THE NEWSLETTER OF FRANKAND ESTATE, FRANKLAND RIVER, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

ISSUE NO 007 SUMMER 2010

F R A N K L A N D E S TAT E W E S T E R N AU S T R A L I A

For the last decade Frankland Estate has run what amounts to an oenological orphanage where unwanted riesling grapes are taken in, put in a clean tank, showered with love and affection by our winemaking team and transformed into charming and highly civilised wines.

In recent years these single vineyard rieslings

have been consistently rated among Australia’s

finest and won widespread acclaim for their

beauty and elegance – even if some of them

have ugly-duckling names like Poison Hill.

These wines obviously benefit from skills and

techniques honed in making our own estate-

grown Isolation Ridge riesling but our aim is

not merely to produce another chip off the old

block but, rather, to showcase the diversity

of riesling styles and flavours that emanate

from the Frankland River region. The response

suggests we have succeeded in giving each

of our rieslings a distinctive sense of place

reflecting the environment of the vineyard in

which they were grown.

This year we are proud to announce a very

special new addition to our single vineyard

range. Fruit for this wine was sourced from the

Netley Road vineyard which is, literally, just

down the road from our own Isolation Ridge

vineyard.

Planted some 44 years ago by the late John

Roche AM, a former Lord Mayor of Adelaide

who also excelled in property development

A new old-vine riesling

2010 Isolation Ridge RieslingThe introduction of the Netley Road Vineyard

riesling is undoubtedly the most significant

change to our riesling line-up but those who

are eagle-eyed or dining in boring company

(when reading wine back-labels helps relieve

the monotony) will note a subtle change to the

2010 Isolation Ridge Riesling back label.

It now incorporates the ‘bud’ logo of

Australian Certified Organics signifying we have

complied with the rigorous requirements to be

officially certified as an organic producer by

Biological Farmers of Australia the country’s

preeminent certifying body.

and farming, this was the first vineyard ever

established in the Frankland River region.

Indeed, it was one of the first planted

anywhere in the south west of Western

Australia in the late 1960’s when the benefits

of cool-climate viticulture began, belatedly,

to attract interest from both established and

aspiring winemakers. In scale and boldness

it dwarfed the smaller plantings established

in Margaret River by that region’s pioneering

band of medical doctors but, inexplicably,

never got the publicity or kudos they attracted.

While we have long admired rieslings from this

vineyard it was only last year our neighbour

asked if we would be interested in a small

batch of fruit from their vines. The opportunity

to let our riesling-fanatic winemaking team

loose on grapes from the oldest riesling vines

in the region was a temptation we could

not resist. Down came the ‘No room at the

orphanage’ sign and in came fruit from vines

planted back in the last year of Robert Menzies

long reign as Australia’s Prime Minister.

The 2010 Frankland Estate Netley Road

Vineyard Riesling reflects the benefits of

combining minimal intervention in grape

handling and winemaking with the power and

elegance of old vine fruit. Consistent with our

winemaking philosophy we avoided trying

‘to make the wine’ but instead merely kept a

watchful eye over and gave it an occasional

helping hand it as it developed at its own

pace. This approach is reflected in the pristine

flavours and bracing intensity characteristic of

the best Frankland River rieslings.

Rich, complex aromas of lime and citrus are

complemented by incisive spicy, mineral

characters. Deceptively powerful it has intense,

tightly wound flavours that uncoil on the back

palate to reveal soft, finely textured notes

of citrus and talc. A well structured chalky

backbone and racy, lemon-infused acidity

ensures it will reward cellaring and develop

even greater complexity as it ages.

The clarity of flavour, balance and delicacy

of this powerful yet effortlessly elegant wine

make it an outstanding addition to our range of

single vineyard rieslings.

A new old-vine riesling (continued)

Fruit for our new riesling is sourced from the oldest vineyard in Frankland River

As a certified organic wine producer Frankland

Estate follows a verifiable set of standards that

are audited by a third party annually.

