Giant Steps Tarraford Vineyard Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2024 (Australia)

Description

Oak, Pastry, Vanilla

“Planted on a cool, south-facing slope in Tarrawarra. Barrel fermented and matured in puncheons and barriques (27% new). A bright green gold. Seductive with its bouquet of fuzzy peach skins, apricot, lemon oil and a hint of fresh vanilla bean. Opulent and creamily textured, with a fine vein of acidity running through the wine that gives it both structure and length. Very long and very yum to drink now and in the short to medium term” Philip Rich, Halliday Wine Companion

“The 2024 Tarraford Vineyard Chardonnay is creamy and concentrated, with a flow of crushed nuts and notes of custard apple, scraped vanilla pod, freshly grated nutmeg and warm pastry. This is a rounded, powerful wine with less complexity and edge than the 2023 tasted alongside, and it has more bulbous fruit weight and shape” Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

“Mineral-edged and polished, with aromas of lime leaves, lemon peel, oyster shells, talcum powder, sea spray, apple blossoms and crushed stones. The palate is high-tension and tightly wound, with underlying power and weight carrying notes of grapefruit and salted nuts. This is delicious, with plenty of generosity. Drink or hold" James Suckling

“Bright, light yellow-green colour; intense nose with a little smoky charcuterie reduction adding complexity to the citrus and stone-fruit flavours which are focused, intense, and beautifully concentrated, the refreshing acidity carrying it very long. A lip-smacking, appetising young chardonnay that will thrive for many years” Huon Hooke, The Real Review

The 2024 vintage was a more classic Yarra season. A cool start to Spring and ideal flowering conditions led to good fruit set and moderate yields. December was cool and mild, with significant rainfall at New Years and during the first week of January, giving the vines a good drink leading into the heat of February. Mid to late February was drier and warmer than is common in the Yarra, leading to great ripening conditions with no disease pressure and quite a fast vintage. In 2024, all of our Pinot and Chardonnay was ready in quick succession, leading to a compressed harvest – with the whole valley picked in the space of 3 weeks (where it normally spreads across 6 weeks). An exciting ride for our team, but ultimately giving us wines with great flavour, bright acidity and balance.

100% handpicked and whole bunch pressed. The juice was then transferred directly to barrel by gravity with no settling, taking full lees. Fermented in 500L French oak puncheons. 37% malolactic fermentation. Matured for 9 months in new and used French oak – 10% new, 90% seasoned, Mercurey, Taransaud and Dargaud & Jaeglé.