Isolation Ridge Syrah

This wine is 98% Syrah with 2% Viognier. The Syrah comes from the original 1988 plantings in our Winery block of the Houghton’s heritage clone, combined with a significant portion (45%) of our exciting 2017 plantings of Hermitage clone 470, which ripens a little earlier at lower Baumé on our site and adds lovely red-fruited aromatics to the profile. 

A beautiful electric purple colour is matched by an equally bright, engaging perfume that somehow smells glossy. There are notes of blue flowers, cherry pit, stone fruit kernel, red cherry, satsuma plum and black olive. It has a glistening, silky texture on entry, with iron and graphite wrapped around firm, ripe red and black fruit. There’s energy and reach to its long- flowing juice, and savoury notes ripple through a gorgeous back palate. Silken ribbons of tannin then show a pumice-like authority on a finish that rings with peachy muscat, violet and tarragon tones. The cool season has yielded a Syrah whose disarming charm belies layers of flavour that roil and unfurl with time in the glass.

- FRANKLAND ESTATE