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A solid Cabernet Sauvignon with profound structure and vigorous fruit, the essential Coonawarra style, exuding rich bramble, berries and cassis aromas characters over soft, elegant tannins. Extended maturation in the finest French oak contributes to the wine's overall balance and drinkability. Hollick» |
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A wine of pure Barossa fruit by a master who loves Shiraz and is devoted to the valley he calls home. Grant Burge has been awarded every major trophy and medal in Australia, including the Montgomery, Stodart, Brisbane Club and Jimmy Watson. Grant Burge» |
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John Glaetzer is the winemaker behind Australia's most legendary sequence of Jimmy Watson Trophy winning vintages. Langhorne Creek is a place of spectacular editions Cabernet Sauvignon, powerfully structured, beautifully aromatic wines of edifying regional eloquence, gorgeous dark fruit flavours and lusciously gummy tannins. Gipsie Jack» |
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Don Lewis spent thirty five years crafting the nation's most memorable vintages while at Mitchelton. Nowadays he travels to Spain each year where he makes wine for Merum Priorati, returning to Australia just in time for vintage. Tar Roses» |
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The Lovedale district of Hunter Valley is synonymous with world class Semillon. Resolved to make a transition from mining to wining, the De Iuliis family acquired a grazing property along Lovedale Road and established vines in the early 1990s. De Iuliis» |
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Considered an undistinguished vintage, it won a trophy, five Gold, four Silver and six Bronze medals between 1974 and 1982.. . Penfolds» |
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Amherst is a town rich with colourful history and local folklore, site of the first official gold find in 1851, it launched a mining rush which expanded throughout central Victoria. The district's long association with viticulture is also prolific and colourful. Amherst» |
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The inaugural release of Hanging Rock Shiraz was vintage 1987 and what an event it was, immediately claiming gold and inspiring comparisons to Grange by the industry press. From from fruit grown to the estate Athols Paddock, a complex Heathcote style, more Syrah than Shiraz, boasting several trophies and over fifty gold to its distinguished history, big, powerful and rich, yet exhibiting an elegance and finesse that's rare in Australian wine. Hanging Rock» |
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Gold Medal Winner at the highly prestigious London International Wine Challenge! The taste is very sweet, smooth, pronounced and delicous, just like dried raisins or rich tawny grape juice. Serve at cool room temperature with fine desserts, pastries and cake, pour liberally over the best quality ice creams. Lustau» |
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Named for a rare grasshopper Sigaus childi, found only at Central Otago within the Earnscleugh gold mine tailings, just across the road from Grasshopper Rock vineyard. The site is fortuitously harsh and sufficiently challenging to make the vines work their hardest. Grasshopper Rock» |
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The term Terra rossa means red earth, a rich, free draining soil that is considered by many as the viticultural equivalent of discovering gold. Beneath the strata of red earth at Wrattonbully sits a layer of ancient limestone, a winegrower's dream as it allows free drainage of water, yet ensures vine roots stay close to the surface, putting natural stress on the vine and limiting its vigor and yield. Smith Hooper» |
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Elizabeth is a classic Hunter Valley white which has established itself as one of Australia's benchmark Semillon. Named in commemoration of the first ever visit to Australia by a reigning monarch in 1954, Elizabeth has claimed over fifty trophies and multi gold throughout it's long and illustrious history. Mount Pleasant» |
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About Giant Steps - the Winery
Giant Steps
The Giant Steps winemakers are directing their winemaking towards single vineyards in locations that can support varietals of distinction
Great wine is made in the vineyard. At its best it is like a fingerprint, inextricably linking the personality and mood of the land from which it has sprung.
The Giant Steps vineyard is on 115 acres of rocky gravel over clay, 50 km east of Melbourne, on the north facing slopes of the Warramate ranges overlooking the Yarra Valley. The vineyard covers two ridges that rise from 400 to 1100 feet above the valley floor.
Giant Steps seek to grow fruit and ultimately make wine that is less overt and obvious than is encouraged in Australia. The winemakers look for structure and length rather than breadth; finesse rather than largesse and above all, fruit rather than artefact.
All work is by hand. Giant Steps strive to grow the best fruit possible. Whatever the cost. Because without great fruit there can be no great wine
Giant Steps is owned and operated by a small team - Phil, Allison and Harry Sexton.
The story starts 2600 km and 23 years ago when Phil established the Devils Lair vineyard in Margaret River. He was joined there in 1990 by Allison, an American biochemist. 1995 proved an excellent year; son Harry was born.
In life, not many people get the chance to do something again; differently, with the benefit of hindsight. While they loved the wines they were producing, they dreamed of creating a small, specialised cool climate vineyard together, as a family. From scratch.
"It would have to be intimate, personal, honest and fun, with only a small committed team. As Phil joked, "this time no more than we could fit around the kitchen table"
And, in 1997 they took the giant step; sold Devils Lair and crossed Australia to a dream site on the slopes of Victoria's Yarra Valley, alongside several benchmark cool climate vineyards that they had long admired. After an immense amount of work and many years they have turned a horse stud into a vineyard. The winemakers wanted hands on and they got it.
The Sexton family winemakers are quietly confident that the Yarra Valley can produce Bordeaux varietals with savoury structure, finesse, clarity and textbook fruit purity; without the cedary, geranium/capsicum characters we so often see in this country out of cooler or fast ripening regions.
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