{"product_id":"2025-giant-steps-applejack-vineyard-chardonnay","title":"2025 Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard Chardonnay","description":"\u003cp\u003eApplejack is best known as one of the Yarra's great Pinot Noir sites, so the Chardonnay tends to fly under the radar. It shouldn't.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe site sits on dramatically close-planted east-facing slopes in Gladysdale at up to 320 metres, on grey clay loam over black basalt, planted by Ray Guerin in 1997. The Chardonnay parcel is just 1.8 hectares, and typically yields only around six barrels. It's one of the most limited wines Giant Steps makes, and one of the most exciting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHandpicked and whole-bunch pressed, the juice was transferred straight to barrel by gravity with no settling and full lees. Wild fermented in 500L French puncheons. No batonnage, no malolactic fermentation, 12% new oak for nine months. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe result is pure, tense and mineral. Lemon, white peach, cedar, a touch of flint and a thread of lactose through the middle. Fine-boned acidity that runs all the way through a long, precise finish. Mattinson calls it \"Chardonnay for Chardonnay lovers\" and says it's on a mission. He's not wrong.\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e96 points\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"It’s a beauty. Pure, long, showing a little more flint than usual, all line and length in general but with a bit of extra punch and flare on top... Fantastic wine. Compelling. Intense. On a mission.\"\u003cbr\u003e- Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e96+ points\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"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.\"\u003cbr\u003e- Philip Rich (Halliday Wine Companion)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8wWTC6WSVAc?si=yyz7E0kVzk2LS-K4\" title=\"YouTube video player\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2572\/9722\/files\/GiantstepsVineyardmap_PNG_1024x1024_3bc85611-5d0c-482e-8555-12f6a95f35c9.jpg?v=1754281827\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Giant Steps","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44894383767595,"sku":"2025 Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard Chardonnay","price":95.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2572\/9722\/files\/GiantStepsApplejackVineyardChardonnay_697x_697x_d25deb00-0b0c-44fc-8afa-7796f9cfa627.png?v=1787288635","url":"https:\/\/www.differentdrop.com\/products\/2025-giant-steps-applejack-vineyard-chardonnay","provider":"Different Drop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}