2024 Giant Steps Bastard Hill Chardonnay, Yarra Valley

A 11.5ha vineyard planted in '87 in Gladysdale at 400m with roughly 60% planted to chardonnay. Precise and mineral driven, with aromas of just-ripened orchard fruits, lemon zest and a touch of struck match. A slow but steady burn on the very persistent palate, culminating in a long, structured and saline finish. This will age slowly but surely over the next decade. There's only 200 dozen made in '24, illustrating the lengths that Giant Steps are taking to protect the brand.

97 points Special Value Philip Rich winecompanion.com.au

Giant Steps Bastard Hill Chardonnay is a wine of almost mythical status in the Yarra Valley. From its steep, rocky slopes comes fruit of extraordinary intensity and poise, produced in such small quantities that each vintage is as rare as it is acclaimed. The Bastard Hill vineyard has always been known as a site for the patient and the brave, with its low yields and unforgiving terrain. Yet this difficulty is precisely what shapes the character of the wine, giving it laser-like focus, depth, and age-worthiness. The winemaking team, carrying forward Phil Sexton’s vision, treats the fruit with a minimal-intervention approach, ensuring the terroir speaks with clarity.

On the nose, the wine is taut and restrained at first, opening with struck flint, wet stone, and hints of struck match before easing into notes of white peach, citrus pith, and roasted hazelnut. The palate is intensely structured, with a mineral backbone that gives it tension and drive, while a fine seam of acidity carries flavours of lemon curd, almond meal, and delicate oak spice. The texture is silky yet powerful, leading to a finish that is long, chalky, and saline, with an elegance that critics often liken to Grand Cru white Burgundy. This is a wine that rewards patience, capable of cellaring for 15 to 20 years, gradually gaining honeyed, nutty layers and deeper complexity.

It pairs best with refined dishes that respect its precision and depth. Think butter-poached lobster, roast chicken with preserved lemon, or simply grilled scallops with brown butter. The wine’s power and mineral focus also make it superb with Japanese dishes like miso-glazed cod or toro sashimi. Whether enjoyed young for its electricity and purity or cellared to unveil its richer, more layered evolution, it is a benchmark Chardonnay that exemplifies what the Yarra Valley can achieve at its peak.