A vibrant style, with lacy acidity adding lift to the blueberry and black currant flavors, revealing shades of smoke and pepper as the finish lingers. Drink now through 2017. 900 cases made.??–HS??Region: Australia / Western Australia / Frankland River Select to Add

Fermented in French oak, 25% new, and aged in oak for 18 months, the 2008 Isolation Ridge Vineyard Shiraz has a very deep garnet-purple color and savory notes of yeast extract, black olives and duck breast over ripe black cherry, black plum and blueberry plus a hint of dusty earth. Full bodied and concentrated in the mouth, the generous fruit is well balanced by crisp acid and medium-firm rounded tannins, finishing long with some spiciness coming through. Approachable now, it should cellar to 2017+. Importer: John Larchet, The Australian Premium Wine Collection; www.tapwc.com

There’s some minerality in the long finish. Fermented in small oak open-top fermenters and pressed to barrel for malo-lactic (French oak hogsheads, 30% new), the 2007 Isolation Ridge Vineyard Shiraz has a deep garnet-purple color and intense aromas of warm blackberry, blueberry and pepper. With swirling, scents of allspice, cinnamon stick and anise come through. Concentrated, rich and full bodied on the palate, this wine is nicely structured with a good balance of medium to high acid and a medium level of fine tannins. Drink it now to 2018+. “We planted Riesling when we planted our vineyard in 1988,” Judy Cullam of Frankland Estate explained when we met. “There’s a big Riesling vineyard next to us that Houghton’s had been leasing, so we knew the variety would do well. Our first vintage was the 1991. In the beginning when we would show the wine people would say to us, ‘Oh no, come back with a Chardonnay’.” Fortunately that attitude is changing and many wine cognoscenti now know that the Frankland region is begetting some world class Rieslings. Since 2001 Frankland Estate has moved from producing a regional blend to making three very impressive single vineyard Rieslings: Isolation Ridge, Cooladerra Ridge and Poison Hill.Importer: John Larchet, The Australian Premium Wine Collection; www.tapwc.com