2022 Swinney Grenache

Highly Rated
Benchmark bush vine Grenache from Frankland River in WA. Rare and wonderful wine.
4.7
Rated 4.7 out of 5 stars
9 Reviews

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Sale price$43.00
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Description

This is arguably the best Grenache produced in Western Australia and now one of the most consistently excellent examples in the whole country.

Swinney have in recent years risen to the top of WA's winemaking ranks, and with the enviable combination of Rhys Thomas, one of the most respected viticulturists in the West, Rob Mann, a sixth-generation winemaker who's name is synonymous WA wine, and their remarkable, ironstone-soiled, Frankland River bush vines, it comes as no surprise.

The Swinney Grenache is at once powerful yet svelte, with a unique ferrous character that is unique to this renowned vineyard. The reviews for this Grenache are consistently exceptional, and it is a must-try for any Grenache lover.

96 points
"It’s such a vibrant and pure expression of the vineyard... Lifted red rose petal fruits with a trace of raspberry brightness. A distinctly linear wine with a high chalky acidity. Love it."
- Ray Jordan (Wine Pilot)

95 points
"This will make good older bones. A very sturdy grenache."
- Ned Goodwin MW (JamesSuckling.com)

94 points
"It’s fleshy and ferrous, ripe and quite earthy/bloody... Distinctive wine. Very good."
- Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

Tasting Notes

Deep lively crimson Pure and energetic. Lavender, rolled tobacco, summer pudding and cinnamon. Medum to full-bodied with intense raspberry compote, salted licorice, and fresh concrete. The wonderful acid spine carries the flavours and balance beautifully and the tight knit tannins provide the structure for a long and morish finish.

Vineyard Notes

Fruit is hand-picked from dry-grown, established bush vines on our Swinney Wilson’s Pool vineyard. Multiple fruit thinning and selective hand harvesting over several passes ensures we achieve as close to perfect fruit as possible.

Production Notes

The fruit was hand-picked, destemmed, berry sorted and emptied to small wooden and stainless steel fermenters via gravity. We incorporated 15% whole bunches and wild fermentation to build structure and texture and provide the framework on which to express the distinctive aromatics and flavours of Grenache. The wine spent two weeks on skins prior to pressing directly to fine grained, large format, seasoned French oak, and was aged for 11 months prior to bottling. The wine was made with minimum effective Sulphites, is unfined and minimally filtered.

95 points - "The glorious bright crimson hue is a come-on with a question that I will speedily answer: it is ripe, and it has excellent tannins that provide support for the red and sour cherry fruit." - James Halliday (Halliday Wine Companion)

96 points - "Fragrant, highly perfumed and thoroughly delightful opening of this bouquet. The fruit intensity is stunning especially when you consider the medium palate weight. It’s such a vibrant and pure expression of the vineyard with a distinct ironstone, grainy character evident. Lifted red rose petal fruits with a trace of raspberry brightness. A distinctly linear wine with a high chalky acidity. Love it." - Ray Jordan (Wine Pilot)

95 points - "This is a return to form after the previous vintage, which I felt was a little charmless. A sturdy, full-weighted grenache that is far from the pinot-esque zeitgeist found in McLaren Vale. Here, more brawn, dark spice and tannic sinew. More Rhone-like, as effete as the comparison may be. In fact, it is the courageous tannins that build across a scape of kirsch, damson, dried sage, anise, and pickled orange zest, that serve as the wine's opus. A scruff of whole-bunch thyme and tapenade to conclude. This will make good older bones. A very sturdy grenache." - Ned Goodwin MW (JamesSuckling.com)

94 points - "Ripe raspberry, spice, floral perfume, black tea, liquorice and iodine. It’s fleshy and ferrous, ripe and quite earthy/bloody, with lavish crushed rock tannin, ginger biscuits, blood plum and orange peel, strewn with dried herbs and a closes with a firm dry chewy finish of excellent length. Distinctive wine. Very good." - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

Customer Reviews

4.7
Rated 4.7 out of 5 stars
Based on 9 reviews
Total 5 star reviews: 6 Total 4 star reviews: 3 Total 3 star reviews: 0 Total 2 star reviews: 0 Total 1 star reviews: 0
9 reviews
  • GG
    Gary G.
    Verified Buyer
    Wine Knowledge Level Cork Dork
    1 year ago
    Wine Knowledge Level Cork Dork
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Swinney Grenache review

    Lovely example of the variety. The Mourvèdre is a touch better though.

  • WP
    Wayne P.
    Verified Buyer
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    2 years ago
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    Rated 4 out of 5 stars
    Good buying

    Takes a while to open up but wxce;;ent finish

  • BT Profile picture for Bryn T.google logo
    Bryn T.
    Verified Buyer
    Wine Knowledge Level Cork Dork
    2 years ago
    Wine Knowledge Level Cork Dork
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Great Expression I’ll

    Shouldn’t work but it does. Great Southern Grenache? Darker and more iodine/ink than expected but so well done. A triumph.

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Swinney

The Swinney family's roots in Frankland River stretch back over 100 years.

George John Alexander Swinney was a pioneer of the region, settling a grazing property in Franklands in 1922. Today the property is run by fourth generation brother and sister, Matt and Janelle Swinney. They are taking the family property into great new territory.

Bush vines litter the property. Riesling, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre are fining a very happy home on the ironstone slopes above the Frankland River.

Now, with Rhys Thomas as viticulturist and vineyard manager since 2021, and sixth generation winemaker Rob Mann crafting the wines in the cellar, this label is on track to become one of the regional benchmarks in short order.

The Swinney family - Frankland River, WA Swinney

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