Giant Steps

Phil Sexton named this Yarra Valley winery after a Coltrane album in 1997, which tells you something about the sensibility. Six single-vineyard Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs — including the Applejack and Sexton sites — are the focus, with current head winemaker Mel Chester keeping the winemaking transparent enough that the differences between slopes do the talking. The 2025 Halliday Winery of the Year award is recent and deserved.