PRODUCER 11013A

AUSTRALIANCERTIFIEDORGANIC

producers – making a wine that magically

combines power and intensity with fragile

delicacy and lightness of touch.

By typical Australian standards the 11.5%

Alc/Vol is parsimonious yet it still has the

concentration and purity of flavour that

distinguished its predecessors – an iron fist in a

very finely textured velvet glove.

It has intense lime and citrus aromas

complemented by spicy, mineral characters

derived from the gravelly, ironstone soils of

the Isolation Ridge vineyard. The palate has

juicy, tightly focused fruit flavours balanced

harmoniously by racy, mineral-infused acidity

resulting in a silky-textured wine of exceptional

power and elegance.

2010 Poison Hill Riesling

When we first looked at riesling grapes in the

small 1.2 hectare Poison Hill Vineyard over a

decade ago we worried they might produce

wines that lived up to the authentic but

unflattering name. (The vineyard is located on

a hill where Heartleaf Bush, poisonous to all

but indigenous animals, is found.) The vineyard

suffered from a bad case of benign neglect but

there was something beguiling about its white

clay and quartz soils that enabled our then

nascent riesling-making instincts to prevail

over bank manager-fearing rationality. Since

then vineyard management strategies similar

to those we use on our own Isolation Ridge

The change to the back-label may be small

but is symbolic of fundamental changes to our

grape growing and wine making practices that

have been underway for at least a decade. To

us organic agriculture represents the return

of common sense and wisdom to farming so

three years ago we decided to formalise our

commitment to low-input practices and seek

official certification. As a certified organic

producer we are committed to not using

chemical herbicides or pesticides and to

increasing microbial activity in our vineyard

soils without using any substances not derived

from nature. Our inputs and management

systems are now documented in detail and

audited annually by Australian Certified

Organics.

The most exciting aspect of Frankland Estate

becoming an organic producer is the impact

on our wines. Put simply, they taste better.

Like most advances in grape growing or wine

making these benefits are subtle and their

influence incremental rather than instant.

However, as the reviews featured in Plaudits

from the Pundits suggest, there is growing

appreciation of the greater precision and

intensity evident in our wines.

Nobody expressed this with quite the same

panache as Matthew Dukes who writes for the

Daily Mail in the UK.

“For some reason, whenever I drink Isolation Ridge Riesling I get a sensational chill down my spine - perhaps it’s the name, perhaps it’s the tender, yet nervy fruit, perhaps it’s the jittery acidity, perhaps it’s the vineyard….” Matthew Dukes

Flattered though we were by his kind words,

we feel duty bound to point out most English

cricketers get the same sensation in their spine

when in Australia and it has nothing to do with

the riesling they drink.

The most welcome change in our wines we

attribute to organic viticulture is that all the

flavour components regarded as typical of

Frankland River riesling develop at much lower

alcohol levels. They are finer in body as well

as lower in alcohol but also have more precise

and better defined fruit characteristics – the

oenological equivalent of having your cake and

being able to eat lots of it too!

As a result of this we believe the 2010 Isolation

Ridge Vineyard Riesling is the closest we

have come yet to the holy grail of all riesling

vineyard have been adopted resulting in steady

improvements to the quality of Poison Hill

Riesling.

The distinctive floral aromas and characteristic

generosity of fruit have in recent years become

more pronounced. Similarly recent Poison

Hill rieslings have an alluring complexity and

minerality reflecting the use of low-input

practices in the vineyard. All these incremental

improvements are evident in the 2010 release

that has complex citrus, spice and floral

blossom aromas underpinned by wet-stone

mineral notes. The palate has generous, mouth-

filling tangy citrus flavours complemented by

quartz-like minerality and a nervous intensity

imparted by the soft, refreshing acidity.

The name makes this a great wine to take to

dinner at the in-laws but it is of such seriously

good quality it deserves to be represented in

the cellar of all riesling drinkers interested in

the diversity of styles from the Frankland River

region.

