Collection: GIANT STEPS

Giant Steps is firmly established among the Australian wine elite. It’s long been a quality-obsessed outfit, but if anything, its sale to Jackson Family Wines in '20 only sharpened the emphasis on quality. Single-vineyard chardonnay and pinot noir from across the upper and lower Yarra Valley are the foundation for the winery’s reputation, but really every winemaking excursion this winery takes has a habit of turning to gold. Long-term winemaker Steve Flamsteed, who is still involved, left the main winemaking post with the wines in impeccable shape; current head winemaker Melanie Chester has ensured that the changeover has been both seamless and positive. -CAMPBELL MATTINSON

Giant Steps was established in 1997 when Phil Sexton planted the Sexton Vineyard on the North face of the Warramate Hills, Parish of Gruyere in the Southern Yarra Valley. The first vintage was 2001 (the only time the winery has used cork) and in 2003, Phil was joined by Chief Winemaker Steve Flamsteed.

The same year, Giant Steps leased the Tarraford Vineyard, Parish of Tarrawarra in the Central Yarra Valley, from the Long family; a relationship that continues to this day. In 2006 Giant Steps constructed a new gravity flow winery in the centre of Healesville and welcomed visitors into their facilities for tasting experiences and sales. In 2013 Giant Steps acquired the Applejack Vineyard, Gladysdale in the Upper Yarra Valley from viticulturalist Ray Guerin. Ray’s son Mark Guerin continues to Manage Applejack to this day.

Between 2008 and 2014 Giant Steps has entered cooperative viticultural arrangements with Lou Primavera and his family growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay at Primavera Vineyard, Gladysdale Upper Yarra Valley, William Dong and his family at Wombat Creek Vineyard, Gladysdale Upper Yarra Valley, Pinot Noir from the Nocton Vineyard in the Coal River Valley, Tasmania and the Thompson Family, at the organic certified Tosq Vineyard, Cromwell, Central Otago New Zealand. Since 2003 Giant Steps wines have collectively been awarded 27 trophies and over 95 gold medals at major international and domestic wine shows and has been named one of the Top 100 Wineries in the World by Wine & Spirits Magazine, US for each of the last six years and since 2018, has invited to join the Wine Spectator Grand Tour (USA)