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2018 Giant Steps Yarra Valley LDR Pinot Noir Shiraz
2018 Giant Steps Yarra Valley LDR Pinot Noir Shiraz
"Bright and fruit-forward with beautiful red fruits and spice. This is just so drinkable."
Lloyd Heinrich
"Red and black fruits, smokey meat character and sprinkled with white pepper. Yum!"
Felix Gentle
14% OFF
$29.99 (buy 6 or more)
$30.99 per single bottle
Love it or your money back*
On orders
over $300*
"Bright and fruit-forward with beautiful red fruits and spice. This is just so drinkable."
Lloyd Heinrich
"Red and black fruits, smokey meat character and sprinkled with white pepper. Yum!"
Felix Gentle
Love it or your money back*
On orders Over $300*
Welcome to the red of the 21st century.
Giant Steps have delivered so many beautiful Yarra Pinot Noir releases in recent years, but here they're marrying Pinot with Syrah to make something that is the quintessential modern red.
It's bright, it's lithe, it's beautifully proportioned, it's also incredibly drinkable. A light to medium bodied red of profound juiciness to match it's cool climate spice.
It's a challenge not to finish the bottle...
Expert Reviews
LDR stands for Light Dry Red, a term used by Maurice O'Shea in the '40s-'50s. From three vineyards, one in the Upper Yarra, two in the Lower Yarra Valley, 51% pinot noir, 49% syrah, co-fermented, very little work during fermentation, matured for 5 months in large French oak vats. The bouquet is highly perfumed, rich and spicy, the palate a near identical display of flavours. This blend is here to stay.
Amazing aromatics with cherry jam and Turkish Delight accents. The palate is highly flavoursome, with a mix of snappy berry flavours underpinned by gorgeous savouriness. The palate is fabulously long and satisfying
Deep red/purple colour, bright and glowing. The bouquet is very spicy and smoky berry-ish with definite shiraz overtones. The wine is light to medium-bodied and soft, easygoing, fruity and yet savoury, with a light shimmer of soft powdery tannins. A very fine wine with flavour, depth and drinkability. Lovely.
This 2018 goes straight into the smashable zone. It’s fresh, perfumed and vibrant. ‘Energetic’ is the aim and energetic is the outcome. Florals, fruits, light/sweet spices. File it under Not A Care In The World. It’s the kind of wine we all need more of in our lives
Tech stuff
How's it taste?
Light ruby red, it's a wine of light sappy red fruit, blackberry and a whisper of spice, before a beautifully clean and polished palate of pure fruit flavour.
How was it made?
Minimal intervention in the vineyard and 100% hand-picked. Fermented in small open oak vats and stainless steel fermenters using indigenous yeasts. Pinot Noir and Syrah co-fermented. Fermented with very little cap work - a real focus on carbonic maceration. 100% malolactic fermentation. 50% whole bunch. 6 months in seasoned French oak vats only. Bottled by gravity, no filtration at bottling.
Who made it?
Giant Steps is an independent winery in Healesville, Victoria, owned by Phil Sexton. Phil first made his name in establishing some noted micro-breweries, such as Little Creatures, and later established Devil’s Lair in Margaret River. First released in 2001, Giant Steps focuses exclusively on the distinctive expression of single vineyard sites in the Yarra Valley. Grapes are drawn from estate and leased vineyards, as well as a selection of long-term contracted vineyards. Giant Steps wines are produced fastidiously in the vineyard and vinified with minimal intervention so that each is a faithful expression of site, vintage and culture. Giant Steps focuses on restrained Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and cool climate Cabernet/Merlot blends. These single vineyard wines are sourced from five different vineyards throughout the Yarra, so each is a fingerprint of location and site personality. The name Giant Steps comes in part from Phil’s love for jazz and John Coltrane’s album of that same name, and in part due the Giant Step Phil took in relocating with his family from Margaret River to the Yarra Valley. Giant Steps wines are always exclusively single vineyard Yarra Valley wines. They are hand made in small batches using gravity flow principles. Production of the Giant Steps wines is very limited with some vineyards producing as little as 200 cases each vintage – some wines are not produced each year if vintage conditions do not allow. These wines are often hard to find in retail outlets as they are mainly sold through the cellar door and through selected restaurants.
Not quite what you’re looking for?
Lloyd Heinrich
CEO
I am absolutely wine obsessed and I love nothing better than sharing that obsession with others. I love choosing great bottles from all through the quality spectrum. From $10 quaffers through to truly monumental $100 bottles of liquid art, I love introducing friends, family and our customers to world beating wines at all price points. Below, you’ll find some wines I think you’ll really love.
