Another vintage, another point under its belt! Sexton Vineyard has consistently garnered more and more acclaim with each vintage - proving my claim that Phil Sexton really can do no wrong. I'm really struggling to head to any region besides the Yarra Valley for my Chardy fix lately- this is a brilliant example of why!
Savoury smoky, struck match characters are front and centre but the primary fruit handles those sulphide-like features with aplomb. White stonefruits, apricot, lime and hard cheese all play a role with lemon curd and a fine but driving grapefruit spine providing the foundation. Oatmeal and brazil nuts become more apparent as it opens up. Extremely complex and a little unexpected…but in a delightful way.
Giant Steps wines are a distinct expression of special, individual sub-regional vineyards, focusing exclusively on single vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir sites throughout the Yarra Valley.
Naturally produced wines made without compromise with the objective of each wine being a faithful expression of site and vintage.
Awards and Accolades
Top 100 Wineries of the World 2013, 2014 & 2015, 2016 - Wine & Spirits Magazine Gourmet Traveller Wine 'Winemaker of the Year' 2016 - Steve Flamsteed ☆☆☆☆☆ - James Halliday Winery Rating
2015 Vintage: 95+ Points - Campbell Mattinson, Wine Front "The Sexton chardonnay vineyard was planted in 1997. It’s at Gruyere in the lower valley. It turns out terrific chardonnay. This is rich, fine, seamless, quartz-like. It’s complex in an integrated way; no bells, whistles or alarms but plenty going on regardless. Grapefruit and white peach, spent matches buried into the fruit, a smoky mineralogy. It turns the power on but is long and gorgeous – and it’ll be better again ion 12-24 months."
2015 Vintage: 95 Points - James Halliday, Wine Companion "A complex, multi-message bouquet hinting of the (relative) richness of the palate; unashamedly lower Yarra Valley with layers of grapefruit and white peach flesh and skin."
From the Winery
Natural winemaking philosophy, while making quality the priority. Minimal intervention in the vineyard and 100% hand-picked. Indigenous fermentation in 500L French puncheons.
Batonage for the first two months, then just topped. No malolactic fermentation.
10 months in new and used French oak - 20% new, 80% older. Bottled by gravity, no filtration at bottling.
Don't Pay: $50.00
WBW Rating: 96/100
Closure: Stelvin
Region: Yarra Valley, VIC
Winemaker: Steve Flamsteed, Phil Sexton & Stuart Marshall
Drink now until: 2023
Alc/Vol: 13.5 %
