96 points - "What a stunning nose of violets, pepper, dried thyme and forest berries. The combination of freshness, focused fine tannins and concentration on the medium-bodied palate is no less exciting. An extremely long, pure and straight finish with great energy, plus a crushed rock and wild herb character that makes you feel glad to be alive. From organically grown grapes. Drink from release. Screw cap." - Stuart Pigott (James Suckling)

95 points - "Between the 15% whole bunch and the garnish of 2% Viognier, the aromatics are stoooooon’n! This wine is confident in her own skin and commands respect wherever she goes. Plum juice, red liquorice and vanilla. I want to protect this wine. Nurture it. Love it. The intense sweetness of fruit is complimented by small-framed, Velcro-like tannins and encouraged by the 13 months spent in 3500-litre French oak foudre. Medium bodied. Doesn’t need food. Drinking beautifully in its current window of youth. The finish is clean, fresh and sharp—yet the fruit carries effortlessly through the length, with blood orange, Canadian mountains and rose petals. Chic and stylish—this wine drives a 1959 Cadillac." - Cyndal Petty (Wine Pilot)

95 points - "A seductive style of Syrah, with a heady mix of fragrant savoury spices: pepper, clove, nutmeg and cumin, with a floral top note of rose petals. The textures are svelte and silky with an overwhelming sense of purity. There's a core of intense black cherry flavours yet the overall impression is of a graceful wine that doesn't feel dense, even for a moment. Perhaps it's the 2 per cent Viognier added to the blend or the two different clones of Syrah grown in the vineyard? Or is it the shallow ferments and gentle extraction or the ironstone gravel soils? Whatever it may be, Frankland Estate have tapped into some kind of vinous alchemy with this Syrah which is consistently exceptional." - Paul Edwards (The West Australian)

94 points - "There is something about the kind of lively spiciness that Isolation Ridge Vineyard always brings to its wines. It’s a potent and exhilarating feature once again in the 2024 Syrah with an ever-present, intense black pepperiness on show. Too much? Maybe for some, but for my money it’s showing its cool climate credentials and it adds a mighty fresh and lively adjunct to the wine’s loganberry, black cherry, blackberry, briar and spice-laden fruits. The pepperiness provides a lot of the energy to the wine. The middle palate is plush in red fruits with a sour cherry tartness together with a whisper of woodsmoke and earthiness. It is nicely finished in firm tannins." - Jeni Port (Wine Pilot)

Tasting Note
A beautiful electric purple colour is matched by an equally bright, engaging perfume that seems to smell glossy. Aromatics include blue flowers, cherry pit, stone fruit kernel, red cherry, satsuma plum, and black olive.

On the palate, it enters with a glistening, silky texture, while notes of iron and graphite wrap around ripe red and black fruit. There's energy and reach to the long, flowing juice, with savoury notes rippling through the back palate. Silken ribbons of tannin show pumice-like authority on the finish, which rings with tones of peachy muscat, violet, and tarragon.

The cool season has yielded a Syrah whose charm conceals layers of flavour that slowly unfurl with time in the glass.

2023 Vintage
2023 was a profound vintage for Frankland River. A very wet, cold winter was followed by a cool, wet spring, fully saturating the soil profile—ideal for vine growth and fruit set. From December onward, dry and mild conditions allowed the vines to carry a strong crop through to harvest.

Harvest period: Late March to early April

The long hangtime delivered grapes with excellent maturity and flavour development.

Vineyard
Fruit for this wine comes from two estate Syrah plantings:

1988 plantings of the Houghton’s heritage clone (harvested 23 April)

2017 plantings of Hermitage clone 470 (harvested 11 April), known for its early ripening and lifted red fruit aromatics

The Hermitage clone also produces ripe stems, which allow whole bunch fermentation without herbal or green elements.

Situated in Frankland River, the vineyard benefits from cool nights and sunny days, producing a unique Syrah style that shares more in common with Saint Joseph or Cornas than Barossa Valley expressions. The vineyard achieved organic certification in 2009 and is now in its second year of biodynamic conversion.

Vinification
Composition: 98% Syrah, 2% Viognier (co-fermented)

Whole bunch: 15%, hand-harvested and fermented separately

Oak maturation:

Primarily aged in 3,500L French oak foudre for 13 months

Select whole bunch parcels fermented in older 500L French puncheons

Lees aging: All parcels matured on lees, contributing creaminess and palate depth, similar to their Rieslings

Winemaking goal: Delicacy with power