A notably deeper colour than the Giant Steps Yarra pinots, looking more Central Otago than Yarra! The bouquet shows dark fruits rather than red, rich and ripe, with more stemmy whole-bunch overtones than the 2020 Yarra pinots, although they all have about 50% whole-bunch ferments. The wine is medium-bodied and has more weight and tannin than the Yarra wines, finishing with a conclusive grip which is in balance and simply calls for heartier food. It has less perfume and detail but more brawn. (From a vineyard near Tee Tree in the Coal Valley, 80-90m altitude and hungry soil, sand over limestone)

Buttery Burgundian complexity sets this apart from the other 2020 Giant Steps chardonnays. It's rich and remarkably complex for an unoaked wine. Ageing in clay 'egg' vessels provided some similar effects to a wood-matured effect. A more up-front, generous style and a quite remarkable wine. (50% malolactic, unfiltered. A blend of one egg from each of the four individual vineyards, Sexton, Tarraford, Applejack and Wombat Creek, plus Gruyere Farm)

Malty, lanolin, raw almond aromas, delicate, refined, subtle and beautifully balanced. Tastes quite different to a Gingin clone wine from, say, Margaret River. Intense, very fine and long and there's a gentle grip on the finish that helps cleanse the aftertaste. (200m altitude, Gingin clone)

A soft, delicate, restrained wine with aromas of white flowers and a whiff of almond meal. Cashew-nutty too. A more straightforward style and a trifle short on the finish compared to other vineyards. It's remarkably backward and restrained considering it’s the lowest altitude vineyard and earliest harvested. (100m altitude, south-facing)

Dry-grown (biodynamically), whole-bunch pressed and fermented wild. 480 dozen made. Pale copper-crimson, gorgeously aromatic, spotlessly clean and a delight to drink. Echoes of redcurrant and spice, dried herbs and cherries. Dry and racy but not anaemic or underdone. Everything here, price included, is in alignment.

100% Pinot Noir. Another wine that seems to have improved over the last 12 months (92 Pts. in 2020). Classic medium pink with a lovely nose of ripe peach and rose petals. Fruity on the palate with a savory note, plenty of tartness, a another lovely wine. Outstanding.

82% Pinot Noir, 15% Syrah, 3% Grenache. More orange than pink. An interesting nose of fruit, a bit of oxidation, caramel even. Good fruit, with some RS here, and that interesting toasted caramel thing going on. I liked this last year (90 Pts.) and I still do. Very Good.

Light pink with an orange rim. A bit “dirty” on the nose but plenty of peach, a hint of rhubarb, lovely, actually. The palate, is unfortunately characterized by that “dirtiness” there is also some sweetness. Another wine that did not fair well with the additional year of age. I loved this last year (92 Pts) but this year? Not so much. Could it be an off bottle? Maybe…. Very Good.

This moderately oaked Oregon chardonnay is decidedly dry, brisk with initial notes of dried grasses, lemon peel, and a sizable melon component. It’s a bit flat on the palate, with notes of gooseberry and more lemon peel, leading the way to an oddball conclusion that evokes licorice, a touch of dry leather, and a hint of petrol. The wine doesn’t offer much in the way of typical chardonnay character, finishing in notes of sesame and milk chocolate — finally showing a hint of vanilla on the fade-out.

From one of California’s finest cool climate regions, this Chardonnay is notable in many ways. The grapes, from coastal Santa Barbara County, deliver vibrant and bright flavors suggesting citrus and green apple, along with a touch of oak spice and a tweak of stony minerality. The wine’s appealing creamy texture is fine tuned with just the right amount of acidity and the finish is pleasantly long.

Light pink with a very fruity nose and some red flower. The palate is lovely. There might be a touch of RS here, but it works, at least for me. Excellent.

Lifted fresh herbs on the nose which distinguished this Pinot Noir from the others and the multifaceted fresh red fruit (raspberries, strawberries and red cherries) that danced along the palate leaving a wafting aroma of freshly picked basil and ripe strawberries in one’s head.

This wine seemed to express so many facets of North Coast Pinot Noir with its gorgeous nose of wild flowers, layers of red, black and blue fruit that had hints of mossy tree bark and black tea leaves with velvety tannins. And although very complex, it had a lovely purity of expression of pristine red cherries on the finish.

Darker fruit with loamy earth and dried orange peel that had inviting juicy fruit flavors balanced by a linear body with an energetic drive.

An enchanting nose with pretty lilac notes and red cherries with an exquisitely etched tannic structure that gave a beautiful shape to this wine.

Baklava and allspice aromas with fresh apples and a creamy texture on the palate with mouthwatering acidity.

A bright nose with smoky minerality and roasted almonds that had a broad body with juicy stone fruit and expressive finish.

Attractive spice aromas are deeply woven into blueberry and dark cherries. This has enticingly complex style. The palate has such impressive intensity and concentrated flavors of blueberry and dark cherry sweep long and fluid. A beautiful, bold pinot. Drink or hold.

Attractive violet and blueberry aromas here with cassis and gentle herbal accents. The palate is smooth and velvety with a plush and open-knit feel. This has ample, fleshy dark-cherry flavor. Drink now.

An open and friendly style, with plum and cherry preserves lined with light vanilla and savory notes. Ends with a dollop of warm earth on the finish. Drink now through 2023.

All the fruit here is hand-picked, whole bunch pressed, wild ferment in 500 litre French puncheons (20% new), no malo or punchdowns. The style is quite Chablis-esque, savoury, toasty notes on the nose, oyster shell, a bit more muscular in style on the palate, with a clearly defined phenolic and mineral content. Waves of citrus flavour (orange and green), intense, textural and with a real power behind the fruit (in a good not heavy-handed way).

Wine Press: 6 wines worth splurging on for Father’s DayFans of dry, austere, red wines will love this understated yet intense red wine from France’s famed Bordeaux region. Made with grapes from 40 to 50 year old vines in limestone-rich soil, then aged for in French Oak for 12 months, this wine has a flinty yet earthy finish, with notes of dried blackberries and roasted almonds as well as a slightly smoky finish and a dash of sea salt. The only problem you’ll probably have with this wine is you might be tempted to age it for another 5 to 10 years. But good luck resisting the urge to open a bottle this coming weekend with your dad.

2 blocks, 2 clones, 1 awesome display of black raspberry and cardamom.

More rich than fresh, and wowing with lemon curd, toast, and verbena action.

Smoke, wood and evergreen aromas. Apple, pear and minerals on the palate. Lingering finish. An unusual chard. Very good.