Vintage Character The 2024 Giant Steps 'Primavera Vineyard' Pinot Noir grew through a Yarra Valley season of rapid change. Cool spring weather and successful flowering established a moderate crop, and substantial rain at New Year replenished the soil. February then became warmer and drier, bringing clean fruit to maturity in a concentrated picking window. Giant Steps says Pinot Noir and Chardonnay were ready almost together, compressing the usual harvest into around three weeks. At Primavera, a site known for fragrant Pinot, that late warmth supplies fruit while the season's bright acidity keeps its finer detail alive.
Tasting Profile & Food Pairing Primavera Vineyard sits at Woori Yallock on red clay loam, with north and north-easterly slopes. Lou Primavera planted the site in 2001, and Giant Steps has worked with the family since 2006. The producer describes Primavera as its most floral and red-fruited Pinot Noir, marked by softness rather than sheer mass, at 13.5% alcohol. In 2024 raspberry, cranberry and rose-like lift frame a supple palate; dried herbs and gentle spice add interest as the glass opens. Roast duck, tomato and pancetta risotto or grilled mushrooms meet that savoury accent. Serve at about 15 degrees.
Winery Background Giant Steps was founded in 1997 by Phil Sexton to explore the Yarra Valley's Chardonnay and Pinot Noir sites, with Melanie Chester now leading winemaking. The estate treats its single vineyards as distinct voices rather than interchangeable fruit sources. For Primavera it works with separate Pinot clones and adapts whole-bunch or whole-berry fermentation to the fruit before French oak maturation. The 2024 season then adds ripe fruit and fresh acidity to that familiar site identity, creating a Pinot Noir that is recognisably Primavera without tasting like a repeat of another year.