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17½/20
Giant Steps Circle of Fifths Chardonnay 2024
Yarra Valley, Victoria, AustraliaThe Circle of Fifths is a nod to music theory's circle of fifths, a sequence of perfect intervals used to build harmony made famous by Coltrane. It is said to give jazz musicians a break, allowing them to take their next chord and jump from one idea to the next, which is how Giant Steps and The Circle of Fifths came about. The wine is a blend of batches that did not qualify for the famed Single Vineyard program that year. In many ways, it has become a classic case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. GM and winemaker Melanie Chester describe The Circle of Fifths as a chord among the pure tones of every single vineyard. This brilliant chardonnay is a blend of Tarraford, Sexton, Primavera, Applejack, and Bastard Hill Vineyards. While tasting, I could not help but think I was drinking a Burgundy. Fresh, full flavoured, round, electric, nutty, you name it, this is high quality chardonnay that delivers for its price. The fruit is handpicked and hand sorted in the vineyard. The grapes are placed in a cold room overnight before whole bunch pressing. It is all wild fermented in French oak puncheons, 15% new, and the remainder seasoned. The level of malolactic fermentation depends on the season, but in 2024 10% of the barrels went through MLF. Post fermentation, the barrels remain undisturbed in a reductive environment on full lees until bottling. Stock up.Tasted: 18 December 2025Tasted by: Anthony GismondiPrices:| BC | $65.99 | 750ml | estimated retail price in the private sector |
Grape: ChardonnayCSPC: 700441UPC: 9351105001104
