Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard Chardonnay 2021

97 Points & Special Value Wine Philip Rich

Located on the steep north facing slopes of the Warramate Ranges, the Sexton Vineyard is exposed and demanding. Being on the higher slopes, topsoil is thin and root systems have established themselves in shallow gravelly loams above a tough rocky clay base. Bunch yields set naturally low in this environment, resulting in intensely flavoured fruit with high skin to juice ratio.

2021 was a terrific vintage for both vineyard quality and quantity. We had a wet spring followed by a healthy amount of sunshine and some well-timed rain in January, leading to large green healthy canopies. The overall temperature during the growing season was lower than average which led to a long slow ripening period and great concentration of flavours and natural tannin structure.

Hand-picked, all fruit is chilled overnight to 12 degrees Celsius. The MV6 was fermented as 100% whole bunches, while the G clone was destemmed, soaked cold for five days, then allowed to warm gently into a wild ferment. All parcels were matured in French oak – 25% new, 75% older –for 10 months in 225L barriques, Taranasaud, Vicard and D&J. Racked to blend, no fining, no filtration. Bottled by gravity.

“Made mainly from WA’s Gingin clone and planted in Gruyere on the same grey clay as Applejack. Whole bunches pressed into French puncheons with 20% new oak. Smells tightly wound and concentrated with aromas of ripe peach and nectarine, together with just a hint of lanolin and apple custard. Equally powerful and punchy on the palate. This has more of everything, including sprightly acid and some phenolic grip on the very long, stone-fruit pithy finish. Today, this is my pick of the 4 single-vineyard 2021 chardonnays, but who knows what will come out on top in 5 or even 10 years from now!” – 97 Points & Special Value Wine Philip Rich for Halliday’s Wine Companion