Star Lane Winery

Star Lane was planted in ‘97 at 425m above sea level, in the foothills of the Victorian Alps in the Beechworth GI. The vineyard entered a new chapter in October ‘25 when Toni Pla Bou and Leonie Martino took ownership, bringing a clear intention to farm the site sympathetically while honing and building on the existing brand's foundations. Toni has more than 25 years’ winemaking experience across Australia and France, including the Swan Valley, Yarra Valley, Alpine Valleys, Tamar Valley, Corsica, Roussillon, Gaillac and Corbières. His philosophy is straightforward: wines should reflect place and vintage above all. The alpine climate, with long sunny days moderated by cool nights, provides a useful canvas and chardonnay, pinot gris, merlot, shiraz, nebbiolo and sangiovese benefit from long, steady ripening in the best years. Plenty more to come for the ambitious duo, with roussanne, fiano and gamay joining the core range, alongside smaller plantings of marsanne, viognier, barbera and colorino for blending and cellar door releases. It’s early days for the new owners, but the combination of a mature vineyard, an eclectic mix of varieties, and Toni’s broad experience makes Star Lane's future feel sure-footed. -KATRINA BUTLER