Pre-Release - Ships from 26th of Aug Halliday Wine Companion's Winery of the Year!"Giant Steps, right now, breathes rare air. It’s been an outstanding winery for a long time, but the combination of energy and expertise – and no doubt plenty more besides – that winemaker Melanie Chester has brought since she arrived at the winery in November 2021 has frankly been breathtaking... In short, it’s a thrilling range to drink from."- Campbell Mattinson (Halliday Wine Companion) The Giant Steps Bastard Hill Vineyard Chardonnay is a notable new addition to the Giant Steps single vineyard range, with 2023 being the first release under the leadership of winemaker Mel Chester. Planted by the legendary Ray Guerin in 1986, this site in Gladysdale sits at elevations between 300 and 400 metres, providing a cool climate and volcanic loam soils that are perfect for producing Chardonnay of exceptional purity and focus. Acquired by Giant Steps in 2022, Bastard Hill has long been celebrated as one of Australia’s great Chardonnay sites, initially producing high-quality sparkling wine and later becoming renowned for its still wines. The 2023 vintage was marked by cool temperatures and a late harvest, allowing for excellent fruit concentration and natural acidity. The Chardonnay grapes, characterised by small bunches, were handpicked and whole-bunch pressed. Fermentation took place in 500L French oak puncheons, with 25% undergoing malolactic fermentation. The wine was matured for nine months in a combination of second-use and seasoned oak, adding complexity without overwhelming the fruit's inherent character. This Chardonnay offers an enticing bouquet of nashi pear, pink grapefruit, crushed rock, and a hint of honeysuckle. On the palate, it is incisive and chalky, with flavours of lemon, pear, and a whisper of sea spray. The wine balances concentrated intensity with a gentle creaminess, showcasing its potential to age gracefully. Giant Steps continue to push the boundaries of what's possible with Yarra Valley Chardonnay, and this new wine further enhances their reputation as one of the region's, and country's, finest producers. 98 points"This is its first wine from the vineyard. And what a wine it is! A brilliant and pure scented bouquet of nashi, pink grapefruit, crushed rock, sea spray and honeysuckle. There's a hint of fresh honeycomb, too. Incisive, pure and chalky on the palate, this concentrated yet light on its feet wine is reminiscent of good Corton-Charlemagne. That it will age gracefully is a given." - Philip Rich (Halliday Wine Companion) 96 points"It’s intense, it’s bony, and it’s long. It’s very Upper Yarra. It showed a bit of cedarwood oak when I first opened it, as in a bit too much, but once it had been allowed to breathe it seemed precisely in balance. This wine tastes of grapefruit and chalk, lemon and pear, with musk and sea-spray characters driven within. It has genuine, penetrative momentum, tempered by a gentle, textural creaminess. Flint is not part of the Giant Steps style but there’s a smidgen of it here, just enough to complex. This chardonnay is nothing if not a wine for the cellar. It doesn’t want you to flirt with it; it wants you to invest."- Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

