7th October 2025

The Yarra Valley has taken out the top prize at Australia’s premier Pinot Noir competition, the 2025 Pinot Noir Challenge, with Giant Steps’ 2024 Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir crowned the 2025 Trophy winner — the first time the region has claimed the honour, breaking Tasmania’s five-year winning Streak.

The award was announced at a gala dinner held at Maison Batard on Tuesday 7 October 2025.

Led by renowned winemaker and Pinot Noir specialist Tom Carson, the judging panel assessed more than 300 entries from 17 regions across the country before awarding the prestigious trophy. Carson was joined by some of the best Pinot Noir minds in the country, Michael Downer, Ben Portet, Brendan Hawker, Chris Crawford, Pip Anderson and Imogen Dillon, with Associates Charlie Warne and Tillie Johnston.

“The 2024 Giant Steps Applejack Pinot Noir, a wine with a storied past, has added another prestigious award to its ever-bulging trophy cabinet,” Carson said. “The judges were captivated by this wine, exhibiting the very best of Pinot Noir in Australia: fragrant, detailed, poised, elegant, powerful, ethereal — the descriptors go on and on, just like the wine. Stunning.”

Since taking the helm at Giant Steps in 2021, Winemaker Mel Chester has overseen a string of major accolades. Both the 2022 and 2023 Applejack Pinot Noirs were named Pinot Noir of the Year in the Halliday Wine Companion Awards, cementing the pedigree of this iconic vineyard.

“We’re so proud to see Applejack pick up Pinot of the Year,” said Mel. “Applejack is a special site, particularly for Pinot Noir, and is diligently cared for by our vineyard and winery teams. To win the Pinot Challenge for the first time on behalf of the region is a huge honour for our team and for the Yarra Valley.”

Perched on a dramatic east-facing slope in Gladysdale, Applejack is one of the Yarra Valley’s most distinctive vineyards. Its gentle morning sun aspect, hungry grey soils, high altitude and extended, cool ripening season consistently produce Pinot Noir of depth, spice and remarkable finesse – qualities that have cemented its status among Australia’s most prestigious single-vineyard sites

Regional winners:

• Geelong – 2024 Bromley Harrison Pinot Noir
• Adelaide Hills – 2024 Heirloom Vineyards Alcazar Castle Pinot Noir
• Macedon – 2024 Kyneton Ridge Skipping Rabbit Pinot Noir
• Orange – 2024 Byrne Farm Glenidle Vineyard Pinot Noir
• Western Australia – 2024 Howard Park Flint Rock Pinot Noir
• Mornington Peninsula – 2024 Foxeys Lee Brothers Pinot Noir
• Yarra Valley – 2024 Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir
• Tasmania – 2024 Frogmore Creek Wines 42 Degrees South Pinot Noir

 Ends

For more information on the Australian Pinot Noir Challenge, visit: www.pinotchallenge.com.au.
Follow the Australian Pinot Noir Challenge on Instagram: @pinotnoirchallenge.

About The Australian Pinot Noir Challenge

The Australian Pinot Noir Challenge is an initiative of the Mornington Peninsula Vignerons Association yet is a truly Australian celebration of the best regions and pinot noir producers in the country. This is the eighth edition of the Australian Pinot Noir Challenge which began in 2017.

Previous winners

• 2024 – 2023 Bremley Pinot Noir (Tas)
• 2023 – 2022 Meadowbank Pinot Noir (Tas)
• 2022 – 2021 Clarence House Block 1 Pinot Noir (Tas)
• 2021 – 2020 Ossa Pinot Noir (Tas)
• 2020 – No event due to COVID
• 2019 – 2018 Tertini Pinot Noir (Tas)
• 2018 – 2017 Handpicked Mornington Peninsula Collection Pinot Noir (MP)
• 2017 – 2016 Yes Said the Seal Pinot Noir (Geelong)