Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021

Wine Enthusiast Wine of the Year of 2022
Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Wines of 2022
James Halliday Top 100 Wines of 2022
Halliday Wine Companion Top Pinot Noir of 2022

Giant Steps is recognized as a global benchmark for cool climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The winery was established in 1998, one year after founder Phil Sexton arrived in the Yarra Valley in search of ideal sites to produce Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of purity and finesse. The Giant Steps Single Vineyard range is produced from the most site-expressive fruit from the best vineyards in great years.

"The colour isn't deep, but is crystal clear. The perfumed bouquet is filled with violets and scents of the forest floor, the palate utterly extraordinary in its intensity. It is primarily driven by its fruits of cherry and plum, but also the sheen of mouth-watering tannins."  James Halliday

 The Applejack Vineyard, named after the Applejack eucalypts that surround the vineyard, is located at Gladysdale in the upper Yarra Valley. It was planted in 1997 by respected viticulturist Ray Guerin and is meticulously managed by his son Mark. This vineyard was purchased by Phil Sexton  in 2013. Located at an elevation of 320 metres, the higher altitude results in a cooler and extended growing season (3-4 weeks later than central Yarra Valley) and is ideally suited to growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Applejack Vineyard is located on a dramatic, northeast-facing slope with close-planted vines. The vineyard is planted to seven clones - 114, 115, MV6, D2V5, D5V15, Pommard and Abel. 

"I've long considered the Applejack vineyard to be one of the greatest sites for pinot in Australia."  Philip Rich

"Hand picked, all fruit is chilled overnight to 12 degrees Celsius. Cold soak for 3 – 4 days, then allowed to warm to kick start fermentation Indigenous yeast. Fermented in small oak fermenters and stainless steel open vats. The "D” clones from the middle of the hill were fermented as whole bunches, while the Pommard, Abel and MV6 were destemmed, soaked cold for 5 days, then allowed to warm gently into a wild ferment.  All parcels were matured in French oak – 25% new, 75% older – for 8 months in 225L barriques.  Racked to blend, no fining, no filtration.  Bottled by gravity."  Giant Steps

Expert reviews

"The colour isn't deep, but is crystal clear. The perfumed bouquet is filled with violets and scents of the forest floor, the palate utterly extraordinary in its intensity. It is primarily driven by its fruits of cherry and plum, but also the sheen of mouth-watering tannins. Drink by 2041."  James Halliday, The Weekend Australian - 98 points and Top 100 Wines of 2022

"Named after the Applejack eucalypts that surround the vineyard, which was planted at Gladysdale in 1997. Seven clones including 114, 115, MV6, D2V5, D5V15, Pommard and Abel! I've long considered the Applejack vineyard to be one of the greatest sites for pinot in Australia and I'm not sure I've seen a better version than the 2021. A deep, bright, crimson purple. Maraschino cherry into plum, there's an exotic and riotous amalgam of Asian five-spice and a gentle savoury, umami character. What elevates this vintage is the concentration, along with Applejack's trademark perfume and spice. Just so vibrant and fresh on the palate, the tannins are both silky and plentiful. You will have no problems opening and enjoying this now, but the wine's track record suggests you'll thank me if you still have some to drink 7–10 years from now, if not longer. Drink by 2032."  Philip Rich, Halliday Wine Companion - 98 points and Top Pinot Noir of 2022 and Special Value Wine  ★  

"Brashly spicy and complex, this has aromas of espresso, blueberries, toasted spices and grilled bread, as well as forest wood and violets. The palate delivers alluring depth and a round, fleshy build. Acidity explodes on the finish, releasing fresh red-cherry and blueberry fruit flavors. Wonderfully layered and complete. Drink over the next eight years."  James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com - 96 points

"Stunning, this is oozing with spices, perfume and polish, featuring green cardamom, clove, lavender and nutmeg details that add an aromatic overtone to wild berry, cranberry and strawberry pastry flavors. Drink now through 2034."  Wine Spectator - 96 points

"One of the great things about Australian wine is that the planting frenzy in the late half of the 1990s now has a great many vineyards marking their 25th year in the ground. The east-facing Applejack Vineyard was planted in 1997 at Gladysdale and is a star performer. This release saw 80% whole bunches and 25% new oak.