Pre-Release - Ships from 26th of Aug Halliday Wine Companion's Winery of the Year!"Giant Steps, right now, breathes rare air. It’s been an outstanding winery for a long time, but the combination of energy and expertise – and no doubt plenty more besides – that winemaker Melanie Chester has brought since she arrived at the winery in November 2021 has frankly been breathtaking... In short, it’s a thrilling range to drink from."- Campbell Mattinson (Halliday Wine Companion) The 2023 Giant Steps Bastard Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir is a significant debut for this storied vineyard in the Yarra Valley. Planted by the legendary Ray Guerin in 1986, Bastard Hill sits on steep slopes with volcanic loam soils at elevations reaching 380 metres. This high-altitude site, once dedicated to sparkling wine, has gained a reputation for producing exquisite Pinot Noir. Its name reflects both the vineyard's challenging terrain and its potential for greatness, now being realised under the careful stewardship of Giant Steps and Mel Chester. The 2023 vintage was marked by a cool growing season with a late harvest, resulting in grapes with excellent fruit concentration and natural acidity. The Pinot Noir was handpicked in two parcels and 100% destemmed before fermenting in small seasoned French oak vats. Fermented separately, each clone underwent a four-day cold soak and spent 10-14 days on skins. The wine matured in French oak barriques, with 20% new oak enhancing its complexity. This Pinot Noir captivates with its aromatic bouquet of exotic red fruits, bergamot, rose petals, and a hint of lavender. The palate is poised and elegant, with notes of sour cherries and blood oranges flowing seamlessly over a fine thread of acidity. The wine is both delicate and persistent, with silky tannins providing structure and length. This release marks a promising new chapter for Bastard Hill, showcasing the vineyard’s unique character and the meticulous craftsmanship of the Giant Steps team. 97 points"Made with 20% whole bunches. All D clones. Matured in barriques (20% new). A light, very bright crimson. Smells like a rose garden with a little lavender thrown in! You'll also find aromas of sour cherries and blood oranges. Poised, elegant and persistent, this flows mellifluously across the palate. A classic Upper Yarra pinot, driven as much by its fine vein of acidity as its silken tannins."- Philip Rich (Halliday Wine Companion)

Giant Steps plays it's part in the rapid accension of Australian Chardonnay back to the position it once held here. That being of the king of white varieties. This is a very stylish numbe from Phil Sexton and his team. Stonefruit, melon and butterscotch characters are supported by vanillin oak and the palate is long and textured with a clean crisp finish.

Giant Steps is a complex Pinot Noir with terrific varietal character. The nose shows rose petal, dark cherry and tomato leaf aromas and the palate is fleshy but tight, with savoury, dusty notes and silky tannins.

The 16ha Wombat Creek Vineyard at Gladysdale is the highest in the Yarra Valley, at 420m. Planted in 1988 on north-east facing slopes, it was originally intended for sparkling wines, but has been transitioned to Pinot Noir (and Chardonnay) for table wine. The underlying iron-based red volcanic soil and rock contribute to wines with a distinctive soft yet long and firm palate. MV6 clone Pinot Noir grapes are hand-picked with 20% destemmed to the base of the vat for a pied de cuve ferment. The vats were then filled with whole bunches and closed to allow a semi-carbonic maceration to occur. Some foot-stomping takes place to release more juice and extend skin-contact time. After two weeks the wine is pressed to tight-grained, 228 litre, French barriques (about 18% new) for 10 months before blending and bottling without fining or filtration.The wine is noted for its soft texture and long, well-structured palate

Produced from one of the Top 100 Wineries in the World the Giant Steps Pinot Noir is complex with terrific varietal character. With a minimalist approach to winemaking this Yarra Valley favourite oozes elegance and drinkability. Giant Steps is an independent winery in Healesville, Victoria, owned by Phil Sexton. Phil first made his name in establishing some noted micro-breweries, such as Little Creatures, and later established Devils Lair in Margaret River. First released in 2001, Giant Steps focuses exclusively on the distinctive expression of single vineyard sites in the Yarra Valley. Grapes are drawn from estate and leased vineyards, as well as a selection of long-term contracted vineyards. Giant Steps wines are produced fastidiously in the vineyard and vinified with minimal intervention so that each is a faithful expression of site, vintage and culture. Giant Steps focuses on restrained Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and cool climate Cabernet/Merlot blends. These single vineyard wines are sourced from five different vineyards throughout the Yarra, so each is a fingerprint of location and site personality. The name Giant Steps comes in part from Phils love for jazz and John Coltranes album of that same name, and in part due the Giant Step Phil took in relocating with his family from Margaret River to the Yarra Valley. Giant Steps wines are always exclusively single vineyard Yarra Valley wines. They are hand made in small batches using gravity flow principles. Production of the Giant Steps wines is very limited with some vineyards producing as little as 200 cases each vintage some wines are not produced each year if vintage conditions do not allow. These wines are often hard to find in retail outlets as they are mainly sold through the cellar door and through selected restaurants.