10th February 2026
The Great Southern, whilst geographically large, is relatively small from the perspective of wines produced. In 2024, the total crush for the region was 4,322 tonnes. This is only 17% of the size of Margaret River’s crush (25,593 tonnes).
And Frankland River is only one of the region’s viticultural areas, so the harvest there is smaller again.
Let’s look at the numbers:
2024 Australian Harvest = 1.43 Million tonnes
2024 Western Australian Harvest = 41,113 tonnes (2.9% of National)
2024 Margaret River Harvest = 25,593 tonnes (1.8% of National)
2024 Great Southern Harvest = 4,322 tonnes (0.3% of National)
Source: MI_VintageReport2024_F.pdf
Whilst Frankland River is very small on a national scale, the quality of the wines produced more than makes up for this. And at the very top of the pyramid sit wines like Swinney’s Farvies.
2024 was a warmer, earlier year in the Great Southern and, to me, this is reflected in the wines. There is a touch more fruit weight and the wines are a tad more muscular than the extraordinarily pretty 2023s.
Just as good? Definitely. And age-worthy to boot.
A spectacular effort in the vineyards and in the winery (overseen by Rob Mann).
Reviewed
Swinney – Farvie – Grenache – 2024. This is a profound wine. Intense and powerful. That power is more palpable than in the previous vintage. But behind that, there is also the trademark pristine, fragrant grenache fruit that takes on an almost raspberry note. The purity of fruit is the leading feature, followed by the firm, yet silky structure. The latter is an amalgam of tannins and oak, and is in no way an impediment to the fruit. This has tremendous palate length and persistence of flavours. Ultimately, I would like to see this with a decade in bottle, as I am sure this is destined for greatness. 13.9% alc – 96.5+pts.
Swinney – Farvie – Mourvèdre – 2024. Oh my, the perfume here is quite extraordinary. Cranberries and black currant make up the fruit component to the nose. This carries through to the palate. The palate is fascinating as this is, at first, delicate and reticent, with restrained fruit and the supplest of structural components. But then the fruit ebbs and flows across the palate in waves, each time given a different glimpse of the story being told. And a minute or more later, I found myself absorbed by the mouthfeel, with different textural components interplaying across the palate. Totally seamless and very beguiling. A wine to sip and ponder. A crouching tiger, ready to pounce 13.6% alc – 96pts.
Swinney – Farvie – Shiraz – 2024. Oh wow, I think I must have died and gone to heaven, such is the beauty of this wine. Intense fruit, firm structure and supple oak. Yet the palate is seamless and spellbinding. Red fruits to the fore, with the minerality a defining feature of the palate. Intensity? Yes! But somehow, this remains medium bodied in many respects on the long, refined finish. Seamless, yet more structured than the other two wines in the range and my pick for both sheer quality as well as drinking pleasure at this early stage. When to drink? any time you get the chance… this is a superstar. 13.8% alc- 98pts.