Giant Steps Primavera Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023

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 off the best vineyards in great years. 

"The Primavera vineyard is a proven performer and again it’s on the money here. This is floral and lifted as an introduction but there’s substance to the palate, in pure fruit terms, and there’s a thicker roll to the tannin too. The herb notes here come smoked, the cherry-berry flavours given a meaty edge, the earthen characters brightened by tangerine acidity. Musk-like oak curls seamlessly within, and the finish is impressively sustained."  Campbell Mattinson

The Primavera Vineyard is located at Woori Yallock (Hoddles Creek) in the upper Yarra Valley on deep red basalt soils. It was planted  in 2001 by Lou Primavera, whose family have been involved in grape growing for over 40 years. Giant Steps have a long-standing relationship with the Primavera family, and now produce a single vineyard Pinot Noir from the fruit they source from the vineyard under a long-term supervised contract. The 12 hectare vineyard is located at an elevation of 240 metres on a north and north-east facing aspect. 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. 

"2023 was a small, high-quality vintage in the Yarra Valley. The grapes in 2023 had lovely fruit concentration with bright natural acidities. Handpicked, fermented in a combination of small oak fermenters and stainless-steel open vats. Each clone was fermented and matured separately and is either fermented with 100% whole bunches included or 100% Destemmed. The MV6 was fermented as whole bunches in a seasoned oak vat, while the 115 and G clone were fermented as whole berries with a 4-day cold soak before the start of fermentation. The ferments spent between 10 – 14 days on skins, with gentle mixing throughout that time using gravity. The resulting blend is 15% Whole bunch fermented. All parcels completed malolactic fermentation and were then matured in French oak Barriques (225L) – 20% new, 80% seasoned – for nine months. The wine was not moved and kept in contact with its lees before blending in November. Bottled by gravity. No fining. No filtration."  Giant Steps

Expert reviews

"Primavera is often late to ripen, and so has been closely and painstakingly monitored by Lou Primavera since 2000. His understanding of the red basalt soils and site is then further heightened by the winemaking team who know how to draw out its nuances. What is, for me, the creative child of the line up. I adore the red fruit core of raspberry, pomegranate and rhubarb. Which then lends way to harissa, oolong tea and carob notes. Cumin, cassia and dried porcini mushroom on the finish. There are stringy bark tannins and crackle to the acidity. A sweet cherry tomato mid palate, that makes for moreish drinking. It’s a refined wine that makes for heavenly drinking, even for heathens like me. Drink now and will cellar well for 6 years. A lovely pairing for tomato and pancetta risotto."  Shanteh Wale, Winepilot - 97 Points

"From Lou Primavera's 2001-planted vineyard at Woori Yallock; 15% whole bunches and matured in French barriques (25% new). A light, bright crimson. Aromas of strawberry compote, tamarillo, sage and rose petals. A little reduction and graphite too. The palate is succulent and plush with silky tannins, making this the yummo, drink-now, single-vineyard wine from Giant Steps in '23. Drink by 2028."  Philip Rich, Halliday Wine Companion – 96 points

"The Primavera vineyard is a proven performer and again it’s on the money here. This is floral and lifted as an introduction but there’s substance to the palate, in pure fruit terms, and there’s a thicker roll to the tannin too. The herb notes here come smoked, the cherry-berry flavours given a meaty edge, the earthen characters brightened by tangerine acidity. Musk-like oak curls seamlessly within, and the finish is impressively sustained. Drink: 2024 - 2030+."  Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front - 95 points

"Light medium crimson. Strawberry, candied red cherry, touch beetroot aromas with savoury cola notes. Pure fruited wine with abundant strawberry pastille, red cherry fruits, fine loose knit chalky, hint al-dente textures, attractive mid-palate volume and mineral length. Drink now – 2028."  Andrew Caillard MW, The Vintage Journal - 94 points

 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 and Bastard Hill Vineyards 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, up until the 2023 vintage, the Wombat Creek Vineyard owned by Hand Picked Wines. In addition, Giant Steps produces 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.