Castagna

What is it that makes a person who is happily travelling along a chosen life-pathway turn 90-degrees and head off into the unknown; a decision which would change their lives forever?

Julian and Carolann Castagna were running one of Sydney’s most successful film production houses. Julian had worked in the film industry as a Film Director all his working life but had become besotted by fine wine while working in London. Carolann was a Writer.

They decided to plant a vineyard in a place in Australia not yet universally recognised as a major viticultural area but one that Julian believed would be perfect for Syrah, and would produce fruit that had the floral fragrance, aniseed and supple, complex subtleties of good Côte-Rôtie. Not a style that was in much evidence in Australia at that time. Julian also believed that Italian varieties had great potential in the same place, so Sangiovese was also a possibility.

They sold the house and the apartment in the city and moved in to a caravan on the land: romantic for about five nights till the ants came to visit and the snakes came for a look-see. They built the winery and house out of straw-bale, learning everything on the job as they went along.