Mid-row crops are mown to return nutrients to the Isolation Ridge vineyard soil.

the palate, revealing a very fine underlying

chalkiness. It finishes with a crystalline

brightness and persistence, and a hint of

sweetness tightly balanced by its brittle

acidity. 95 points

Jeremy Oliver, The Australian Wine Annual

2011

2009 Frankland Estate, Isolation Ridge Vineyard Riesling I adore WA Riesling with its finesse, purity

and joyous lemon and lime notes. ‘09

Isolation Ridge presents a completely

different take on this variety to the Clare

and Eden Valley wines in this list. With more

finesse in its youth there is an overwhelming

temptation to crack on with this wine but

exercise some self control because it will

hit its apogee in three or four years time.

For some reason, whenever I drink Isolation

Ridge Riesling I get a sensational chill down

my spine - perhaps it’s the name, perhaps it’s

the tender, yet nervy fruit, perhaps it’s the

jittery acidity, perhaps it’s the vineyard - I

don’t know. But I must have it to break up my

regular Riesling diet, and you must too.

Mathew Jukes, Top 100 wines 2010

2009 Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge RieslingIt’s a new release but it made a mark on all

of us. It’s immediately entrancing with floral

and citrus aromas and a hint of kaffir lime.

The palate is lean, but not Clare lean, with

fresh lime juice and a more savoury edge

that puts me in mind of fennel and makes the

wine more approachable in its youth than

the greats from the Clare. James Halliday has

just awarded it 95 points, making it his top

Riesling from the west.Wine Ark Website

December 2009

2009 Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge RieslingIntense concentration of pure lemony fruit

with a steel blade of minerality. Taut, lean

and elegant with crisp lines and the laser-like

acidity of Frankland River. One of Australia’s

greatest single vineyard rieslings. 94 points

Tony Love, The Advertiser Adelaide

November 2009

2009 ISOLATION RIDGE RIESLING2009 Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge RieslingA classic riesling with every detail perfectly

proportioned and balanced; a mix of apple

and citrus that glides across the tongue in a

continuous line. Organically grown from old

vines. Screwcap. Rating 95

James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion.

2009 Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge Riesling20% of the 2009 Isolation Ridge Riesling was

fermented in large old oak. “This decision

was really about texture rather than taste

and added complexities,” Judi told me. The

wine didn’t spend too long in oak and was

soon transferred to temperature controlled

stainless steel. It has medium intense aromas

of lime juice, chalk dust, orange blossom,

some grapefruit and a pleasant wet slate

character. Dry, crisp, with a light to medium

body and intensely citrusy flavors on the

palate, it finishes long and steely. Drinking

now it should evolve over the next 5-7 years

and keep to 2020+. 91 Points

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate Issue 1910

October 2010

Frankland Estate 2009 Riesling Isolation RidgeLight yellow. Initially reticent nose slowly

opens to offer spicy pear, quince and Meyer

lemon scents. Showing more density and

power than the previous two wines, with a

strong mineral undertone and hints of dried

herbs and anise. More about orchard fruits

than citrus. Finishes with serious grip and

lingering mineral notes. Give this a couple

more years of bottle age. 9 Points

Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar

Issue 151, July/August 2010.

2009 Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge RieslingVery elegant, with a delicate floral bouquet

whose vibrant aromas of white peach, apple

and lime juice are lifted by spicy, musky

notes. Its long, pure and intense core of

apple, pear, lime and guava gently caresses

Plaudits from the Pundits

2009 POISON HILL RIESLING Frankland Estate 2009 Riesling Poison Hill VineyardPale gold. Complex, spicy aromas of tangerine,

lime, dusty minerals and white flowers, plus a

pear skin nuance. Tangy and sharply focused,

with a sweet hint of candied orchard fruits

adding depth. A refreshingly brisk, high-toned

quality gives the wine vibrancy and carries

through the spicy finish. This benefits greatly

from aeration; I’d give it three or four years of

bottle aging, at least. 92 Points

Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar

Issue 151, July/August 2010.

