2023 Giant Steps Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley

2023 was a small, high-quality vintage in the Yarra Valley. The season was defined by a cool Spring, a mild growing season, cool nights, and lots of rainfall. 2023 was one of the coolest and latest harvests on record, with our first pick starting two and a half weeks later than previous average. The grapes in 2023 had lovely fruit concentration with bright natural acidities.

Sourced from vineyrds across the Yarra Valley. 50% sourced from the upper Yarra ranges.

All Giant Steps fruit is 100% hand-picked. Grapes are then chilled overnight before processing. The Pinot is either fermented as 100% whole bunches or 100% destemmed with whole berries. The whole bunch treatments have a warm start to fermentation, with minimal mixing throughout the start of fermentation to promote carbonic maceration. These ferments are then left for up to 21 days on skins before pressing. The destemmed and whole berry batches are held cold at 4℃ for four days before the ferment is allowed to heat up and start fermentation naturally with indigenous yeasts. Cold soaked for 3 days, then allowed to warm in small open fermenters in order to kick start wild fermentation. Parcels are matured in French oak (10% new, 90% older) for eight months. Blended in October and then bottled by gravity without fining or filtration in November.

Turmeric and garlic roasted chicken with couscous. Mushroom Risotto with roasted enoki. BBQ Quail with five spice, fried spring onion and garlic flakes.