Swinney Mencía 2021

Just when you think you’ve seen it all, along comes something to blow all your preconceptions out of the water. We have seen a handful of decent Mencía wines made in Australia and now we have a cracker out of the West, from Frankland River. The grape originally hails from Spain, from Bierzo and neighbouring districts. It might be a long way from home in Frankland River, but you’d never know it. Swinney grow it in their Powderbark vineyard. The fruit is gravity fed into an upright French oak demi-muid, 100% whole bunches, where it undergoes natural fermentation. Ten days on skins after that, and then pressed directly to large format, six-year-old French oak for eleven months maturation. This is deep maroon in colour and gives aromas of chocolate, black fruits and raspberries, florals, bergamot, cassis, warm earth, animal skins, some root vegetables and smoked meats, through to a slight sour cherry note on the finish. This is deeply flavoured, rich even, with a long finish but a powerfully tannic one. Good concentration here, chewy tannins and a wine with a good decade or more ahead of it. Not sure Australia has made a better example of this Galician grape.