Australia: Ten Minutes By Tractor - McCutcheon Pinot Noir 2021, Mornington Peninsula

Alex's Producer Profile on 10 Minutes by Tractor.

Grape variety: 100% Pinot Noir. 13% alcohol. 

While a lighthearted name - so-called as their three neighbouring vineyards are each 'ten minutes by tractor' apart - this estate happens to be one of the finest sources of Pinot Noir not just in Australia but the whole world. 

Owned and run by the Spedding family, their wines are legendary in wine circles and while they weren't the first producer on the Peninsula, their single-vineyard bottlings from the 2000 vintage onwards were quickly recognised as being amongst the very best. This is an epic producer.

For some time now, Mornington Pinot Noirs have tended to be more accessible, reliable, and true-to-style than equivalent Burgundies, thanks to the Peninsula's exposure to cooling ocean breezes lessening the effect of rising temperatures, moderating ripeness and thus alcohol, and preserving freshness.

This might be Australia, yes, but ditch the stereotypes: this is a cool-climate region, just a ten minute drive (by car!) from the notoriously breezy Bass Strait. They even get a touch less ripeness here than at Danbury Ridge, Essex!

All of their Pinots sit at 13% alcohol - which any honest winemaker will tell you is spot on for this variety, and increasingly a rarity in many recent vintages in Burgundy and elsewhere. 

Fermented only by wild yeasts, followed by 8 months in oak barrels large and small, 25% of which were new. Structured and serious yet light in colour, its vibrant acidity furnishes it with beautiful freshness, augmented by svelte tannins and subtle touches of oak spice.

Food pairing:

Light to medium red-meats: lamb, duck, game, especially with gentle pan sauces or reductions. Herby or earthy dishes e.g. mushrooms, root-vegetables, chestnut/spice, dishes with thyme/rosemary/sage. Delicate poultry or richer fish - think duck breast, roast chicken with herbs, salmon or trout with light jus or berry-glaze.

What the critics say:

"Ten Minutes By Tractor is a major force to be reckoned with in the world of global Pinot Noir worship" - Matthew Jukes 

"The wines from this estate have become classier and classier with each passing year. Indeed, it's fast heading for elite status" - Campbell Mattinson & Gary Walsh 

95 points, Angus Hughson, Vinous.

Ten Minutes By Tractor is "a stand out; a benchmark" - Jancis Robinson MW