Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard Chardonnay 2022
Giant Steps Wines is a renowned winery that was established in 1997 in the Yarra Valley. The winery has built a reputation for producing expressive wines with purity and finesse. The wines are a direct reflection of their individual vineyard sites, which are located across the Yarra Valley from Tarrawarra to Gladysdale. The founder of Giant Steps Wines, Phil Sexton, is a wine industry pioneer who ventured from Margaret River to Yarra Valley in search of the ideal site to cultivate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of purity and finesse. Phil found his holy grail near Gruyere in the Sexton vineyard, which he planted in 1997 on the steep slopes of the Warramate Ranges. Being a mad jazz fan, Phil named the winery after John Coltrane’s album and fitting metaphor “Giant Steps.” In 2003, Winemaker Steve Flamsteed joined the team, and the two set about producing a range of iconic Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays that express a profound sense of place from six finite sites in Yarra Valley. The winery's Head of Winemaking and Viticulture, Melanie Chester, who joined the team in 2021, is committed to honoring the expressions and diversity of its single sites. This means keeping the winemaking tight and transparent so that the diversity of the site is what you taste. “The wines will never look the same because the vineyards continue to change,” she explains, “but we are committed to ensuring that the quality will be the same if not better.” For more than 20 years, Giant Steps has been advancing Australia’s reputation for cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The Single vineyard range is sourced from each of the six vineyard sites around the Valley, using the most site-expressive fruit from that year’s vintage. The winery's loyal followers have played a significant role in the success of the winery.
Applejack Vineyard is a special site located on a dramatic slope in the upper Yarra Valley. This vineyard is closely planted and fastidiously managed, making it a unique and highly sought-after site for wine production. It was planted in 1997 by respected viticulturist Ray Guerin. The underlying volcanic soil and rock at Applejack Vineyard are basalt-based, which produces a characteristically fine yet extended, spicy, and firm palate. The higher altitude results in a cooler and extended growing season, making it ideally suited to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The growing season is typically 3-4 weeks later than central Yarra Valley, which gives the grapes more time to develop their unique characteristics. Applejack Vineyard joined the Giant Steps family of Single Vineyards in 2013, marking a significant milestone for the winery. The vineyard's unique characteristics and exceptional quality grapes have contributed significantly to the winery's reputation for producing iconic Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays that express a profound sense of place. The team at Giant Steps is committed to honoring the expressions and diversity of its single sites, and Applejack Vineyard is no exception. The vineyard is closely monitored and managed to ensure that the grapes are of the highest quality. The result is a range of wines that are elegant and complex.
The Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard Chardonnay 2022 is a stunning white wine from the Yarra Valley, Victoria. This vegan-friendly wine is a true reflection of the unique terroir of the Applejack Vineyard, which is located on a dramatic slope in the upper Yarra Valley and is closely planted and fastidiously managed. The vintage notes for 2022 indicate that it was a high-quality but low-yielding season in the Yarra Valley. The mild summer meant long, slow ripening and flavor concentration throughout summer, with some well-placed rain in January refreshing the vineyards at just the right time. The grapes from 2022 came off the vine with lovely concentration and flavor and great natural acidity. The Chardonnay grapes from Applejack Vineyard require lots of attention to detail in the vineyard, with focus put on crop loads and fruit exposure to ensure even ripeness and acid levels. The wine was 100% hand-picked and whole bunch pressed, then transferred directly to barrel by gravity with no settling, taking full gross lees. It was wild fermented in 500L French oak puncheons, with no bâtonnage. The wine was then matured for 10 months in new and used French oak – 15% new, 85% older, Mercurey, Taransaud and Dargaud & Jaeglé. The resulting wine is a beautiful pale gold color with aromas of white peach, lemon and vanilla. On the palate, there are flavors of citrus, stone fruit and a hint of oak. The wine is full-bodied with a creamy texture and a long, elegant finish. This wine has a peak drinking/cellaring potential of now to eight years.
The Finer Details
Style - White Wine
Varietal - Chardonnay
Country - Australia
Region - Yarra Valley, Victoria
Vintage - 2022
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 12.5%