"One of the very best Isolation Ridge rieslings produced"

One of Australia's elite Riesling producers, Frankland Estate produces small quantities of vibrant, mineral-drenched wines that are often difficult to track down in export markets owing to stiff demand from the home market. The wines age effortlessly, as numerous bottles with a decade or more on them have proven to me on numerous occasions. JOSH RAYNOLDS, Vinous 

Visits to Great Southern and time spent with winemakers Hunter Smith and Brian Kent and viticulturist Elizabeth Smith have cemented my opinion Frankland Estate is one of Australia's greatest wine producers with a thirst for excellence. Frankland Estate is to be revered and celebrated in equal measure. Quietly going about its work, it continues to delight and surprise. MIKE BENNIE

The fact that Frankland Estate has been able to make waves internationally from their incredibly remote perch in Great Southern speaks volumes to the quality of wines being made here. Their vineyards lie nearly three hours south-east of Margaret River in the Great Southern, which is another three hours from Perth, which is a five hour flight from the east coast. I have made the pilgrimage. It can feel like a Burke and Wills' adventure for the modern age at times, but tasting those wines at the source is something special.

The Rieslings here are wonderfully intense and textured, the acidity finer and less brash than young wines from the Clare, supporting the fruit rather than spearing through it. They are breathtakingly pure wines with a distinctive mineral thread running throughout. If these great rieslings are the Michael Jordan, then the reds are assuredly Scottie Pippens. The Syrah a stylish mid-weighted wine of cool climate spice and lithe texture that's expressive, and yet shows polish and refinement too. The Mourvèdre, now in its sophomore release, a little wilder as is the variety's DNA, but there is beauty in the beast. Gary Walsh throws out more adjectives than you'd hear at a poetry slam in his review below such is the complexity on offer here. As the distributor put it the red wines"form a really important part of the Frankland story and evolution", I wholeheartedly agree. 

Hunter Smith and Brian Kent have built an incredible legacy off the back of Judi Cullam and Barrie Smith's pioneering spirit here at Frankland Estate and the wines have never looked better. This year's Isolation Ridge Riesling Ray Jordan thinks is "One of the very best Isolation Ridge rieslings produced". The Smith-Cullam Riesling, a selection of exceptional sites and made in an off-dry style with a little whole bunch and older oak, it's a special wine that will cellar well and one that delivers what Jeni Port call "ceaseless energy". The Syrah Ray Jordan calls out as "Outstanding" and Gary Walsh clearly is enamoured with the Mourvèdre calling it a wine with "Such character" that's "Terrific".

Frankland fans, of which there are many, won't need to the plaudits from the wine cognoscenti but for those  who are less familiar with the red side of the equation here, you can see reading the reviews below that now is the time to jump in here. There is incredible value on offer too. The Rieslings this year are absolute belters too and as usual are strictly limited so get your orders in quickly there.