Giant Steps Tarraford Vineyard Chardonnay 2025

Vintage Notes
The 2025 season kicked off with a generous, wet winter that filled the soil profile with moisture. From there, spring arrived warm and dry. Shoots pushed early; we had fantastic spring conditions during flowering and fruit set. The dry season pushed growth and ripening along even though temperatures weren’t hot, in fact barely warmer than average, a pleasant surprise for the dryness of the season. Harvest came earlier than usual and moved quickly, a compressed vintage that asked a great deal of the team and rewarded the effort with fruit of exceptional quality, concentration and weight.

Vineyard Notes
Location: Tarrawarra Planted: 1988 Elevation: 100 metres Soil Type: Grey clay loam Aspect: North, south and east facing slopes Size: 8.5 Hectares.

Located in a protected valley, Tarraford Vineyard has a discreet microclimate that is cooler than neighbouring sites. Although located in a warmer subregion of the Yarra Valley, the Chardonnay at Tarraford is planted on the cooler slopes. One block, with P58, 548 and 96 clones is planted on a southerly facing and tucked into the central vale of the vineyard. The other faces directly east, with a lovely eastern morning aspect, which we pick last. Our favourite Chardonnays from Tarraford are defined by white flowers, fresh laundry and grapefruit pith, with savoury saline and olive brine complexity. A gentle cultured cream, mineral and lanolin texture carries the mid-palate, finishing with line and length driven by natural acidity.

Winemaking
100% handpicked and whole bunch pressed, the juice was transferred by gravity directly to barrel with full lees and no settling. Fermented in 500L French oak puncheons, with 18% malolactic fermentation. Matured for nine months, with 21% in ceramic egg and the balance in French oak puncheons. The final blend included 31% new oak, with the balance seasoned oak from Mercurey, Taransaud and Vallaurine.

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