Pure red cherry flavours push straight into undergrowth, mushroom, fragrant herb and spices. Cedarwood oak is present but so happily married to the fruit. There are briar notes here, particularly through the finish, and throughout it feels structured without necessarily feeling grippy. There's a (positive) smoky aftertaste and a (very) good level of richness, in a varietal context. All up, hands down, this is a gorgeous wine to drink. Drink : 2023 - 2030+."  Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front - 95+ points

"Grown on clay-loam soils, with tough ironstone rocks running through, this wine is the most savory and brambly of Giant Steps's single-vineyard Pinots. A thicket of red and blueberry fruit entwines with white pepper and other savory spices, dried roses and meaty bass notes. In the mouth, fleshy fruit is again met with lovely spice, cinched by fine tannins. There's freshness, structure and elegance here that makes this a complete wine now, but one that could cellar until around 2032."  Christina Pickard, Wine Enthusiast – 95 points and #1 Wine of the Year in the Top 100 Wines of 2022

"Mid-light purple-red colour, bright and youthful, with aromas of mixed spices, raspberry, smoky oak and charcuterie, gentle palate texture and pleasingly drying tannins at the end. Excellent intensity. A nice touch of fruit sweetness at the heart of it, then a drying flush of fine tannin moves in. Delicious pinot."  Huon Hooke, The Real Review - 95 points

"The Applejack Vineyard is planted across the hill, at the same altitude as the Primavera Vineyard on gray clay over mudstone, and picked within a few days of that site. The 2021 Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir included 50% whole bunch in the mix and is a blend of seven different clones. This shows wonderful clarity and poise—it is precise and layered with energy and life. The acid pulses through the phenolic texture in the mouth. It was originally a sparkling vineyard, down the hill from Wombat Creek, situated in an eastern-facing bowl that captures the morning sunlight. Mel Chester (head of winemaking and viticulture) talks about the smell of the tea trees in the vineyard, explaining that "there's always a couple of Wedgetail eagles circling, it's a magic place." The evocative description of the vineyard carries through into the wine, which shows a satisfying, delicious resolution of plump ripe fruit and beautifully resolved tannin. Balance 101. Drink:  2022 - 2037."  Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate - 95 points

Awards

Wine of the Year 2022 - Wine Enthusiast
Top 100 Wines of 2022 - Wine Enthusiast
James Halliday Top 100 Wines of 2022
Halliday Wine Companion Top Pinot Noir of 2022
Special Value Wine – Halliday Wine Companion  ★ 

 In 1997 Phil Sexton arrived in the Yarra Valley in search of ideal sites to produce Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of purity and finesse. He was looking for sites with altitude, aged soils, slopes of exposure, regular rainfall and cool to cold nighttime temperatures and a gentle breeze off the protecting mountain ranges. The Giant Steps winery was established one year later in 1998.

The focus is on the production of high-quality, single-vineyard wines. The Giant Steps Single Vineyard range is produced from the most site-expressive fruit off the best vineyards in great years. Each single vineyard wine tells a story about the vineyard, vintage and variety. Production of these wines is very limited with some vineyards producing as little as 200 cases.

The single vineyards comprise the Sexton Vineyard in the Lower Yarra and the Applejack Vineyard in the Upper Yarra (both owned by Giant Steps), the Tarraford Vineyard in the Lower Yarra under long-term lease, the Primavera Vineyard in the Upper Yarra under long-term supervised contract and the Wombat Creek Vineyard owned by Hand Picked Wines. In addition, Giant Steps produce a Yarra Valley range of wines made from handpicked fruit from their estate vineyards. They are highly expressive wines, true to the regional characteristics of the Yarra Valley. 

The Giant Steps wines have received global acclaim and are now recognized as a global benchmark for cool climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Since 2003 Giant Steps wines have been awarded 34 trophies and over 100 gold medals at major international and domestic wine shows and has been named one of the Top 100 Wineries in the World by US Wine & Spirits Magazine for each of the last six years.

Giant Step's success is due in no small part to Steve Flamsteed, Chief Winemaker since 2003. Steve had previously worked for Leeuwin Estate (1999 – 2002) and the Hardy Wine Company at their Yarra Burn Winery in the Yarra Valley (2002 – 2003). Steve was named Gourmet Traveller Wine 'Winemaker of the Year' in 2016. "Steve Flamsteed is a man of many talents with a finely tuned palate, an instinctive flair for winemaking and fastidious attention to detail. This shows particularly in the stunning single-vineyard chardonnays and pinots of Giant Steps: distinctive wines that reflect their sites and glow with impeccable finesse."  Peter Forrestal, chairman of judges, Gourmet Traveller Wine Winemaker of the Year

Melanie Chester joined Giant Steps as Head of Winemaking and Viticulture in 2021. She came to Giant Steps from Sutton Grange Winery in Central Victoria, where she was Head Winemaker. In 2014, Melanie became the youngest ever scholar selected for The Len Evans Tutorial. In 2015, she was named Young Winemaker of the Year by Gourmet Traveller Wine magazine, and in 2018, Melanie was recognized by Young Gun of Wine as the People's Choice award winner for favourite winemaker.

Giant Steps was acquired by the Jackson Family in 2020. The Jackson Family own a vast stable of wineries in California (Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Mendocino County, Monterey County, Santa Barbara and Oregon), Australia (Yarra Valley and McLaren Vale), Chile, France, Italy and South Africa.