Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023

Accolades:
97/100 – James Halliday Wine Companion
96/100 – Stuart Knox, The Real Review
96/100 – James Suckling

“From the Sexton vineyard in Gruyere; 10% whole bunches and matured nine months in French barriques (25% new). A deep ruby. Aromas of kirsch, damson plums, licorice root and spices; this heady, concentrated wine has a lot of meat on the bones, with ripe, persistent tannins boding well for the future. A great contrast to the more delicate Giant Steps wines such as Bastard Hill and Primavera.” – Philip Rich, Halliday Wine Companion

“Medium to deep ruby colour, touch purple at the rim. Heady aromas of dark cherry, raspberry, charcuterie and sarsaparilla. Medium bodied but very intense in its profile, red and black fruits are the drivers here, savoury cola and cured meat notes build along the line and will no doubt show more with time in the glass or cellar. Great length, all the pieces of the puzzle fitting together seamlessly to the long, drying finish.” – Stuart Knox, The Real Review

“Complex aromas of blueberry bush, wild blackberries, graphite and pomegranates. The palate is medium-bodied with seamlessly integrated tannins and bright acidity, giving notes of Damson plums, dark cherries, coffee beans and wild raspberries. Vibrant and refined, with a firmly integrated structure. Drink or hold.” – James Suckling

Vintage Note: 2023 was a small, high-quality vintage in the Yarra Valley. The season was defined by a cool Spring, a mild growing season, cool nights, and medium to high rainfall. 2023 was one of the coolest and latest harvests on record, with our first pick starting two and a half weeks later than the previous average. The grapes in 2023 had lovely fruit concentration with bright natural acidities.

Winemaking Notes: Handpicked, fermented in a combination of small oak fermenters and stainless-steel open vats. The MV6 parcels were fermented as whole bunches, while the remaining clones were destemmed to whole berries and cold soaked for four days before fermentation started. The resulting blend is 21% whole bunch fermented. All parcels were matured in French oak – 25% new, 75% seasoned – for 10 months in 225L barriques predominately Taransaud and Dargaud & Jaeglé. The wine was not moved and kept in contact with its lees before blending in December. Bottled by gravity. No fining. No filtration.

Alcohol: 13.5%

Variety: Pinot Noir

Region: Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia