Yarra Valley | Victoria

Once devastated by the loss of its wine industry in the 1930s, the Yarra Valley has made a remarkable comeback, evolving into one of the most important wine regions in Victoria and one of Australia’s top fine wine destinations. By the mid-1970s, iconic producers such as Yarra Yering, Mount Mary, and Chateau Yarrinya (later purchased by De Bortoli in 1987) had established themselves as regional stars. The resurgence continued in the mid-1980s when James Halliday founded Coldstream Hills and Moët & Chandon established Domaine Chandon, bringing national and international fame back to the valley. Today, the Yarra Valley boasts just over 2,000 hectares of vines.

Pinot Noir is the valley’s most planted variety, followed closely by Chardonnay, with both varieties accounting for nearly 75% of the region's total acreage. The cool climate of Yarra Valley, combined with a lengthy growing season, creates a distinct profile for these varieties. Yarra Valley Pinot Noir is known for its lean, elegant style, offering bright red fruit flavors with a minerally backbone. The Upper Yarra Valley, with its higher elevation and younger red basalt soils, typically produces more defined and mineral expressions of Pinot, while the Lower Yarra Valley, with its ancient sandy loam soils, offers plumper, more aromatic wines.

Chardonnay from Yarra Valley stands alongside Margaret River as one of the top examples of Australian Chardonnay. The modern style is stony and mineral, with fresh citrus and melon flavors, often showing leesy characteristics. Malolactic fermentation is rare, and while barrel fermentation is common, new oak is generally restrained to one-third or less. This results in a detailed, crisp Chardonnay that stands apart from the more tropical, full-bodied styles found in warmer regions.

Yarra Valley’s Shiraz, often labeled "Syrah" to set consumer expectations, is known for being peppery, floral, and red-fruited, with lighter, more elegant expressions than those found in warmer climates. Whole cluster fermentations and low levels of new oak are common in Syrah production, helping to preserve the wine’s bright fruit character and delicate structure.

The Yarra Valley’s remarkable rise from its near destruction to its current status as a world-class wine region is a testament to its unique terroir and the dedication of its producers. This week, we’re excited to focus on Giant Steps, one of the region’s standout producers, whose wines embody the elegance and complexity that make the Yarra Valley one of Australia’s finest wine regions.

Giant Steps: Crafting the Essence of the Yarra Valley

Founded in 1997 by Phil Sexton, Giant Steps is a pioneering winery in the Yarra Valley, renowned for producing expressive Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that authentically reflect the unique characteristics of individual vineyard sites. The winery's name, inspired by John Coltrane's iconic jazz album, symbolizes a commitment to bold innovation and artistic expression in winemaking.

A Legacy of Vision and Innovation

Phil Sexton, a visionary in the Australian wine industry, established Giant Steps with the goal of cultivating wines that embody purity and finesse. His journey began with the planting of the Sexton Vineyard in 1997, located on the steep slopes of the Warramate Ranges in Gruyere. This vineyard, characterized by its north-facing aspect and shallow gravelly loam soils, produces intensely flavored fruit with a high skin-to-juice ratio, resulting in wines with exceptional concentration and complexity. 

In 2003, winemaker Steve Flamsteed joined Giant Steps, bringing a wealth of experience and a shared passion for producing site-expressive wines. Together, they focused on crafting wines that showcase the distinctive personalities of individual vineyard sites across the Yarra Valley. This dedication to terroir-driven winemaking has been a cornerstone of Giant Steps' philosophy.

In 2021, Melanie Chester took the helm as Head of Winemaking and Viticulture. With a background that includes roles at Sutton Grange Winery, Seppelt Great Western, and d’Arenberg, Melanie brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to preserving the unique expressions of each vineyard. Her approach emphasizes minimal intervention and transparency in winemaking, allowing the individual characteristics of each site to shine through in the wines. 

Single-Vineyard Sites: A Tapestry of Terroir

Giant Steps' portfolio includes several distinguished single-vineyard sites, each contributing its own unique character to the wines:

Applejack Vineyard: Located in Gladysdale at an elevation of 180–260 meters, this vineyard is planted on grey/brown clay loam soils. The cooler climate results in wines with a fine, spicy, and firm palate.

