Frankland Estate, Western Australia

Organic

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Hunter Smith
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10,000 Sheep and 13 Hectares of Vines

Only after a second glance, is it possible to discover the Australian in the glass. One always imagines Australian wine to be strong and bounding forth with fruit. But Australian is not always Australian, especially in the west, south of Perth where the nights are cooler and begin considerably earlier than in Europe. Irrigation is not necessary in this region, where 1 million people live together in an area the size of Europe. Barrie Smith, Judi Cullam and their son, Hunter Smith, emphasises her spiritual proximity to Bordeaux and expresses this wonderfully in her slender and firm red wines made out of organically farmed grapes. They are closely involved in every aspect of the vineyard and winery operations, and share the ultimate responsibility in winemaking and the company’s management.

As one of the most isolated viticultural regions in Western Australia, a year is typically filled with long, dry summers and cold, wet winter. Threats of diseases are very low. Dry farming enables the region and seasonal changes to be outwardly expressed in the wines. Lower yields and enable the flavors of fruit to intensify, making Frankland Estate wines truly unique.