2009 Frankland Estate Poison Hill RieslingThe 2009 Poison Hill Riesling is very alluring.

This shallow topsoil over heavy clay vineyard

seems to produce a distinctively floral, elegant

style. The wine was youthfully closed when I

tried it, revealing a suggestion of lemon zest,

yuzu juice, orange blossom, wet pebbles,

coriander seed and a dash of white pepper. In

the mouth it is light bodied, very crisp, tight

and dry with wonderful nervous intensity and

a long minerally finish. Give this wine another

two years in bottle and drink it 2012 to 2022+.

93 Points

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate Issue 1910

October 2010

2009 Frankland Estate Poison Hill RieslingLong, stylish and very shapely, despite being

so rich and generous. Its musky, slightly meaty

bouquet of apple blossom, rose petal and

cinnamon precedes a round, juicy palate whose

penetrative flavours of white peach, pear and

apple are tightly wound in by a fresh, lemony

acidity. It finishes with a lingering presence of

tropical fruit. 93 points

Jeremy Oliver, The Australian Wine Annual 2011

Order Online SecurelyGet our wines to your doorstep faster by

ordering through our secure online facility

at www.franklandestate.com.au or, if you

prefer, download the PDF version of the

mail order form and fax or post it to us.

2008 SMITHCULLAM RIESLING2008 Frankland Estate SmithCullam RieslingThe 2008 Smith Cullam Riesling is certainly its

own style coming from a small, single vineyard

block planted to the Geisenheim clone. It was

100% barrel fermented (old wood, large format)

and possesses 27 g/l of residual sugar. With a

good intensity of apple and fresh pear aromas

on the nose, plus some peach blossom, this

wine has very crisp acidity matched by a good

balance of sweetness. Pear and stone fruit

flavours come through on the palate and linger

into the long finish. Drink it now to 2018. 90

Points

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate Issue 191

October 2010

Residual sugar and perceived drynessFermentation is the miraculous process

whereby sweet grape juice is transformed

into wine and in doing so becomes much

drier and more complex. When yeast comes

into contact with grape sugars it eats them

up converting them into alcohol, heat and

carbon dioxide –making a winery a heady

place at vintage time. The more sugar the

yeast eats the less sweet the wine is and

the more alcohol it will have. The higher the

alcohol is, the drier the wine.

Notable exceptions to this rule include late

harvest wines that have both high alcohol and

lots of residual sugar.

Most wines,whether sweet or dry, contain

a small amount of unfermented or residual

sugar that is measured in grams per litre of

wine.

Wines with residual sugar of less than 4 grams

per litre are considered dry because the

average palate will not be able to detect this

small amount of sweetness. Even at higher

sugar levels sweetness still may not be tasted

due to it being counterbalanced by other

components of the wine.

For instance, a riesling from Frankland River

with 20-25 grams per litre of residual sugar

and the distinctive racy acidity for which the

region is renowned, can taste drier than a

warm climate, higher alcohol wine.

This ‘perceptible dryness’ has nothing to do

with Barrie Smith’s sense of humour but,

instead, refers to the phenomena whereby a

bone dry, high alcohol wine with low acidity

and no residual sugar seems sweeter than

a high acid, low alcohol wine with more

residual sugar. This is due to alcohol having

its own sweetness (try neat gin or vodka to

test this assertion!) that amplifies whatever

natural fruit sweetness is in a wine. In

contrast, high acidity has an innate tartness

that counterbalances residual sugar making

a wine seem drier than it actually is from a

strict technical perspective.

At Frankland Estate we seek to find a natural

balance between residual sugar and acidity

regardless of the alcohol level this is achieved

at. Interestingly, this has resulted in wines

that more faithfully reflect vintage conditions

and, to date, have had lower alcohol levels

than previous vintages but yet taste no

sweeter.

2010 SmithCullam RieslingLike a hung Parliament, a SmithCullam

Riesling, is the result of exceptional

circumstances. One is not made every year

but, when it is, expect something out of the

ordinary.

In 2010 all the stars aligned and the fruit on

our small block of 22 year-old Geisenheim

clone riesling vines was of such exceptional

quality we decided to make what is only

our second vintage of this special ‘off-dry’

riesling.

