2024 Giant Steps Applejack Chardonnay

97 points - Huon Hooke, The Wine Front
Reserved, powerful, super complex nose, smoky, spicy, citrus oils and juice, into stonefruit, into an earthen aspect. This is for the cellar and this is super. Aftertaste brings grapefruit and apple skins, texture, mineral, stones. Outstanding Applejack Chardonnay. Intense and pure but with layers of character. Reserved power. One of the most characterful Applejack chardonnays I’ve tasted. No new oak. It’s not exaggerated or in your face but this just has all the extras.

96 points - Philip Rich, Halliday Wine Companion
Applejack vineyard was planted at Gladysdale by Ray Guerin in '97, and only 2ha of its 11ha are planted to chardonnay. Fermented and matured in both puncheons and ceramic eggs (30%). This is all about purity and precision with its aromas of white stone fruits, crushed rocks and a little white nougat. The palate is, as you'd expect, tightly coiled, waiting to unwind. Saline and long. Along with the Bastard Hill, this will need some time to become more open and expressive.

95 points - Jamie Goode, Wineanorak
This is in the upper Yarra, which is more sparsely planted, and is a sloping vineyard. Planted with a sparkling clone. Giant Steps are working on the canopy structure here trying to shelter the fruit, because they don’t like sunny skins on Chardonnay. It’s a 13 hectare vineyard with 2 hectares of Chardonnay. Restrained on the nose with hazelnut and almond, as well as some apple skin, some mealy hints, and delicate lemon. Linear and focused on the palate with good fruit, nice freshness and a sort of tension