WinemakingAll fruit was hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed. The cuvee taille (first cut free-run juice) was settled naturally overnight prior to racking to a mix of stainless steel tank and large format old barrels for fermentation.Fermented and aged separately in small batch lots on settled lees for nine months. The blended wine then underwent secondary fermentation in the bottle. This wine has been aged for an extended period on its autolysing yeast lees for more than four years to garner richness and complexity to its innate elegance and finesse.Winemaker's notesThe protracted growing season allowed a drawn-out ripening, resulting in an uncommon richness of flavour tempered by the abundant natural acidity contributed by the season.A bouquet of nashi pear, glazed brioche, lemon cheesecake and Amaretti buscuit. Flavours of nougat, lemon rind, jasmine and chestnut underpin a palate of steely acidity with delicated bubble, fruit weight and earthy 'sur lie' characters providing textural accompaniement, richness and creaminess to the finish. An excellent match for freshly-shucked oysters or semi-hard cow's milk cheeses.

A fresh fruit-forward earlier drinking style, the fruit for the Estate Chardonnay comes from the densely planted Leongatha vineyard. Matured in approximately 20% new oak, the Estate Chardonnay exhibits vibrant ripe citrus fruit with subtle underlying toasty oak.

Giant Steps plays it's part in the rapid accension of Australian Chardonnay back to the position it once held here. That being of the king of white varieties. This is a very stylish numbe from Phil Sexton and his team. Stonefruit, melon and butterscotch characters are supported by vanillin oak and the palate is long and textured with a clean crisp finish.

Light to medium-bodied, tight-knit with white peach, grapefruit, herb and mealy characters,well-balanced acid and a long fresh finish.

FABIEN COCHE, Bourgogne Chardonnay Grandes Coutures

Graceful chardonnay woven with whispers of new French oak. From the cool climate single vineyard; Coal River Valley, Tasmania. Handpicked on a fruit day on the full harvest moon, whole bunch pressed, wild ferment en new demi-muid. Matured for 12 months and bottled unfined and unfiltered with perfect natural balance.

Margaret River is a world renowned Chardonnay producing region and Pierro can rightfully stake a claim as to why. Incredibly complex, it is a tangle of fine-boned acid, lees complexity, pristine fruit and the most detailed use of good quality oak. Extremely enjoyable now, but will benefit from short to medium term cellaring.