Swinney, Frankland River Syrah, 2024

As soon as you take a sip, it's apparent why this is named 'Syrah' and not 'Shiraz:' it has a freshness and finesse that is far more closely allied to the Rhone valley than to the Barossa or McLaren Vale. With an impressively glass-staining black colour, it has glorious, soaring, damson and loganberry fruit, a sprinkling of Chinese five spice, and fine marzipan and cherry kernel notes. Adding substance to the fruit and spice character, there is a certain juicy rare steak quality to it - un vrai Syrah! On the palate it shows superb, super-silky, sensuous smoothness that at first disguises its downright depth and density. As with the other Swinney wines, it's full of freshness, sophistication, beautiful balance and persistence on the palate. There is a tiny hint of oak character, so skillfully integrated that you scarcely notice.