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.
Farvie Grenache
Swinney
Single
£88.50
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Winemaking
Exclusively from select bush vines grown on ironstone gravel soil on a specific hilltop site in Frankland River. Hand-harvested for perfect ripeness, three-pass selection. Co-fermented with a seasoning of Mourvèdre for depth. Spontaneous fermentation, 10 days on skins, 11 months in seasoned French oak. Bottled with care, minimal sulfites, no fining.
Press Review
96/100 - ...the vintage was low-yielding and very dry, the wines are of excellent quality... There's a black pepper character on the nose; the fruit has black cherries and is saturated and dense. There is profound cohesion and intensity, gravelly ferrous tannin and a burly, gnarly character in the mouth. Upon opening, this is a wine kept in tannic restraints. Part of this has to do with the vintage, part to do with the Stelvin closure (of which I am an avid proponent). Giving it some air prior to serving, or ensuring that you are using a Pinot Noir glass, will amplify the experience. This is a distinct wine that speaks very much of the place it is from. At this point in history, it is a single voice from a northeast-facing hill in Frankland River... The Swinney bush vines are dry famed, so the dry conditions of 2019 leading into 2020 did limit production. To put this into context: the fruit (small berries on loose bunches) was picked a month earlier than "usual" at 2.5 tons per hectare. 'We try to target five to six tons per hectare for Farvie, meaning 2020 produced less than half the normal yield," says winemaker, Rob Mann. The fruit is selected vine by vine. The wine is matured in 600-liter French oak demi-muids.
Press Review
This year saw the launch of the 2020 Swinney Farvie Syrah (£99.50) and 2020 Swinney Farvie Grenache (£99.50), and they are both near-perfect wines, scoring identical 19.5/20 in my notes.
Customer Reviews
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Product Specification
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ColourRed
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CountryAustralia
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RegionWestern Region
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Sub RegionFrankland River
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StyleDry
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ClosureScrew cap
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SKUH8716120
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Alcohol %14%
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GrapeGrenache
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Unit Volume75cl
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VeganYes
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VegetarianYes