2024 Giant Steps Bastard Hill Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley

This is pretty as a picture. Blue and red berries, slips of spice, smoked cedar tucked in; it’s Pinot Noir in naked form, the bones clear but so too the flesh. This result is exquisite. It glides slowly through the start and then gradually, like a river through the rapids, increases its speed to the rush of an exaggeratedly long finish. This Pinot Noir is minerally, almost gravelly. It has flesh and perfume. It delves into secret herbs and spices territory. It’s a wine in perfect form. The tautness, the perfume, the flesh; everything is elite.

97 points Campbell Mattinson winefront.com.au

No whole bunches and only MV6 from a south-facing slope at 400m, which has worked well in this warm year. A touch closed, this didn't need too long to open up, revealing a complex array of aromas including pure red cherry, sarsaparilla and spices such as clove and cardamom. Tightly wound, this is driven as much by the wine's very bright acidity as its superfine tannins. Give this some air and drink now or watch it slowly unfurl over time.

96 points Philip Rich winecompanion.com.au

High on a windswept ridge above the Upper Yarra Valley sits Bastard Hill, one of the most dramatic vineyard sites in the region. The name hints at the struggle required to farm this steep and exposed slope, yet the reward is Pinot Noir of remarkable precision and intensity. Giant Steps was founded in 1997 by wine visionary Phil Sexton and has grown into one of the benchmark producers of cool climate Australian Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Today the winemaking is led by Melanie Chester, who focuses on expressing the individuality of each single vineyard site. Bastard Hill is planted at around 300 metres above sea level on ancient volcanic soils with a mix of clay and basalt, a challenging environment that produces low yields but exceptional fruit concentration.

The colour is a luminous ruby red that hints at the finesse within. Fragrant aromatics lift immediately with wild strawberry, red cherry and raspberry woven with rose petal, subtle spice and a whisper of forest floor. As it opens further notes of dried herbs, tea leaf and gentle savoury earthiness emerge. The palate is vibrant and finely structured, carrying bright red berry fruit framed by silky tannins and lively natural acidity. Flavours of cranberry, cherry pit, spice and mineral tones glide across the palate before finishing long and graceful. Bastard Hill Pinot Noir is a wonderful expression of Upper Yarra terroir and will develop added complexity over the next ten to fifteen years. It pairs beautifully with roast duck, grilled quail, mushroom and thyme tart, or delicate game dishes where elegance rather than weight is the key.