Invitational Frankland River Shiraz 2022
BLOOD PLUM • STAR ANISE • POACHED CHERRY
Forged from a season of extremes yet tempered by periods of cool ripening, this first effort of Shiraz from the Swinney Vineyard speaks clearly of ancient rich ironstone soils, and wind-swept ruggedness. Lifted dark, brooding yet floral and enticing, this purple fruited refined wine has plushness, power and freshness, with a firm backbone and finely chiseled framework to bloom with age. 750ml
Accolades
95 points, The Real Review
Deep, brooding red-purple colour with a reserved but clean and fresh bouquet, subtle black fruits, which turn very intense and ripely sweet on the palate, highlighting blackberry and some juiciness. Full bodied. The sweet fruit centre marks this as a wine from a sunnier clime than the other two Duke's shirazes from 2022. (Grapes from the Swinney Vineyard)
93 points, Halliday Wine Companion
The fruit for this wine is sourced from Swinney vineyard. Quite a brooding, dark-fruited red here. The perfume sets off with ripe cherry, mocha, toast and hazelnut aromas with a slightly ferrous, minerally undertow. Similar to taste, the oak profile a touch splintery while dark, inky, plummy, warm/breathy fruit with choc-mocha and nuttiness rolls around with authority. Sumptuous wine, is the message, a quibble about the warmth and oak profile are the value-add comments.
Appearance: dark intense black cherry, deep magenta
Aroma: intense lifted purple flowers, violets, lavender, ripe blueberry, boysenberry, dark density of hints of fresh herbs, cedar fire hearth
Palate: wild blueberry fruits, juicy dark choc, garigue, dark choc tannins, complete, fine, peacock feather finish, refined yet firm, red ferrous earth