A mechanical engineer who spent 10 years winemaking in New Zealand, Europe and California before settling down in Australia, Rick Kinzbrunner established the Giaconda vineyard near Brown Brother’s old Everton Hills Vineyard. The vineyard, located in a small valley, is minute and planted at an altitude of 400 metres. The low yielding vines are planted unusually on south facing slopes to avoid the full impact of the sun. The lean mineralized granitic loams over decomposed gravel and clay allow both sustained water release and naturally regulated vines. Kinzbrunner is an instinctive winemaker who rolls with the personality and variations of vintage. His attention to detail and astonishing mastery of barrel work brings an extra dimension to his Chardonnay. Rick Kinzbrunner’s beguilingly ethereal Giaconda Estate Vineyard Chardonnay has emerged as one of Australia’s great wines, capturing the soul of the Beechworth landscape and the character of an exceptional vineyard site.