Punch ‘Close Planted’ Pinot Noir “Lance’s Vineyard” 2015

Unlike most Yarra pinots, this is dark, introverted, savoury and sultry. Don’t look for crystalline bright berries or sunny outlook here. This shows a furrowed brow of black cherry, blueberry, black pepper, cola and nutmeg. It’s not plush like fruity Central Otago, it’s full to the brim with complexity and more intrigue than a murder thriller. Peter Falk’s Columbo is not the sexiest poster boy to compare a wine to, but bear with me. It’s clever, charismatic, easily written off unless you observe it with the keen eye of a connoisseur. It keeps you guessing until the very last moment, revealing its secrets slowly but steadily. And then, just when you think you’ve got it all worked out, “There’s just one more thing…” Cellar forever; this stuff never gets old.