As many households embrace food traditions with gusto at Christmas. traditional things like roast turkey, pork with crisp crackling, glazed hams and beef fillet need wine to add December lustre. Enter pinot noir, the red wine that matches these festive foods best. Giant Steps "entry level" to finish lovely. Yarra pinot noir is a perfect choice with strawberry/plum fruit sitting centre stage, with herby, floral notes adding fresh, fragrant charm. It tastes succulent and harmonious. fine textured, lingering and dry

A balanced pinot loaded with charm. The colour is bright and deep; the aromas lavishly sweet, ripe and cherry-like. Rich, fragrant and seductive, all at a good price. Delightful.

Dark chocolate, mocha and poached cherry aromas, plus exotic toasted spice. The palate is full of firm, juicy tannins, leading into compote of savoury, dark stone-fruit with a hint of dried herbs.

The polished 2015 Giant Steps Pinot Noir looked excellent. I know it is cruel mentioning wines that have pretty much sold out, but the good news is that the 2016 vintage has recently been released and looks equally stunning. Yes, it is a little youthful now, but it is poised to evolve beautifully with time. Best to order soon as it will certainly be snapped up quickly.

Dark chocolate, mocha and poached cherry aromas, plus exotic toasted spice. The palate is full of firm, juicy tannins, leading into compote of savoury, dark stone-fruit with a hint of dried herbs.

The polished 2015 Giant Steps Pinot Noir looked excellent. I know it is cruel mentioning wines that have pretty much sold out, but the good news is that the 2016 vintage has recently been released and looks equally stunning. Yes, it is a little youthful now, but it is poised to evolve beautifully with time. Best to order soon as it will certainly be snapped up quickly.

The first release of a new “Yarra Valley range” out of Giant Steps… Hand picked, wild yeast, no fining or filtration. The winemaking doesn’t sound compromised, and nor does the shape and flavour of the wine in the mouth. It’s sour-sweet in a positive way, ripped with dry herbs and cherry-plum, with cranberry and crushed dry spice notes aplenty. It’s succulent, it’s tangy, it’s spicy and yet it’s firm and strong. It speaks of a top-notch vintage, and producer.

Wild open ferment, matured in French oak (25% new) for 11 months. Bright, full colour; the wine progressively shifts and builds ground from the bouquet through to the palate, finish and - in particular - the aftertaste, by which time the sheer power of the dark red/purple fruits takes hold. Balance in a bottle.