Swinney Vineyards

This smells very like fine red Burgundy, with rosehip and red cherry character on the nose In keeping with all 'even' vintages to date, 2022 was a warmer year, and this shows in the relative richness of texture - super-supple, refined, with subtle, integrated acidity and an extra layer of sophistication It has potentially a long life ahead of it, but it s pretty much irresistible already People told Matt Swinney that he was insane when he planted Grenache in the Frankland River region The 'Albany Doctor' wind blows along the river valley direct from the Southern Ocean, meaning that summertime afternoons and evenings can be distinctly chilly Combined with reliable sunshine, this promotes the long, slow ripening shared by many of the world's finest wine regions Was Matt right? Does the Grenache ripen? Absolutely, and reliably so: under cool but dry and sunny conditions, and helped by the impoverished ironstone gravel soils, well-drained hilltop sites and established bush vines Farvie Grenache is the result of a ridiculously painstaking selection effort, involving visiting each vine three times to pick out the fruit that has reached the 'sweet spot' of optimal ripeness - neither too exposed to the sun, nor too shaded

The Swinney label wines represent the top 2% of the family's vineyard production, and Farvie is the utmost pinnacle - with only a few hundred cases made each year This is an awe-inspiring wine with cool-climate Syrah aromas and the ethereally sumptuous texture of Le Musigny The fruit of a very special vineyard site, painstaking viticulture ensures that the bunches are protected from direct exposure to the sun's rays, helping to ensure a wine of vibrancy and finesse Scents of wild blueberry, damson, clove, star anise, freesia,and white pepper greet the nose, while in the mouth, it is super-refined, intense and concentrated in flavour; with gorgeoust succulence of texture There is a sprinkling of powdery tannin - discernible but utterly delicate This harnonious wine is exceptional to drink already, and it should age effortlessly for 15 years or longer

Vibrant magenta with purple hues A distinct ferrous character on the nose, with Szechuan pepper, brambly wild red and black fruits with a subtle violet lift The palate is medium bodied with characteristic plums, spice and iron filings Beautiful poise with lithe tannins and a fine boned structural finish

Grown on bush vines, whose leaf canopy with dappled shade and growth pattern in three dimensions helps separate the bunches and ensure even ripening in Frankland River's marginal climate for this variety With a deep ruby-purple colour, this is unusually dark for Grenache, again thanks to the way it is grown A fabulous, complex mix of sweet, spicy and savoury aromas: cherries, raspberries, white chocolate, vanilla bean, violets, cloves and anise In the mouth, succulent black cherry and juicy blackberry notes are evident, with fine yet firm structure and a classy, clean, dry finish There is nothing to prevent this from being enjoyed straight away, however it should also age gracefully

Owner Matt Swinney and winemaker Rob Mann's ambition here is to produce a Bandol-inspired wine that displays the splendid qualities of the Mourvedre grape This has fabulous, complex, savoury meat-stock richness lent grace by a lovely, lilting floral lift There is masses going on in the mouth: weighty, chewy and terrifically textured There are layers of tannins upon tannins and yet they are never obtrusive, but instead comforting and velvety You can enjoy this immediately (decanting recommended), or it will keep for many years

Vibrant magenta with purple hues A distinct ferrous character on the nose, with Szechuan pepper, brambly wild red and black fruits with a subtle violet lift The palate is medium bodied with characteristic plums, spice and iron filings Beautiful poise with lithe tannins and a fine boned structural finish

An awe-inspiring wine with the aroma of Hermitage and the texture of Richebourg, Farvie Syrah is a selection of fruit picked exclusively from the 'morning' side of the vine rows, which ripens more slowly and gently than fruit exposed to the afternoon sun Whortleberry, aronia and purple grape lead into nuances of clove, star anise, stargazer lily, musk, leather and iron as it opens in the glass In the mouth, it is super-refined, intense and concentrated in flavour; with gorgeous soft succulence of texture There is a sprinkling of powdery tannin - discernible but utterly delicate Undoubtedly a great wine, it would be intriguing to watch this evolve for 15 years or longer - but oh, it's so irresistible already Utterly harmonious

As soon as you take a sip, it's apparent why this is named 'Syrah' and not 'Shiraz:' it has a freshness and finesse that is far more closely allied to the Rhone valley than to the Barossa or McLaren Vale With an impressively glass-staining black colour, it has glorious, soaring, damson and loganberry fruit, a sprinkling of Chinese five spice, and fine marzipan and cherry kernel notes Adding substance to the fruit and spice character, there is a certain juicy rare steak quality to it - un vrai Syrah! On the palate it shows superb, super-silky, sensuous smoothness that at first disguises its downright depth and density As with the other Swinney wines, it's full of freshness, sophistication, beautiful balance and persistence on the palate There is a tiny hint of oak character, so skillfully integrated that you scarcely notice