As with the first vintage from 2008, this

wine has a high (20 grams) level of residual

sugar that is counterbalanced by the bracing

varietal acidity of the Geisenheim clone.

The tart, crisp acidity of the hand-picked

fruit provided an ideal foil to the residual

sweetness remaining when we stopped the

wild yeast ferment carried out in our neutral,

texture-imparting, 1000-litre French oak

foudres.

The result is a wine in which pristine fruit

flavours are naturally balanced by the

refreshing varietal acidity to ensure there is

not even a hint of the ‘sweetness’ one would

expect in a wine with this level of residual

sugar.

It has complex aromas of mandarin, baked

apples, ginger and exotic spices. The

delicately-textured palate has pear and stone

fruit flavours, an impeccable balance of

sweetness and acidity and a long, persistent,

flavour-infused finish.

Like its predecessor this is a wine of

exceptional charm and poise so, in this

respect, it is very different from a hung

Parliament.

AN EXCEPTIONAL ‘OFF-DRY’ RIESLING

Frankland Estate 2008 Chardonnay Isolation RidgePale greenish-gold. Spicy citrus and orchard

fruits on the nose, with notes of anise and

pungent illegal herbs adding complexity.

Pliant pear and yellow apple flavors gain

firmness with air and take a turn to quince and

bitter peach pit, with a sneaky smoky quality

emerging on the back half. A tangy mineral

note adds lift and cut to the dry, dusty, precise

finish. Pretty grown-up in style, showing no

easy fruitiness. 90 points

Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar

Issue 151, July/August 2010.

2008 CHARDONNAYWe continue to practice ‘less is more’ in

making our Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge

chardonnay. Less oak means fresher, more

pristine flavours while less time on the vine,

or earlier picking dates, is reflected in vibrant

natural acidity that endow this wines with a

steely minerality and piercing intensity.

2008 Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge Chardonnay Quite a tight and lemony bouquet, with a strong

mineral underpinning providing contrast and

complexity; the palate is zesty and full of life,

with a quartz-like quality to the structure;

extremely long, fresh and enticing. Screwcap.

94 Points

James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion

2008 Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge Chardonnay Smooth, elegant, finely crafted and restrained,

with delightful length and balance. A floral

bouquet of grapefruit, wheatmeal and smoked

bacon backed by vanilla/clove/nutmeg oak

precedes a fluffy palate whose gentle presence

of juicy melon, peach, pear and grapefruit

flavour finishes with charm and finesse. 93

Points

Jeremy Oliver, Australian Wine Annual 2011

2008 Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge Vineyard ChardonnayThe 2008 Isolation Ridge Vineyard Chardonnay

is from the single vineyard. It was 100%

barrel fermented, 10-20% new wood, using

indigenous yeast with a very small proportion

going through malo-lactic and seeing some

batonnage. With intense aromas of pineapple

pastry, honeydew, apricots, oatmeal and

touches of toast and butterscotch, it has

medium to high racy acid, a medium body and

lovely silky texture. 91 Points

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate Issue 191

October 2010

Plaudits from the Pundits

2007 SMITHCULLAM SHIRAZ CABERNET2007 Frankland Estate SmithCullam Shiraz CabernetFirst produced in 2005, the 2007 Smith Cullam

Shiraz Cabernet is 2/3 Shiraz, 1/3 Cabernet

Sauvignon matured in 60% new French oak

puncheons. Revealing a very deep garnet-

purple colour, it has a slightly reduced nose

with some rubber and tar notes over dried

plums, game, cedar, chocolate, macerated

blackberry, mushrooms, damp earth and

pepper. Rich and full bodied in the mouth with

medium-high acid and a medium to firm level

of very fine grained tannins, it gives a very long

finish. It will be best broached from 2012 to

2022+. 92 Points

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate Issue 191

October 2010

2007 ISOLATION RIDGE SHIRAZ2007 Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge ShirazThere’s some minerality in the long finish.

