Giant Steps Fatal Shore Pinot Noir 2021

Giant Steps Fatal Shore Pinot Noir 2021 is a single-vineyard expression from the Nocton Vineyard in Tasmania's Coal River Valley, representing the producer's foray into Australia's southernmost and coolest viticultural regions. The 2021 vintage was characterized by a cool growing season with long sunlight hours, which preserved high natural acidity and encouraged the development of thick skins. Winemaking involves hand-harvesting and transporting the fruit across the Bass Strait to the Yarra Valley winery for indigenous yeast fermentation—partially whole-bunch—followed by eight months of maturation in French oak barriques. The resulting wine is bright ruby-red with perfumed aromas of red cherry, strawberry, rose petals, and dried blood orange. On the palate, it offers a silky, medium-bodied texture with layers of cocoa-dusted strawberries, savory herbs, and fine-grained, crunchy tannins.

96 Points - James Suckling

Attractive aromas of cherries and strawberries with dried herbs, rose petals and dried blood orange. Medium-bodied with polished texture and ultra fine tannins. It’s so lively and electrified with a pure and ripe fruit character that offers an array of cocoa-dusted strawberries and savory undertones. It’s spicy and long. Delicious. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

93 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Made with fruit from the Coal River Valley, in Tasmania, the 2021 Fatal Shore Pinot Noir is a wholly darker and more brooding expression of Giant Steps Pinot Noir, although Flamo's (chief winemaker Steve Flamsteed) take is that they were able to imprint the Giant Steps style on the wine, despite the fruit sourcing, which I agree with. The fruit, in case you were wondering, was reefer-trucked up to the winery and was in the Yarra by the following morning, where the two clones were treated differently; the MV6 was fermented with whole bunches, while the D5V15 was fermented whole berry. This brings a ripe cherry character to mind, with hints of red apple, fresh garden mint and crushed graphite tannins.