An awe-inspiring wine with the aroma of Hermitage and the texture of Richebourg, Farvie Syrah is a selection of fruit picked exclusively from the 'morning' side of the vine rows, which ripens more slowly and gently than fruit exposed to the afternoon sun With an exuberant, fruit-forward nose, this smells of plump, juicy, utterly yummy blackberries at perfect ripeness Take a sip, and it is succulent and scrumptious, with almost-hidden tannins that just peek through on the finish This is so delicious that it doesn t need time, but it should evolve beautifully if given the chance Drink 2023-2034+

This smells very like fine red Burgundy, with rosehip and red cherry character on the nose 2020 was a warmer year (like 2018), and this shows in the relative richness of texture - super-supple and refined, with more subtle, integrated acidity than either of the previous vintages While I love the 2018 for its vibrancy, the 2020 has an extra layer of sophistication It has potentially a long life ahead of it, but it s so irresistible already that I can t see all that many bottles surviving to find out Drink 2023-2033 and beyond People told Matt Swinney that he was insane when he planted Grenache in the Frankland River region The 'Albany Doctor' wind blows along the river valley direct from the Southern Ocean, meaning that summertime afternoons and evenings can be distinctly chilly Combined with reliable sunshine, this promotes the long, slow ripening shared by many of the world's finest wine regions Was Matt right? Does the Grenache ripen? Absolutely, and reliably so: under cool but dry and sunny conditions, and helped by the impoverished ironstone gravel soils, well-drained hilltop sites and established bush vines Farvie Grenache is the result of a ridiculously painstaking selection effort, involving visiting each vine three times to pick out the fruit that has reached the 'sweet spot' of optimal ripeness - neither too exposed to the sun, nor too shaded

An awe-inspiring wine with the aroma of Hermitage and the texture of Richebourg, Farvie Syrah is a selection of fruit picked exclusively from the 'morning' side of the vine rows, which ripens more slowly and gently than fruit exposed to the afternoon sun 2019 was a cooler vintage than 2018 and 2020, and this is reflected in the fresh vibrancy of the wine It has fabulously precise, bright acidity and beautiful refinement of texture Undoubtedly a great wine, it will be intriguing to watch this evolve for 15 years or longer - but give it an hour in a decanter and it will be irresistible to drink now

2019 was a colder vintage than 2018, and this is reflected in the fresh vibrancy of the wine It has fabulously precise, bright acidity and beautiful refinement of texture It tastes less ready than either the 2018 or 2020 vintages Drink 2026-2036 People told Matt Swinney that he was insane when he planted Grenache in the Frankland River region The 'Albany Doctor' wind blows along the river valley direct from the Southern Ocean, meaning that summertime afternoons and evenings can be distinctly chilly Combined with reliable sunshine, this promotes the long, slow ripening shared by many of the world's finest wine regions Was Matt right? Does the Grenache ripen? Absolutely, and reliably so: under cool but dry and sunny conditions, and helped by the impoverished ironstone gravel soils, well-drained hilltop sites and established bush vines Farvie Grenache is the result of a ridiculously painstaking selection effort, involving visiting each vine three times to pick out the fruit that has reached the 'sweet spot' of optimal ripeness - neither too exposed to the sun, nor too shaded

Glorious, deep raspberry juice colour Cherry and black raspberry on the nose open to nuances of cassia, black truffle salted caramel and beef stock In the mouth, it has an astonishingly seamless texture for such a young wine, with flavours of stewed cherries and bittersweet 'Moro' - Sicilian blood orange There is fine acidity and a rounded, warm finish The wine's harmonious character will lead to many a bottle being enjoyed early, although like a fine Burgundy, this is intended to develop with age People told Matt Swinney that he was insane when he planted Grenache in the Frankland River region The 'Albany Doctor' wind blows along the river valley direct from the Southern Ocean, meaning that summertime afternoons and evenings can be distinctly chilly Combined with reliable sunshine, this promotes the long, slow ripening shared by many of the world's finest wine regions Was Matt right? Does the Grenache ripen? Absolutely, and reliably so: under cool but dry and sunny conditions, and helped by the impoverished ironstone gravel soils, well-drained hilltop sites and established bush vines Farvie Grenache is the result of a ridiculously painstaking selection effort, involving visiting each vine three times to pick out the fruit that has reached the 'sweet spot' of optimal ripeness - neither too exposed to the sun, nor too shaded

An awe-inspiring wine with the aroma of Hermitage and the texture of Richebourg, Farvie Syrah is a selection of fruit picked exclusively from the 'morning' side of the vine rows, which ripens more slowly and gently than fruit exposed to the afternoon sun Whortleberry, aronia and purple grape lead into nuances of clove, star anise, stargazer lily, musk, leather and iron as it opens in the glass In the mouth, it is super-refined, intense and concentrated in flavour; with gorgeous soft succulence of texture There is a sprinkling of powdery tannin - discernible but utterly delicate Undoubtedly a great wine, it would be intriguing to watch this evolve for 15 years or longer - but oh, it's so irresistible already Utterly harmonious