, venison carpaccio with shaved truffle, or aged hard cheeses that complement Nebbiolo's tannic grip.