Giant Steps Yarra Valley

Giant Steps Yarra Valley. When the saxophonist John Coltrane split with Miles Davis in the late 50s, he wasted little time releasing his visionary Giant Steps album.

Owner Phil Sexton is a jazz fan and was inspired by the album and Coltrane’s foresight. When he sold his Devil’s Lair vineyard in Margaret River to relocate and replant in the Yarra Valley, he named his wine in Coltrane’s honour.

Giant Steps is a privately owned, estate based, Yarra Valley grower and winemaker. Giant Steps has forged a reputation for delivering some of Australia’s most consistent, over-performing, varietal wines. These wines have received global acclaim and established a strong reputation in restaurants and fine wine stores around the world.

Since 2003, Giant Steps wines have collectively been awarded 19 trophies and over 50 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 three years.

Giant Steps comprises three separate vineyards, namely Sexton, Applejack and Tarraford. Each vineyard has its own unique soil and climate conditions, resulting in a wide range of splendid wine varieties. The separate estates are described thusly:

Located on the steep slopes of the Warramate Ranges, alongside the vineyards of iconic Yarra producers Yarra Yering and Coldstream Hills, the Sexton Vineyard is in one of the most revered pockets of the Valley.

Applejack Vineyard was planted in 1997 by highly respected viticulturist Ray Guerin. Today it is meticulously managed by his son Mark. Applejack Vineyard is situated in the Upper Yarra Valley, to the south-east of the traditional valley floor.

Located in a protected valley, the boutique Tarraford Vineyard has a discrete microclimate that is cooler than neighbouring sites. Planted in 1988, a diversity of aspect and clones provide multifaceted winemaking opportunities. We are committed to exploring biodynamic farming practices with the overall aim of further developing the vineyard fingerprint and embracing the unique personality of this site.

Giant Steps’ exemplary wine range is, in all honesty, too extensive to properly describe here.

The vineyard’s Yarra Valley Range, having claimed numerous prestigious wine accolades, forms just one of the estate’s stellar collections. Made without compromise and using 100% hand picked fruit from their meticulously maintained estate vineyards, these wines are produced with wild ferments, gravity-flow winemaking techniques, and minimal fining and filtration. This approach produces highly expressive wines, true to the regional characteristics of the Yarra Valley.

All Giant Steps wines can be purchased from their online store, or directly from their cellar door.

Speaking of the Giant Steps cellar door, the winery also contains a restaurant for both tasting and dining.

The winery’s comprehensive tasting is conducted in their newly refurbished barrel hall and includes all current vintage Giant Steps wines.Giant Steps wines are available for tasting for $10.00 per person, refundable upon any take home purchase of Giant Steps at the Cellar Door.This seated tasting is limited to 12 people. The barrel hall is also available to book for private dining settings, seating 22 and dishing up an ‘atmospheric experience’.

As for the restaurant itself, it’s clear that Giant Steps’ proclivity for excellence doesn’t stop at wine making. Their ‘philosophy in the kitchen’ is the same as in their winery – showcase the best quality produce available. Their menu pays tribute to some of the finest ingredients available both locally and abroad. Please note, however, that the restaurant doesn’t take bookings of larger than eight in their main restaurant space from Friday through to 6pm on Sundays. For bookings larger than eight from Monday to Thursday, please contact the winery through their website. Booking in general is strongly recommended to avoid disappointment.