Palate
The resulting wines show vibrant acidity, balance and
depth of flavour, with the structure and freshness to age beautifully.
Vinification
At Giant Steps, we hand pick 100% of our fruit and fastidiously hand sort
in the vineyard. Pinot Noir follows one of two pathways: either fermented
semi carbonic with 100% whole bunch, or destemmed and fermented
as whole berries. The approach for each parcel is determined by clone,
vineyard, stem ripeness and flavour profile.
Whole bunch batches are fermented warm with minimal mixing for around
14 days. Destemmed parcels undergo a three-day cold soak before being
allowed to warm naturally and begin fermentation.
Cap management is carried out using gravity drain and returns, allowing
for gentle extraction prior to pressing. The wines are transferred by gravity
to French oak barriques for malolactic fermentation and remain on lees
throughout maturation.
The parcels are blended in spring ahead of bottling in December. The 2025
Circle of Fifths Pinot Noir includes 20% whole bunch parcels and 22%
new French oak, and is bottled by gravity without fining or filtration.
Vintage Notes
The 2025 season began with above average winter rainfall, providing
excellent soil moisture heading into spring. Warm, dry conditions through
spring encouraged early shoot development and minimal disease pressure
during flowering. Combined with the strong soil moisture reserves, this
supported healthy vine canopies across the vineyards.
Summer continued in a warm and dry pattern, leading to an earlier-than-
average start to harvest. While the vintage was relatively compressed, the
low disease pressure and strong vine health allowed fruit to be picked in
excellent condition.
Winemakers Comments