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Giant Steps 'Applejack' Pinot Noir 2024
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- TASTING NOTE: "From the Applejack vineyard, planted on grey clay soils at 300m in Gladysdale in '97 by Ray Guerin. 40% whole bunches and 40% less wine in '24. Darkly fruited and more intense than the '23 with aromas of wild blackberry, raspberry, briar, and just a hint of sous bois. On the palate, this is as concentrated and mouth-filling as the bouquet suggests it will be, culminating with succulent, grippy tannins on the long, tapering finish. It's a touch more 'sauvage' and a little less floral than normal but, even in this warmer vintage, one of Australia's most celebrated pinot noirs is in impressive form." 98 points - Philip Rich, Halliday Wine Companion
- ABOUT THE WINE: Applejack Vineyard is a special site, located on a dramatic slope in the upper Yarra Valley and is closely planted and fastidiously managed. It was planted by respected viticulturist Ray Guerin in 1997. The basalt based underlying volcanic soil and rock produce a characteristically fine yet extended, spicy and firm palate. The higher altitude results in a cooler and extended growing season, ideally suited to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (3-4 weeks later than central Yarra Valley). This vineyard is a special location for Pinot Noir in the Yarra Valley – its eastern aspect means the sun rises to gently warm and dry out the vineyard in the morning, but the vines are sheltered from the afternoon heat by the temperate rainforest that surrounds it. Hand picked, all fruit is chilled overnight to 12 degrees Celsius. Fermented in small oak fermenters and stainless steel open vats. The Pommard parcels were fermented as whole bunches, while the remaining clones were destemmed to whole berries and cold soaked for five days. The resulting blend is almost 20% whole bunch. All parcels were matured in French oak 20% new, 80% older – for ten months in 225L barriques, Taransaud and Dargaud & Jaeglé. Racked to blend, no fining, no filtration. Bottled by gravity.
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ABOUT THE PRODUCER: Giant Steps was founded by wine industry pioneer Phil Sexton, who ventured from Margaret River to Yarra Valley to find the ideal site to cultivate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of purity and finesse. Phil found his holy grail near Gruyere in the Sexton vineyard, which he planted in 1997 on the steep slopes of the Warramate Ranges. A mad jazz fan, Phil named the winery after John Coltrane’s album and fitting metaphor “Giant Steps.” In 2003, Winemaker Steve Flamsteed came aboard, and the two set about producing a range of iconic Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays that express a profound sense of place from six finite sites in Yarra Valley. For Melanie Chester, who became Head of Winemaking and Viticulture at Giant Steps in 2021, this long-held admiration for the winery comes with an intrinsic pressure to honour the expressions and diversity of its single sites. This means keeping the winemaking tight and transparent, so that diversity of site is what you taste. For more than 20 years, Giant Steps has been advancing Australia’s reputation for cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
- COUNTRY: Australia
- REGION: Yarra Valley, Victoria
- VARIETAL: Pinot Noir
- WINE STYLE: Red Wine
- WINEMAKER: Melanie Chester
- CLASSIFICATION: Vegan
- CLOSURE: Screwcap
- ABV%: 13%
- SIZE: 750ml
