Giant Steps
The 2025 Single Vineyard Collection has landed and head winemaker, Melanie Chester is hosting two events at Lamont’s to showcase these highly rated new releases.
13 Giant Steps’ Wines Including
The New Release Single Vineyard Chardonnays & Pinots
The name is a nod to music theory’s circle of fifths – a sequence of perfect intervals used to build harmony.
It also reflects our roots…Giant Steps was named after John Coltrane’s groundbreaking jazz album, and this release continues that spirit of creative progression. (giantstepswine.com.au)
Tuesday, September 22nd
Hosted by Melanie Chester, Head of Winemaking and Viticulture
Masterclass: 5.30–7pm |13 wines & canapés | $65
Dinner: 7.30–9.30pm | 13 wines & 4 courses | $135
Dinner tickets are capped at 14 pax. Secure your tickets automatically now through our Tasting Tickets:
James Halliday’s Wine Companion
Winery of the Year 2025
Giant Steps – Yarra Valley, Victoria
Giant Steps, right now, breathes rare air. It’s been an outstanding winery for a long time, but the combination of energy and expertise – and no doubt plenty more besides – that winemaker Melanie Chester has brought since she arrived at the winery in November 2021 has frankly been breathtaking. Melanie is a force in Australian wine now. She’s not ‘just’ the winemaker at Giant Steps, she’s also the general manager. She’s taken a top‑performing winery and pushed it harder, further. She’s done this so quickly that she’s made it seem matter of fact. It’s not. It’s something. Eight of Giant Steps’ wines scored 97 points or above this year. This is insanely impressive. Sixteen of its wines scored 95 or above. It achieved these scores across Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Shiraz/Syrah, & Pinot Noir.
- James Halliday
Giant Steps in context…
Giant Steps wines have collectively been awarded 27 Trophies and over 95 Gold Medals at major international and domestic wine shows. Lets take a look…
Wine & Spirits Top 100 Wineries in the World
2022, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013
Halliday Wine Companion Top 100 Wineries, 2023
‘Every year for the past 20 years the reputation of Giant Steps has inched higher… Everywhere you look in the Giant Steps Yarra Valley range you find wines of structural integrity that are as delicious as they are complex. It’s a case of Giant Steps by name, giant quality by nature.’
Mattinson Campbell
Sexton Vineyard Pinot Noir2022
- The Dr Bill Ryan Best Pinot Noir of Show,
- The Stodart Trophy for Best Red Table Wine of Show
- The Angelo Puglisi Grand Champion Wine of Show
- Royal Queensland Award 2023
- Best Pinot Noir of the Year, Halliday Wine Companion 2023
Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir2022
Trophy Winner - Sydney Royal Wine Show, 2023
Tarraford Vineyard Syrah 2022
Trophy Winner - Best Shiraz, Yarra Valley Wine Show 2023
Sexton Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
Trophy Winner - Best Cabernet, Yarra Valley Wine Show 2023
Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir 2020
Top 100 Wines, Wine Enthusiast 2022
Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2021
Top 100 Wines, Wine Spectator 2022
The Menu & Wine List
1st Course
2025 Giant Steps Yarra Valley Chardonnay
95 points, Philip Rich, Wine Companion
An even split of Upper and lower Yarra fruit; both estate grown and from growers. 20% new oak. Brightly coloured. An immediate and attractive bouquet of white nectarine, lemon verbena, a little flint and salted almonds. Brightly fruited, with vibrant acidity that gives the wine freshness and energy. Drink now and over the next three to four years.
2025Giant Steps Circle of Fifths Chardonnay
96 points, Philip Rich, Wine Companion
A blend of equal portions of all the Giant Steps single-vineyard wines. With its aromas of white nectarine, lemon verbena, a little cashew and attractive marine scents, this is immediately appealing. On the palate it's concentrated with grapefruit pith and lemony acidity on the long finish. A class act to drink now and over the next four to six years.
2nd Course
2025 Giant Steps Tarraford Vineyard Chardonnay
96 points, Philip Rich, Wine Companion
Planted on a cool, south-facing slope on what is one of Giant Step's warmest sites. 30% mlf, 30% new oak. There's a gentle creaminess on the nose combined with white peach and grilled hazelnuts. Less opulent than the '24 without forgoing this wine's usual texture and mouthfeel. Delicious straight out of the gate but structured enough to cellar for at least the next four to six years.
2025 Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard Chardonnay
97 points, Philip Rich, Wine Companion
A blend of Gingin and Bernard clones planted in '97 in Gruyere. Fermented and matured in mainly puncheons and one new 1200L foudre. Expressive with aromas of stone fruits, candied ginger, grapefruit and roasted hazelnut. Just as good on the beautifully concentrated mid-palate, finishing with mouth-watering acidity on the very long, pithy finish. An excellent Sexton to drink now and over the next six to eight years.