Sexton Vineyard: Situated in Gruyere at 130–210 meters elevation, this north-facing vineyard features grey clay loam soils. It produces intensely flavored fruit with high skin-to-juice ratio, contributing to wines with purity and concentration.

Primavera Vineyard: Found in Woori Yallock at 240 meters elevation, this vineyard has red clay loam soils. The wines are known for their fragrance and floral notes, reflecting the site's unique terroir.

Tarraford Vineyard: Located in Tarrawarra at 100 meters elevation, this vineyard has grey clay loam soils. The cooler microclimate and diverse aspects produce Chardonnay with high natural acidity and a zesty finish.

Bastard Hill Vineyard: Situated in Gladysdale at 380 meters elevation, this vineyard is planted on volcanic loam soils. It is recognized as one of Australia's great Chardonnay sites, producing wines with exceptional quality.

Coal River Valley, Tasmania: Located in the Meehan Range near Hobart, this vineyard is planted on calcareous and Triassic sandstone soils. Despite the cool temperatures, the site yields Pinot Noir with depth and color, showcasing the region's potential.

The Wines

 '24 Yarra Valley Pinot Noir $41
“A 50/50% mix of upper and lower Yarra estate and grower fruit. 30% whole bunches. A very bright crimson purple. Pretty and complex with aromas of red cherry skins and rhubarb together with some pink peppercorn spice and a light savoury edge. More approachable than the '23. As a young wine, the medium-bodied palate is spicy, silky and long. It'll probably age well but it's so good to drink now that there's no need to bother!”
95 points,  Halliday Wine Companion.

'24 Circle of Fifths Chardonnay $58
“An exciting new addition to the Giant Steps range, this new blend of all the single-vineyard wines is an absolute cracker and sits very comfortably in the range, both qualitatively and price-wise. Aromas of gently grilled nuts, confit lemon and a touch of struck match can all be found on the bouquet, while the palate is chalky, tensile and long. By the time this is released in June it should be singing.”
96 points, Halliday Wine Companion.

'24 Circle of Fifths Pinot Noir $58
“Along with the chardonnay, this is an exciting new addition to the Giant Steps range. A blend of all the single-vineyard wines and mainly from the vineyards in the Upper Yarra. 40% whole bunches. Gently brooding with aromas of wild black cherries and raspberries along with some whole-bunch–derived fennel seed spice and a touch of violets. Concentrated, with far more stuffing than the Yarra Pinot. Ripe, suave tannins ensure this will be worth cellaring for at least five to eight years.”
96 points, Halliday Wine Companion.

'24 Tarraford Chardonnay $92
“Planted on a cool, south-facing slope in Tarrawarra. Barrel fermented and matured in puncheons and barriques (27% new). A bright green gold. Seductive with its bouquet of fuzzy peach skins, apricot, lemon oil and a hint of fresh vanilla bean. Opulent and creamily textured, with a fine vein of acidity running through the wine that gives it both structure and length. Very long and very yum to drink now and in the short to medium term.”
96 points, Halliday Wine Companion.

'24 Sexton Chardonnay $92
“A blend of Gingin and Bernard clones planted in '97 between 100 and 200m in Gruyere. 20% new oak and 10% mlf. Another salivating and seductive Sexton Chardonnay with its bouquet of stone fruits, preserved lemons, freshly ground coffee beans and roasted hazelnut. The beautifully balanced and tightly coiled palate is underpinned by its concentration and intensity. Finishes saline and extremely long. It's all here and needs another five to seven years, at least, to reach its zenith.”
97 points, Halliday Wine Companion.

'24 Primavera Pinot Noir $102
“From Lou Primavera's '01-planted vineyard at 300m on red volcanic soils in Woori Yallock. 35% whole bunches. A bright crimson red. This always highly seductive and perfumed wine has aromas of raspberries, orange peel and cranberries as well as a little musk stick and rose bush. There's a gentle succulence on the palate that's nicely balanced by the wine's supple tannins and fine-boned acidity. Long, lovely, now and over the next six to eight years.”
97 points,  Halliday Wine Companion.

'24 Applejack Pinot Noir $102
“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, Halliday Wine Companion.