Giant Steps Fatal Shore Pinot Noir 2021

I love that this wine is named after the book The Fatal Shore, by the late great art critic and journalist Robert Hughes. He was ordinally from Sydney and became the greatest art critic, if such a thing can be said, of his generation. For those of you you haven’t read Robert Hughes, I strongly urge you to do so, and preferably in an armchair and with a glass of this beautiful, haunting and dramatic wine.

Pure, intense and translucent, as befits such a cold site. Aromatically soaring with blue, red, black and hedge fruits, cut flowers, sandalwood and mushroom compost. As befits a grand name and a homage to a great Australian, the 2021 Fatal Shore is aristocratic, deep, structural, sensual and most importantly – dramatic. Flavours duck and weave, announcing themselves, vanishing, and a while later, appearing again. Autumnal and gamey notes are subtle, becoming more apparent with time in the glass. Tannins are sleek, ripe and melting; acidity is folded in as you would a meringue, its freshness obvious, but not a talking point in itself. Extremely long, and I have no doubt this will see out 20 years, and then another 20. Waters Wine Co