Swinney Farvie Mourvèdre 2024
- 97
- $165
- Drink by: 2026-2046
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This is not simply one of the best examples of Mourvèdre from Australia, it’s one of the best in the world. Cracking stuff. From the Frankland River region, the fruit is entirely from the Wilson’s Pool Vineyard. These are dry grown, bush vines. The fruit is hand-picked and the team use 100% whole bunches in the fermentation. The wine spends two weeks on skins before maturing for eleven months in large format, older French oak. Deep maroon hue, the nose reveals notes of cassis, blackberries, plums, some fleshy notes, smoked meats, chocolate, dried herbs and a touch of fruitcake. There is a silky texture through to satiny tannins along with very good length. A supple style, this is nicely balanced and the oak has been deftly handled. A fifteen-to-twenty-five-year proposition.
Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
