2018 Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir 1.5L

Highly Rated
A rare large-format release of arguably the most collectable of the outstanding Giant Steps Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs. 98 points, James Halliday.

Price:
Sale price$140.00

Description

The Applejack Pinot Noir is from the cooler climes of Gladysdale in the Yarra Valley.

This is one of the jewels in the Giant Steps crown. A wine that shows incredible power and structure from day one, Applejack is now seen as one of the benchmark Pinot Noirs of the region.

With a healthy amount of whole bunches and a splash of new oak, the wine has plenty of oomph - it really is the complete package. The 2018 Giant Steps wines are all of very high quality. Without a doubt some of the finest releases for the region from the 2018 season. Flamsteed says he believes this to be the best release of Applejack Pinot Noir to date.

Applejack is often the fastest to sell out of the Giant Steps range and only a limited amount of magnums were bottled. If you love Pinot Noir, do not hesitate over this release.

Applejack Vineyard, in the upper Yarra Valley, was planted by respected viticulturist Ray Guerin and is managed by his son Mark. The higher altitude results in a cooler and extended growing season, ideally suited to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (3-4 weeks later than central Yarra valley). Applejack Vineyard is located on a dramatic slope and is close planted and fastidiously managed. The basalt based underlying volcanic soil and rock produce a characteristically fine yet extended, spicy and firm palate.
<p id="yui_3_17_2_1_1556846656502_1199">Season:
A fantastic Spring with highly successful flowering allowed us to shoot thin and cluster select down to one bunch per shoot. The whole ripening season was a little earlier than average and despite some good January rain, the overall growing season was relatively dry. We picked fruit with lower sugars but with beautiful flavour and stem ripeness. The resulting wines have lower alcohol, but similar acid levels to the 2017, but with a little more tannin structure. All the 18 Pinots have lovely perfume, colour and a very generous mouthfeel.

Vinification:
Hand-picked without additions.
All the MV6 parcels were divided equally into a whole bunch and destemmed components. The Pommard and Abel were both destemmed and given a long cold soak. Total whole bunch is about 40%.
All fermentations were indigenous.
Pressed at dryness to new and used 228L tight grain French barriques for 10 months - 18% new, 82% older.
All parcels were kept separate until a late December blending
Bottled by gravity with no fining or filtration.

94 Points - "Applejack rising into iconic status for vineyards of the Yarra off the back of many great Giant Steps wines. Sleek and fresh-feeling pinot noir, pepper and garrigue-spiked sour cherry scents and flavours, cool and refined feel, great length, high drinkability. A light crunch to tannins, sheath of which holds the wine tight and long in shape and form. This has some mojo, loaded with personality in its slender, transparent feel. This I like, great energy here." - Mike Bennie (The Wine Front)

98 Points - "This wine shouts Applejack from the rooftops: it's perfumed, elegant and relatively light-bodied, but with a fireworks display of red fruits and complex, savoury tannins. As with all Giant Steps pinots, it's not fined or filtered." - James Halliday (The Australian)

Giant Steps

Giant Steps is a premium Yarra Valley outfit founded by Phil Sexton and located in the township of Healesville. Beginning with the vision of original head winemaker Steve Flamsteed, Giant Steps developed an international reputation for producing some of Australia's finest examples of single vineyard Pinot Noir & Chardonnay.

In 2021 the exceptionally talented Melanie Chester joined the team as the new head of winemaking and viticulture, marking an exciting new chapter in this elite producer's story.

Every aspect of the Giant Steps process is geared towards making truly world-class wines from the vineyard to the final bottled wine. The focus is on what the Yarra does best - Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Shiraz/Syrah and Bordeaux-variety blends - and showcasing the unique terroirs of some of the region's finest vineyards.

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