2024 Giant Steps Primavera Vineyard Pinot Noir

The 2024 Giant Steps Primavera Vineyard Pinot Noir is a highly perfumed single-vineyard Pinot Noir from Woori Yallock in the Upper Yarra Valley, produced from Lou Primavera’s vineyard planted in 2001 at approximately 300 metres elevation. The site sits on distinctive red volcanic soils at the beginning of Lone Star Creek, with Pinot Noir planted across two opposing slopes of a small gully: MV6 on the north-facing slope and 115 and G-clone on the south-facing slope. This cool, elevated position gives Primavera a very different personality from Giant Steps’ more powerful Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir, consistently producing one of the most fragrant, graceful and immediately seductive wines in the estate’s single-vineyard range.

The 2024 incorporates 35% whole bunches, with the individual clones handled separately during fermentation. It is beautifully aromatic, showing raspberry, cranberry and crushed red cherry alongside pomegranate, rose, violet, orange peel, dried herbs and subtle spice. The palate is medium-bodied and silky, with succulent red fruit balanced by fine-boned acidity and delicate, chalky tannins, while savoury herbal, graphite and citrus-rind characters provide additional complexity. The critical reception has been exceptional: 97 Points from Philip Rich at Halliday Wine Companion, 96 Points from James Suckling, 96 Points from Wine Enthusiast, 95 Points from Erin Larkin at The Wine Advocate and 95+ Points from Campbell Mattinson at The Wine Front.