Giant Steps "Sexton Vineyard" Chardonnay 2019 ~ Yarra Valley Australia

96/100 The Wine Front
95/100 James Suckling
93/100 Wine Spectator
92/100 Tom Cannavan
91/100 CellarTracker
17/20 Jancis Robinson

95/100 James Suckling (2018 vintage)
95/100 Gary Walsh (2018 vintage)
95/100 James Halliday (2018 vintage)
95/100 The Wine Front (2018 vintage)
94/100 Wine Enthusiast (2018 vintage)
93/100 Decanter (2018 vintage)
91/100 Wine Spectator (2018 vintage)
16.5/20 Jancis Robinson (2018 vintage)

James Suckling, "This has a savory, crushed stone edge to the nose with fresh pastry, as well as white peaches, lemon pastry and hazelnuts with honeysuckle and citrus blossom. The palate has an alluring density that holds very long into the peach, lemon and pastry-flavored finish. A spark of zesty lemon to close."

Tom Cannavan, "Some granite and ironstone influence on the clay loam soils here, the wine whole bunch pressed and fermented with indigenous yeasts in 500L French puncheons. Matured for 10 months in barrel (20% new) it did not go through malolactic and there was no batonnage. Very clean and mineral and fruit driven on the nose, the oak less prominent on this one. Very juicy and ripe in style, though the sharpness of the acid structure gives lovely focus, a rounding touch of barrel character easing the finish. Stylish."

James Suckling "A very attractive, succulent style with intense and energetic white-peach and lemon aromas and flavors. The drive and depth on the palate really impress here. Drink or hold. Screw cap." (2018 vintage)

James Halliday "...A wine with substance and depth, and a (non-residual sugar) touch of fruit sweetness...Identical vinification to its siblings, the intention to place all the emphasis on the site, including its micro-flora. I am confident that the individual personality of each sibling will express itself more and more over the next 2 years." (2018 vintage)

Gary Walsh "I think this was my favourite of the Chardonnay releases. A little struck match, melon, spiced oatmeal. Big flavour, powerful fruit... Such a good thing to drink." (2018 vintage)

Wine Enthusiast "Giant Steps owner Phil Sexton's self-named vineyard soars once again in this beautifully textured Chardonnay that is all at once modern and timeless. Take a deep dive into a nose of honeysuckle, lime leaf, salted cashew, waxy lemon and stony minerals. Then let the liquid roll around on your tongue, pricking it gently with crystalline acidity. Complex and ageworthy yet totally approachable now, this is the face of today's Aussie Chardonnay, and it's a mighty fine one.” (2018 vintage)

Decanter "There is incredible depth of quality in Yarra Chardonnay: Mount Mary, Mac Forbes, TarraWarra, Yabby Lake, Yarra Yering, Soumah, Santolin… Giant Steps vinifies all its four fab single-vineyard wines the same way (wild-yeast, 20% new puncheons, lees stirring, eight months’ ageing). This is broad, juicy and rich with peach and orange flavours, direct acidity and creamy oak spice." (2018 vintage)

Giant Steps is a privately owned, estate based, Yarra Valley grower and winemaker. Giant Steps has forged a reputation for delivering some of Australia’s most consistent, over-performing, varietal wines. These wines have received global acclaim and established a strong reputation in restaurants and fine wine stores around the world.

Since 2003 Giant Steps wines have collectively been awarded 19 trophies and over 50 gold medals at major international and domestic wine shows, and has been named one of the Top 100 Wineries in the World by Wine & Spirits Magazine, US for each of the last three years. Owner Phil Sexton came to wine via beer. He started Little Creatures, a favourite of Aussie hopheads, in Perth (Western Australia). Winemaker Steve Flamsteed works exclusively on Giant Steps single vineyard wines. Yarra Valley is a region with a cool climate, best known for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Yarra Valley is an hour’s drive east of Melbourne. Located on the steep north facing slopes of the Warramate Ranges, alongside the vineyards of Yarra Yering and Coldstream Hills, the Sexton vineyard is exposed and demanding.

Being on the higher slopes, topsoil is thin and root systems have established themselves in shallow gravelly loams above a tough rocky clay base. Bunch yields set naturally low in this environment, facilitating a low intervention approach to what is otherwise hand tended viticulture. Biodynamic vineyard management principles are being introduced with the purpose of further distinguishing the site and improving grape and wine quality.