Fermented in small oak open-top fermenters

and pressed to barrel for malo-lactic (French

oak hogsheads, 30% new), the 2007 Isolation

Ridge Vineyard Shiraz has a deep garnet-purple

color and intense aromas of warm blackberry,

blueberry and pepper. With swirling, scents

of allspice, cinnamon stick and anise come

through. Concentrated, rich and full bodied on

the palate, this wine is nicely structured with

a good balance of medium to high acid and a

medium level of fine tannins. Drink it now to

2018+. 91 Points

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate Issue 191

October 2010

2007 OLMO’S REWARD2007 Frankland Estate Olmo’s Reward Very good colour; the bouquet offers cassis,

spice and cedar, characters reappearing on the

medium bodied palate, which is notable for

its texture and structure, fine grained tannins

lengthening and strengthening the finish.

Screwcap. 94 Points

James Halliday, The Australian Wine

Companion

2007 Frankland Estate Olmos Reward A blend of 46% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc and

9% Malbec, the 2007 Olmo’s Reward comes

from a single vineyard and is matured in 30%

new French puncheons. Very deep garnet-

purple colored, it is scented of warm cassis,

blackberry, vanilla, hung meat, balsamic, dried

plum plus touches of bay leaf / Mediterranean

herbs and cloves. Crisp acidity is juxtaposed

by a medium-full body and great mid-palate

concentration. Medium-firm finely grained

tannins lend pleasant texture to the long finish.

Drink this one 2012 to 2020+. 92 Points

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate Issue 191

October 2010

Frankland Estate 2007 Olmo’s Reward (46% merlot, 45% cabernet franc and 9% malbec)

Deep, glass-staining ruby. Subdued but vibrant

aromas of blackcurrant, licorice, mint and

bitter chocolate. Suave, silky and focused,

with lovely finesse and a penetrating quality to

the smoky flavors of dark fruit preserves and

candied flowers. Very complex, subtle wine

Frankland Estate 2007 Shiraz Isolation Ridge VineyardInky ruby. Brooding aromas of cassis, cherry pit

and licorice, with slow-building floral and spice

qualities. Deep, chewy dark fruit flavors are

youthfully clenched and take a while to open

up, eventually offering a bright, spicy quality

and a hint of candied violet. Firm tannins add

grip to the finish, which leaves floral and spice

notes behind. By all means give this some cellar

time. 89 Points

Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar

Issue 151, July/August 2010

with excellent definition and purity, becoming

weightier with air. Finishes with sexy floral

perfume and lingering smokiness. This should

age gracefully; I’d like to revisit it in three or

four years. 91 Points

Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar

Issue 151, July/August 2010

H HH H H

When Hunter Smith proudly told his father

of this achievement Barrie groaned

and muttered “I suppose that means

you will want me to untry even harder

next year!”

We are not sure if nature or nurture is to

blame but most of us at Frankland Estate have

a very strong uncompetitive streak. Blues

singers Muddy Waters memorably described

our sentiments when he sang, ’You can’t be the

best. You can just be a good ‘un.’ As a result

we studiously avoid all wine competitions and

shows; would rather have a ‘certified organic

producer’ logo on our bottles than a row of

glittery gold medal stickers, and are proud to

have survived 22 years in the wine industry

without ever having a mission statement.

Yet, like most people, we are pleased when

our efforts are recognized by our peers.

James Halliday is well-known as

Australia’s most authoritative wine writer

and his recently published 2011 Australian

Wine Companion ranked Frankland Estate

a 5 star winery.

This places Frankland Estate among the

nation’s top 3.3% wineries with four of our

wines featuring in the book’s ‘Best of the

Best’ list of the best wines of the year.

