Giant Steps Circle of Fifths Chardonnay 2024

This vibrant white wine originates from Australia, within the cool-climate Yarra Valley region of Victoria. Giant Steps was established in 1997 by wine industry pioneer Phil Sexton, who named the winery after John Coltrane's iconic jazz album as a metaphor for his 'giant step' from Margaret River to the Yarra Valley to find the ideal site for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The winemaking philosophy, currently led by Head of Winemaking and Viticulture Melanie Chester, focuses on 'tight and transparent' expressions of individual vineyard sites. The Circle of Fifths series represents a 'chord' a harmonious blend of all the winery's single-vineyard parcels into one cohesive wine.

Wine Description

The Giant Steps Circle of Fifths Chardonnay presents a refined and 'taut' sensory profile with a pale straw appearance. The nose is highly aromatic, featuring scents of white nectarine, lemon verbena, and citrus blossom, layered with subtle notes of confit lemon, grilled nuts, and a touch of struck match. On the palate, the wine is concentrated and linear, showcasing flavours of grapefruit pith, white peach, and Meyer lemon underpinned by a 'zingy' acidity and savoury saline minerality. It is characterized by its chalky, tensile structure and an elegant finish that balances fruit energy with a whisper of toasty oak. This 100% Chardonnay is whole-bunch pressed directly to French oak puncheons (approximately 15% to 20% new) and fermented naturally with indigenous yeasts. It typically undergoes a small amount of malolactic fermentation around 10% depending on the season and rests on lees for approximately seven to ten months with minimal stirring to preserve tension.