Domaine Lucci 2010 Wildman Pinot Noir

Domaine Lucci and Anton van Klopper seem to have a profound affect on me.  I'd never heard of either until about early November 2010, then in one of those strange moments of synchronicity, I came across Mr Klopper, or the fruits of his labours about four times in as many days.

I have the Qwoff Boys to thank for at least two of these introductions. Firstly by way of his introduction in Max Allen's "The Future Makers" and then also by virtue of their Road to Vino Episode "Lunch With Lucy".  Watching this video of Andre and Justin tasting with Anton a) made me sickingly jealous and b) made me have to sit down and stop what I was doing otherwise I would risk fainting.  This was one of those head-spinny moments where I was just enthralled at the approach, or some may say lack of, to winemaking this guy had.  I was simply in a daze.  I had to get me some of those wines!

Around the same time, the Winefront, reviewed two wines from the stable.  If I wasn't hooked before, I was now.

This is only the second wine that I have tried from the hands of Anton van Klopper.  Jumping to conclusions quickly, I consider that these are very challenging wines, in the sense that they have challenged me as a consumer.  The first of their wines I tried was a Pinot Gris.  It was red.  The individual who allowed me to sample this wine asked of me what my thoughts were when I was thinking of Pinot Gris.  Red most certainly was not one of them.  Challenging I say.

This wine is clearly a Pinot Noir.  It smells of varietal cherries and raspberries.  But take a look at it, and its not your typical light, shiny, nigh transparent, red Pinot Noir.  There's almost a brown tinge to it.  Not the brickish tinge of an aged Pinot, this is something altogether more earthen.  Then I start to think, its a 2010 - is this how young Pinot's are?  I have no other frame of reference.  I'll have to take it as I see it.

In the mouth, it's warm, some earthiness, tight - again not at all like Pinot's I have tasted before - which admittedly is pretty much exclusively new world.

The finish has spice in the roof of the mouth and this leads through to the back palate; this wine had me hooked.  It is good shit, if I may be as vulgar as to say.

Although the bottle was finished, I carried on drinking it mentally.  The slight earthiness, the raspberry and cherry could have me thinking it was a Grenache.  No, its definitely Pinot Noir.  Even now I am thinking about it.

Whichever way you approach it, this is seriously good booze.  If you want a Pinot Noir to drink, yes this ticks all the right boxes.  If you want a Pinot Noir that will engage you, maybe make you think, look at what's in the glass repeatedly, then this is your man.

Source: Retail
Price: $35
Closure: Diam with Wax Seal
Website: http://www.lucymargauxvineyards.com/
Retailer: Spiros Toowong