Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot
This wonderful wine marks the continuing evolution of syrah from Frankland Estate. It was a very good year with the cool ripening period allowing for excellent flavour build up. This is 94% syrah, 4% viognier and 2% mourvèdre. Each plays an important role in the final blend. The use of the 470 clone has brought a degree of perfume and elegance to the final wine that is quite beautiful. It’s spicy with a little regional ironstone and black pepper. Smoothly integrated and silky. The oak is deliberately muted with the use of 3500-litre foudres an important part. Outstanding wine. 97 points
Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion
Yes, Frankland Estate enjoys its prestige as head of the riesling kingdom, but the reds are on a revolutionary path. Will they take the crown? A sneaky 4/2% viognier/ mourvèdre added to this excellent, spicy, smoky, juicy, peppery wine. Plush fruit with all the best syrah attributes rising up, including beautiful, savoury and silky tannins. 96 points
Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
2021 was a mild-warm season in Frankland River, one that showed moderate yields and conditions throughout the growing season. This 2021 Isolation Ridge Syrah is composed mainly of Syrah, but with additions of Viognier and Mourvèdre. It has always been thus, or thereabouts, and the blend enriches the tannic profile somehow. It amplifies the red ironstone complexity from the dirt and imbues it with a distinct floral character and poise. The whole bunch and the Syrah just bring so much muscle and interest to this wine, while the bergamot, apples, jasmine, pomegranate, blueberry, orange peel, black cherry and rhubarb create a swirling, fugue-like symphony of complexity around that core. What a wine. 95+ points
Stuart Knox, The Real Review
Vibrant ruby in the glass. Mulberry, white pepper and ironstone aromas. Flows with a seamless glide that immediately draws you in. Tannins are polished smooth to drive yet hide their power whilst purple fruits, pepper/spices and stony minerality all meld in harmony along the full-bodied palate. Great length and persistence. 95 points
Campbell Mattinson, Winefront
Frankland Estate’s red wines have upped the ante in recent years. This is another beautiful example. It’s blessed with abundant spice and roasted nut characters, shows immense finesse in both its flow of fruit and spread of tannin, and is persistent and then some. Florals, mid-weight red berry flavours, twiggy spice and undergrowth characters. It’s wildly expressive and yet it feels effortless. I tasted this wine in the office; my car was parked nearly two kilometres away; I carried the half-finished bottle through the streets, such was my desire to carry on with it. 95 points
Jeni Port, Wine Pilot
There’s a spring in the step of Isolation Ridge ’21 Syrah. It’s there in the brightness of its crimson-purple hues, the heady scent of Aussie flora, earth and red fruit, but a large part of its true personality is dictated by the lively injection of pepperiness. It shimmies, it bounces, it brings piquant notes and added spiciness. It’s quite delightful. Could this high-level spiciness be the reason for the name change from what used to be labelled Isolation Ridge Shiraz to Syrah, a few vintages back? The ‘21 definitely falls within what we might expect of Syrah: the medium-bodied weight, lifted aromatics and plush, ripe fruit combined with energetic spiciness. There are also some savoury notes that join with a gravelly tannin presence, completing what is a pretty impressive young red. There’s plenty to explore here. 94 points
Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
Woody spices, some clove and tobacco over raspberry and touches of fig and date savouriness/sweetness. Slurpy texture, fine, slinky tannins tightening things, red berry fruited, some glazed nuts, sweet spices, faint game meat characters, strong liquorice through the finish. A delight here. 94 points
Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot
For me, this is one of the very best releases from this fine line of West Aussie Syrah. Matured for 14 months in 3,500-litre foudre, with a few additional 500-litre puncheons thrown in. 20% whole bunches. The wine is 94% Syrah with 4% Viognier, the rest a dollop of Mourvèdre. The Viognier component is not immediately obvious, but the wine is certainly gloriously lifted and aromatic. The Syrah comes from two blocks, the 1988-planted winery block being key. Deep maroon hue. The aromas here are a highlight – plums, cassis, chocolate and dry herbs with a hint of bergamot. Soft and supple texture, very good length and with really good persistence. Has a good decade of giving pleasure ahead of it. A really lovely wine. 94 points