Plaudits from the Pundits

2008 Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge ShirazThis fragrant, spicy and fine-grained shiraz

made in a northern Rhone style has a sweetly

fruited, confiture-like perfume of raspberries,

blackberries and restrained cedar/vanilla oak

whose floral lift is such that you would bet on

the presence of viognier. An elegant palate

of fresh dark berries, cherries and plums

is backed by charcuterie-like, forest floor

undertones and a loose-knot spine of firmish

tannins, finishing long and savoury. 91 Points

Jeremy Oliver, The Australian Wine Annual

2011

Just gorgeous perfumed notes of fresh cedar,

red berry and light savoury plum, sprinkled

liberally with enticing spices. The palate is

wonderfully controlled with a fine tannin and

oak balance supporting the medium-weight but

fully ripe and deeply concentrated fruit. This

is a beauty and a most complete wine. 95/100

Points

Ray Jordan, The West Australian

September 2010

Young and unevolved bouquet, showing a little

reduction in the form of burnt rubber; the fruit

is undeniable however, with blackberry in

abundance, framed by savoury roasted meat

character and elements of dried herbs; tannic

and tightly wound, time is definitely warranted.

Screwcap. 91 Points

James Halliday

The Australian Wine Companion

2008 Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Lovely colour, very bright; essencey cassis

aromas come to the fore on the bouquet,

but are underpinned beautifully by savoury

ironstone minerality; the palate shows dark

fruit in abundance, again underscored by

savoury complexity and structure that can

only be described as serious; certainly assured

of a long and very bright future, this wine is a

bargain for price. Screwcap. Rating 95

James Halliday,The Australian Wine Companion

Long and elegant, this tightly shaped cabernet

has a vibrant, sweetly fruited bouquet of small

red and black berries backed by cedar/vanilla

oak, hints of dried herbs and underbrush. It’s

long, smooth restrained, presenting measured

expression of deepish berry/plum fruit knit with

fine, powdery tannin and smoky cedary oak. 90

Points

Jeremy Oliver, Australian Wine Annual 2011

2008 Frankland Estate Olmo’s Reward Deep in colour, and serious in intent, the

bouquet of this wine is all dark fruits, savoury

complexity and some seriously good oak; the

texture of the wine is remarkable, showing less

of the overt minerality of the other wines, and

more silk; fine-grained tannins are the key,

ensuring the wine is long-lived and long on the

palate; built for those who enjoy structure with

their fruit. Screwcap. 95 Points

James Halliday, The Australian Wine Companion

Truth in the bottle

2008 SmithCullam Shiraz Cabernet Vibrant colour; pristine fruit aromas

of blackberry, blackcurrant, ironstone

and a suggestion of oak; the complexity

continues to unroll on the palate, with

bitter chocolate offsetting the generous

fruit; as expected the structure is firm, but

the generosity shines through on the very

long and even finish. Screwcap. 94 Points

James Halliday, The Australian Wine

Companion

2008 Isolation ShirazAn intensely flavoured and highly concentrated

wine distinguished by pristine fruit flavours and

enticing mineral complexity. A fine example of

an outstanding vintage in Frankland River it is

approachable now but has the structure and

finesse to reward long term cellaring.

2008 Isolation Ridge Cabernet SauvignonAn elegant, stylish and tightly-knit wine that

unfolds to reveal vibrant fruit flavours with

savoury undertones and the dusty, earthy

ironstone character so distinctive of the

Isolation Ridge vineyard.

2008 Olmo’s RewardThe 2008 Olmo’s Reward comprises 61%

cabernet franc, 17% merlot, 16% malbec and

5% cabernet sauvignon. The predominance of

cabernet franc is reflected in the colour and

beautifully textured opulent fruit characters of

dark berries and plum that are complemented

by hints of flinty ironstone, fine-grained

tannins and a long persistent finish.

2008 SmithCullam Shiraz CabernetComprising 70% shiraz, 30% cabernet sauvignon

this is a very complex, intensely-flavoured but

elegant blend distinguished by spicy, opulent

fruit flavours, satin-smooth palate and fine-

grained tannins.

Anyone wishing to get a better understanding of where the Australian wine industry is heading should look at Max Allen’s polemical new book ‘The Future Makers: Australian Wines For The 21st Century.’

