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94POINTS
17½/20
Giant Steps Circle of Fifths Pinot Noir 2024
Yarra Valley, Victoria, AustraliaThe Circle of Fifths is a new label at Giant Steps, composed of equal parts of the five single vineyards at Giant Steps: Tarraford, Sexton, Primavera, Applejack, and Bastard Hills. A cool start, followed by a warmer than normal middle and season end, resulted in healthy fruit with excellent ripeness. The nose has a splendid aroma of black raspberries with spicy floral undertones. There is a lovely, silky structure and a concentrated, sweet pinot richness that permeates the wine through the finish. Complex and elegant, this is a delightful wine that is also a good value, even at $66. All the fruit was handpicked and carefully sorted in the vineyard. Two fermentation methods are used: a semi-carbonic fermentation with 100% whole bunches and a whole berry fermentation with destemmed grapes. The decision on which method to use is made for each parcel of fruit as it arrives at the winery, based on clone, vineyard, stem ripeness, and flavour. All cap management is performed using gravity drain and returns, allowing for gentle extraction before pressing. Each parcel is gravity transferred to French oak barriques for malolactic fermentation and is kept on those lees throughout its maturation. The 2024 blend contains 42% whole bunch parcels and 15% new French oak. This wine is bottled by gravity without fining or filtration. "Each vineyard has its own voice, its own pure tone," says acclaimed winemaker and General Manager Melanie Chester, "With the Circle of Fifths, we are bringing those voices together to create a unique blend through the lens of our special sites."Tasted: 18 December 2025Tasted by: Anthony GismondiPrices:| BC | $65.99 | 750ml | estimated retail price in the private sector |
Grape: Pinot NoirCSPC: 700438UPC: 9351105001128
