Yarra Valley based vigneron, Phil Sexton lives with his family in the middle of their 80 acre vineyard established on the high north face of the Warramate Ranges in the dress circle of the Yarra Valley. Specialising in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Giant Steps explore site, micro climatic and clonal differences between several specialized vineyards in the Yarra Valley including their own multi-clonal vineyard and the highly regarded Tarraford vineyard. Focused intently upon reflecting the individual and unique characteristics of each single vineyard, Giant Steps adopts a minimalist approach to winemaking including, whenever possible, vinification using indigenous yeasts and gravity flow transfers.

I tasted this beside the Giant Steps Yarra Valley wines and my first words were: “Less floral, more fruit.” This brings the polish, the flavour, the seduction. It offers the freshest of red and black cherries with woodsmoke and cedar running through, a touch of mint maybe, semblances of undergrowth, gorgeous length, the tannin almost seeming to blossom itself. Beautiful wine. Complete. Date: Aug 2025; Alcohol: 13.5%; Price: $105; Closure: Screwcap; Drink: 2026-2032+; Rated: 95+ Points; Campbell Mattinson; The Wine Front