As well as suggesting that only those who

reinvent their businesses will survive the

economic and environmental challenges

currently facing the industry, the book

also celebrates, with characteristic Allen

exuberance, winemakers who are doing things

differently and doing them well.

In researching the book Max visited Frankland

Estate. In explaining our decision to adopt

organic viticultural practices Hunter Smith

suggested they were essential to the continued

health of the Isolation Ridge vineyard and its

capacity to produce fruit that delivered what

he referred to as truth in the bottle. With his

writer’s instinct for a good story it was an

opportunity Max did not let slip.

Truth in the bottle. It’s another thoughtful definition of terroir. And it’s something I think you can taste more now in the red wines of Frankland Estate. …….recent vintages are glowing; the cabernet has sweet violets, is fine and tightly structured, and the shiraz has more typical Frankland plum and velvet tannin.

Thanks to yet another year with near-perfect

growing conditions the 2008 Frankland Estate

reds released earlier this year are outstanding

examples of wines that deliver truth in the

bottle.

SACRE BLEU!We were honored to have the Frankland Estate

2004 Isolation Ridge Shiraz included in the

annual Peel Estate comparative tasting of some

of the world’s finest shiraz wines but pride

turned to delight when our wine was accused

of identity theft by wine writer Ray Jordan of

The West Australian who reported;

The wines from Australia were some of the

finest I have tasted at the annual homage to

this wonderful variety…… The Frankland

Estate [Isolation Ridge] wine was a revelation.

I mistakenly thought it was French – sorry that

is not meant to be a criticism – but I hadn’t seen

these wines with much age on them before so it

really opened my eyes. I have been impressed with

some of the more recent Frankland Estate wines

so it should not have been a surprise but this wine

was a beauty. The 2008 has just been release and

for me it is even better.

On reading this we immediately rushed

to our wine museum to look again at the

2004 Isolation Ridge Shiraz. It has indeed

evolved into a marvelously complex wine

with intriguing savory notes that antipodean

palates instinctively label as “French” but are

in fact more a product of low-tech, hands off

winemaking than of any specific nationality.

The other surprise in our museum was that

Barrie Smith had, unbeknown to our zealous

stock control Nazi, secreted away more of

this wine for his vinous superfund than even

he could drink before his liver is donated to

medical research. As a result we are now in

a position to offer a very limited quantity

of this 6-year old wine that has been stored

in ideal conditions at the winery. For

further details on how to get your hands

on some of Barrie’s stash email stashsale@

franklandestate.com.au

Frankland Estate International Riesling TastingThe next Frankland Estate

International Riesling Tasting

will be held in Melbourne in

February 2012.

Dates, venue and program information will be

posted on www.franklandestate.com.au when

they are finalised.

Frankland Estate recently reached agreement

with the hosts of the biggest riesling tasting

events in the USA (Riesling Rendezvous

hosted by Chateau Ste. Michelle and Dr

Loosen) and Germany (International Riesling

Symposium hosted by VDP-Rheingau, the

regional branch of the VDP, Association of

German Pradikat Wine Estates) to coordinate

the scheduling of their respective events so

each will now be held every three years.

Commenting on the agreement Hunter

Smith said, “This agreement is a logical

development of the informal cooperation by

the organisers of these three major riesling

events that has existed for some time. It

will prevent any conflict of scheduling and

ensures the Frankland Estate International

Riesling Tasting will be able to continue to

attract the world’s leading riesling producers

and commentators.”

Frankland Estate will retain management of

the Frankland Estate International Riesling

Tasting but will also be in a position to bring

an Australian perspective to the organisation

of similar events in the USA and Germany.

“This agreement provides a platform for

Frankland Estate to continue its passionate

advocacy of Australian riesling on an

international level” said Hunter Smith.

A limited release from a previously secret

stash of a stunning 6-year old shiraz.

FIRST CLASS WITH QANTASOne of the ironies of winemaking is that your wines often go places you’ve never been. Jealousy

aside, we are proud to report Qantas are now serving Isolation Ridge Riesling to their first class

customers.