“The Le Luc Single Vineyard Pinot Noir from Craig Wessels seems to get better and better every year.” - Greg Sherwood MW

“A quite Pinot Noir.” - Neal Martin

At the recent ‘Judgement of Cape Town’, a blind wine tasting of premium Pinot Noirs by 16 international wine professionals, the Restless River ‘Le Luc’ Pinot Noir 2022, came in top place, beating a Grand Cru red Burgundy from Armand Rousseau into 2nd place and a Premier Cru Chambolle-Musigny from Christophe Roumier as well as several others, including Felton Road (New Zealand), Littorai (California) and Cristom (Oregon). Here are the Top 6…

1. Restless River ‘Le Luc’ Pinot Noir, Hemel-en-Aarde, South Africa 2022
2. Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru ‘Clos des Ruchottes’, Domaine Armand Rousseau 2022
3. Felton Road ‘Calvert’ Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand 2022
4. Littorai ‘Savoy Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, California 2022
5. Newton Johnson ‘Windansea’ Pinot Noir,Hemel-en-Aarde, South Africa 2022
6. Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru ‘Les Cras’, Domaine Georges & Christophe Roumier 2022

It’s a ringing endorsement for a wine we absolutely love and have bored people silly by incessantly claiming that it can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best Pinot Noirs in the world. The 2023 vintage is another haunting beauty, redolent of blood orange, peony, burnt cherry and sandalwood. 13% alc. Drink now-2032.

Press review:

Tim Atkin MW: “"Good growers - and Craig Wessels is one of them - managed to overcome the challenges of the 2023 vintage in the Cape. Made with clones 113, 115 and 777, Le Luc has some granite-derived tension, subtle spices from 30% whole clusters, gentle, lacy tannins and sappy raspberry coulis and goji berry fruit. 2025-30 13% alc. Drink 2025-2032.” 95 points