98/100 James Halliday
95/100 Wine Enthusiast
95/100 James Halliday (2018 Vintage)
95/100 Ray Jordan (2018 Vintage)
95/100 Winsor Dobbin (2018 Vintage)
94/100 The Wine Front (2018 Vintage)
94/100 Gary Walsh (2018 Vintage)
94/100 Steve Leszczynski (2018 Vintage)
94/100 Toni Paterson (2018 Vintage)

James Halliday 2021 Award-Winning Varietal - Chardonnay of the Year

Halliday Wine Award 2021 Judges Comment "Hand-picked, chilled, whole-bunch pressed, wild fermentation on full solids, no stirring, no mlf, matured in French oak (10% new) for 8 months. The bouquet is slightly funky/reduced, but it's elegance and purity that are the essence of this wine, made by a master of the art."

Wine Enthusiast “The latest vintage of this noteworthy producer's Chardonnay is singing. A harmonious, multifaceted nose offers notes of bright citrus, fresh melon and flowers, while a chorus of sun-baked stones and freshly baked bread linger behind. Beautifully textural and salty on the palate, it crunches with minerals and vibrant fruit. The oak is tucked away and the finish long and salty."

James Suckling "Simply put, this is one of the best value Australian chardonnays being made. It has a magic marriage of well-judged complexity with grapefruit, peaches, lemons, and nectarines wrapped in a gun flinty and hazelnutty shroud of complexity. The palate merges pastry-like smoothness and concentration with electrifying acid freshness." (2018 Vintage)

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate "Blended from the winery's estate vineyards, the 2017 Chardonnay is a terrific reflection of the winemaking style here, showing positive hints of struck match, subtle toasted grain and butter notes, plus pear and melon aromas. It's medium-bodied and crisp, with a silky texture and expanding citrusy notes that take over on the long finish." (2018 Vintage)      

Lower Yarra Valley, clone I10V1, fermented in a 657l ceramic egg, briefly settled on lees before gravity bottling.

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, the 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). 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. 

Giant Steps Yarra Valley range is made using 100% hand-picked fruit from Giant Steps estate vineyards. The wines are produced with wild ferments, gravity-flow winemaking techniques, and minimal fining and filtration. This approach produces highly expressive wines, true to the regional characteristics of the Yarra Valley.