Ten Minutes by Tractor ‘Wallis’ Pinot Noir 2010 (Mornington Peninsula, Vic)
$75, Screwcap, 13.5%
Source: Sample
www.tenminutesbytractor.com.au

This may be my least favourite of the Ten Minutes By Tractor Pinot Noirs, yet perhaps the wine most likely to look the best in the futiure.

Hand harvested, wild fermented, this spent 20 days on skins and 14 months in new and old oak. Bottle number 1908/3084

It’s a Pinot that smells of structure, not fruit. Mid red in colour, the nose reticent sappy and very extractive. The fruit is ripe, dark and very firm, the alcohol sweetening up what is a very dry and fully extracted palate, the emphasis on power rather than delicacy.

It’s a slightly challenging wine to drink now actually, a hulking, ferrous, structure driven wine that may be a little lacking in harmony. Impressive in its seriousness but too serious for immediate drinking and perhaps over extracted. Will need much more time to show its best (or is it too warm firm to ever live up to that potential?).

Drink: 2014-2018
Score: 17.7/20 92/100
Would I buy it? Not quite. I’d prefer the Estate Pinot. Time will be kind though.