2025 Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard Chardonnay
97 points, Phillip Rich, Wine Companion
Applejack vineyard was planted at Gladysdale by Ray Guerin in '97, and only 2ha of its 11ha are planted to chardonnay. Fermented and matured in neutral puncheons. While this is a little richer than the '24, all the hallmarks of this vineyard are still here. Light stone fruits, lemon, white flowers and a little flint. The palate is equally restrained, with a lovely fine vein of acidity that runs through the wine. Finishes long and precise. An Applejack that can be enjoyed now and over the next five to seven years.
2025 Giant Steps Bastard Hill Vineyard Chardonnay
98 points, Philip Rich, Wine Companion
Planted in '87 in Gladysdale at 400m. This vineyard gets picked a full month after Tarraford and Sexton! This is the third and best wine Giant Steps has made from this cool site. A very bright green gold. Penetrating aromas of crushed rock, nashi pear, ruby grapefruit and orange blossom. It's pure and precise on the palate, with a saline acid line giving the wine structure and length. A special wine that will age effortlessly over the next decade.
3rd Course
2025 Giant Steps Yarra Valley Pinot Noir
96 points, Philip Rich, Wine Companion
An opulent crimson purple. Explodes from the glass with its aromas of ripe cherries, raspberry coulis, lavender and spice. It's just so brightly fruited and juicy on the palate, too. Balanced acidity and tannins complete a superb and well-priced Yarra pinot to drink now and over the next three to four years. As good a Giant Steps entry point as I have tasted.
2025 Giant Steps Circle of Fifths Pinot Noir
96 points, Philip Rich, Wine Companion
A blend of all the single-vineyard wines. 40% whole bunches. A medium, bright crimson red. A beautifully fragrant wine with its aromas of perfectly ripened strawberry, black raspberry, rose, lavender and cinnamon stick. Unfurls on the medium-bodied, textured and mouth-filling palate. The tannins are succulent and you barely notice the whole bunches. A step up on last year's Circle of Fifths and a wine that will still be looking good a decade from now.
4th Course
2025 Giant Steps Coal River Vineyard Pinot Noir TAS
95 points, Philip Rich, Wine Companion
From a vineyard planted in '99 in the Coal River Valley; 100% destemmed, 25% new oak. A deep crimson purple. Concentrated with dark cherry, blackberry, white and black pepper and a little crushed violet. The palate is compact and dense with firm, balanced tannins, creating a muscular wine that will reward at least six to 10 years in the cellar.
2025 Giant Steps Primavera Vineyard Cabernet
97 points, Philip Rich, Wine Companion
From Lou Primavera's '01-planted vineyard at 300m on red volcanic soils in Woori Yallock. A deep, bright crimson. A more concentrated and brooding Primavera. Aromas of damson plum, dark raspberry, lightly crushed violets and star anise. It's concentrated on the palate, too, with persistent and textured tannins that'll ensure this ages slowly and gracefully over a decade or more. Different from but equally as good as the Bastard Hill, which shares the same soil but is at higher elevation.
2025 Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard Pinot Noir
96 points, Philip Rich, Wine Companion
From the Sexton vineyard in Gruyere planted in the late '90s. 100% destemmed, 22% new wood. More black fruits than red fruits, stewed rhubarb, a little earth and iodine, too. This follows through onto the darkly fruited, compact and firmly structured palate. The most closed of the four single-vineyard wines today but one that will reward at least a decade, or more, in your cellar.
2025 Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir
98 points, Philip Rich, Wine Companion
From the Applejack vineyard, planted on grey clay soils at 300m in Gladysdale in '97 by Ray Guerin. 35% whole bunches. A deep, bright plummy red. The perfume when you put your nose in the glass is off the chain! Aromas of wild strawberry, black raspberry, peony, bergamot and Chinese five-spice. Multi-faceted and layered on the medium-bodied palate, with the tannins perfectly interwoven with the fruit. It's incredibly long and will reward cellaring over the next decade or more. Not sure I've tasted a better Applejack Pinot, which is saying something.
2025 Giant Steps Bastard Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir
97 Points, Phillip Rich, The Wine Companion
Mainly destemmed. A medium-bright crimson. A touch richer and more opulent than the '24. Having said that, this is still a supremely perfumed wine, with aromas of alpine fruits, herbal bitters, orange peel, sandalwood and light rose petal. Medium bodied, with lovely mid-palate intensity and energy. The tannins are just so silky and long. Classic Upper Yarra pinot that will reward cellaring over the next eight to 10 years
To Finish…