SEASON:

2023 was a small, high-quality vintage in the Yarra Valley. The season was defined by a cool Spring, a mild growing season, cool nights,
and medium to high rainfall. 2023 was one of the coolest and latest harvests on record, with our first pick starting two and a half weeks later than the previous average. The grapes in 2023 had lovely fruit concentration with bright natural acidities.


VINIFICATION:

Handpicked in two parcels and chilled overnight before being 100% destemmed into small seasoned French oak vats for fermentation.
Each clone was fermented and matured separately. The grapes were cold soaked for four days before fermentation began and spent between 10 – 14 days on skins, with gentle mixing throughout that time
using gravity. All parcels completed malolactic fermentation and were then matured in French
oak barriques (225L) – 20% new, 80% seasoned – for ten months. The wine was not moved and kept in contact with its lees before blending in
December. Bottled by gravity. No fining. No filtration


THE VINEYARD:

Location: Gladysdale

Planted: 1986

Elevation: 380 metres

Soil Type: Volcanic loam (red / ferrous)

Aspect: North and south facing slopes

Size: 13 Hectares

Situated in the Upper Yarra Valley in the sub-region of Gladysdale, Bastard Hill is a 31-hectare property with 13-hectares (32 acres) of vines, planted exclusively to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The vineyard’s expressive name is derived from its steep slope and high
altitude, ranging in elevation from 300-400m. Bastard Hill is a celebrated site planted in the late 1980s by viticultural legend
Ray Guerin. Dedicated initially to the production of super-premium sparkling wine, the site was quickly recognized for its potential to produce top quality still wines, releasing the Bastard Hill Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines in the 1990s. This is an elegant and perfumed Pinot Noir with exotic red fruit and Bergamot aromas. The 2023 vintage marks our first release of this vineyard in the Giant Steps portfolio.

97 points - "Made with 20% whole bunches. All D clones. Matured in barriques (20% new). A light, very bright crimson. Smells like a rose garden with a little lavender thrown in! You'll also find aromas of sour cherries and blood oranges. Poised, elegant and persistent, this flows mellifluously across the palate. A classic Upper Yarra pinot, driven as much by its fine vein of acidity as its silken tannins." - Philip Rich (Halliday Wine Companion)

95 points - "Sourced from Block 2 a mix of MV6 and D5V12 clone. Rosebud, tea leaf, violet and lavender spray. Blueberries, blood plums and bilberries. The palate is almost slippery in the mouthfeel with blue fruits showing a rounded finish. There are river stones, white pepper and cassia bark. A Campari-like bitters on the finish. Acidity is bright and tannins dusty and fine. This is an exciting first vintage of this wine and it’s clear this will add further dimensions to the single vineyard offering from Giant Steps. Drink now and will cellar for another 3-4 years. Serve with pork terrine." - Shanteh Wale (Wine Pilot)

94 points - "The most fragrant Pinot Noir within the Giant Steps single-vineyard collection has a nose redolent of roses and sweet red cherries. Its vibrancy is underlined by vivid colour. Flavours of cherry compote and the spicy lift of white pepper speak confidently, unmitigated by overt oak influence – after full malolactic fermentation it matures in older French oak barriques over nine months. Its tidy elegance is reiterated by neat closure enforced by tight black tea tannins. Its great trick is providing generous flavour without overt broadness or excessive boldness." - David Sly (Decanter)

93+ points - "This is a cool, light, structured Pinot Noir, savoury in part, herbal in others, but lifted and bright with fruit. It tastes of alpine herbs and forest berries, undergrowth and cedar, the tannin dry and velvety at once. It’s good now but it will be significantly better once it’s had time to grow into itself some more." - Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)