2012 Flametree Shiraz, Frankland River

Lifted blueberry, plums, licorice and spice combine to create a well-structured and age worthy wine. The colour and perfume are testament to a fantastic Shiraz vintage. Soft extraction techniques, using open pots and wild ferments resulted in a wine with ripe fruit flavours and fine tannin structure. The stalks and lees contact have given the wine a nice savoury edge and added some complexity. The palate has plenty of dark fruits, beef stock, vegemite notes and spicy oak flavours. Aged in tight grained French oak barrels for twelve months, this wine will benefit from cellaring. A northern Rhone look alike.

James Halliday - Published on 25 Jul 2014 Bright colour; matured in French oak, this has that distinctive Frankland River stamp of savoury, sombre, graphite-like characters threaded through the blackberry and plum fruit; the tannins are precisely calibrated.