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Restless River, Pinot Noir Le Luc, 2021

Red Wine from South Africa, South Africa
by Restless River
$61.99
Taxes and shipping calculated at checkout.

Restless River, Pinot Noir Le Luc, 2021 is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.

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A cult single-vineyard Pinot from South Africa's Hemel-en-Aarde, or "Heaven and Earth," valley, where the Atlantic sits five kilometers away and keeps everything cool and precise. Craig and Anne Wessels farm this small estate on ancient granitic soils over heavy clay, planting their namesake Le Luc vineyard in 2012 and coaxing it by hand toward wines built on restraint rather than volume. The 2021 came from a cool, elegant vintage, and it shows: this is a floral, focused, distinctly Burgundian-feeling Pinot that trades power for clarity. Fermented with wild yeasts and raised in mostly older French oak so the fruit stays front and center. If you think South Africa only does bargains, this bottle politely disagrees.

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Jancis Robinson

17 points

"Bright crimson. Firm, ambitious nose. More burgundian than most South African Pinots! Very subtle with violet notes and it may even develop mushroom notes. Really polished, fine tannins. Quite long."

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More about Restless River

The estate is tucked in a valley just inland from the coastal town of Hermanus, called the Hemel-en-Aarde – Afrikaans for “Heaven and Earth” and named by missionaries who said the surrounding mountains seemed to touch the sky, with only heaven and earth visible around them. It is one of South Africa’s great cool-climate regions, shaped by ocean air, mountain influence, and long, slow ripening seasons.

The granite, sandstone, and shale soils here are over 400 million years old: ancient, even by wine world standards. The South Africans like to point out that when Burgundy’s limestones were forming on Jurassic seabeds 150ish million years ago, these African soils were already hundreds of millions of years old. The erosion of ages since has weathered that rock into a complex mix of decomposed granite, shale and sandstone that is a terroir lover’s dream.

Given its unique microclimate and ancient soils, this is a region naturally suited to impeccably balanced Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. But against all odds, Restless River has also made a very strong case for Cabernet Sauvignon. The coolness of these vineyards lets the fruit hang longer, building flavor and phenolic maturity without losing freshness. The result is Cabernet that feels closer to the Old World, full of complexity and terroir influence. Meanwhile, the Pinot Noir offers ripe fruit with that quintessential savory Cape edge, and the Chardonnay carries texture and depth without becoming heavy.

Craig uses multiple vessels for the Chardonnay, including barrels (both old and new), steel tanks, and even a couple of amphoras, so that the common threads of fruit and vineyard sing, and no single vessel can dominate the palate. The wines are serious and concentrated, but never loud. They are shaped by patience, restraint, and a learned hand in the cellar.

Wine Details

  • Grape Variety

    Pinot Noir

  • Vintage

    2021

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Organic

  • Style

    crisp , Elegant

  • Sweetness

    Dry

  • Body

    Medium Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

What Skurnik Wines has to say about this wine:

100% Pinot Noir

The Le Luc is a single vineyard that was planted in 2012

Granitic rocky topsoils with heavy clay subsoil

Hand harvested

Fermented with indigenous yeast in small open-top oak vats

Aged for 12 months in 228L and 500L French oak, 25% new

After a further three months in tank, and 18 months in bottle, the wine is released

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Seared duck breast, roast chicken, grilled salmon, or mushroom tart.

Tasting Profile

Medium-bodied and silky. Crystalline red cherry, raspberry and strawberry with a floral lift and a hint of beetroot. Fine tannins, fresh acidity, long and focused.

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