Barry Weinman: 7 September 2026

Swinney Vineyard sits in the Frankland River region of Western Australia and has quickly established itself as one of Australia’s most exciting fine wine producers. While the family has been growing grapes for generations, the launch of the Farvie range represented a bold step into ultra-premium, site-driven winemaking. Produced from the estate’s dry-grown bush vines and guided by a philosophy that seeks to express vineyard character above all else, Farvie has become one of Australia’s most compelling collections of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Shiraz. Tasting through the range from 2018 to 2024 provides a fascinating insight into the evolution of both the wines and the winemaking philosophy behind them. 

When Farvie launched in 2018, there was no established template or winemaking approach for these wines. It has been fascinating to see how the style has evolved in such a short period of time, with the vintage conditions also playing an important role in the year-to-year variations.

With the Grenache, for example, from 2018 to 2021, a small proportion of Mourvèdre was co-fermented in the blend, but since 2022, it has been 100% Grenache. The amount of whole-bunch fermentation has increased gradually over time, reaching 50% in 2024. And the fruit from the organic, dry-grown bush-vine Grenache has been picked earlier with each passing vintage.

Reviewed

Swinney – Farvie – Grenache – 2018. This is at a really interesting junction in its evolution. You can still smell and taste the youthful berry fruit, but here, the secondary characters are really starting to build, giving the wine greater weight and depth. Fruit spans the cherry-plum spectrum, with earthy liquorice and subtle spice notes building. The mouthfeel and texture are spot on, as is the way the fruit coats the tongue all the way to the close of a very long palate. Supple and very good drinking today. Will it age longer? Sure, but this is likely the sweet spot for me. 93pts.

Swinney – Farvie – Grenache – 2019. Yum. This is downright delicious. The fruit is more primary and the freshness adds a gloss to the otherwise serious fruit and winemaking. Definitely cherry, but also fresh berry notes. Cinnamon/spice adds to the package. Whereas the 2018 is all about density and power, this represents purity of fruit and brightness. Another five years should see it hitting its drinking window. 94pts.

Swinney – Farvie – Grenache – 2020. With the 2020, it seems like the winemaking team have really honed the style, with greater depth and power than the 2019, but with the same purity of fruit. And this really works and is quite spectacular. Cherry, berry, hints of liquorice and spice. But here the tannins really start to make their presence felt. Never aggressive, but certainly assertive. Wonderful. 95pts.

Swinney – Farvie – Grenache – 2022. This is tight and really quite closed and primary. The higher acidity adds freshness, but does act as a handbrake on the vibrant fruit, as do the ultrafine tannins. A silky, supple and seamless wine, but one that is really only at the start of its life. The pretty fruit continues to build over time in the glass. 96pts.

Swinney – Farvie – Grenache – 2023. Here, the pretty vibrant fruit really comes into its own. It still has the power and structure as seen in the 2022, but here, the tannins and acids serve to frame the fruit, rather than shutting it down. Blueberry, spice, aniseed and ripe plum all swirl around the glass. On the very close, the tannins really start to make their presence felt, closing the fruit down, and giving it the potential for longer-term ageing, yet this remains wonderful today. 96pts.

Swinney – Farvie – Grenache – 2024. From a hot, early year, this is really quite different, with raspberry fruit and ferrous minerality the key features. The plum-like acidity makes for a refreshing finish and keeps the wine alive and fresh. The minerality is a real highlight. The length of flavours is outstanding, and this is superb now, especially with food, but 10 years will allow this to start showing its best. 96pts.

Swinney – Farvie – Mourvèdre – 2021. This is quite remarkable. It is distinct from the Shiraz and Grenache, but it shares the family traits regarding structure and mouthfeel. The quality of the fruit is what sets this apart from the ordinary. It is quite spectacular. Red fruits come to mind, and these flourish at the front of the palate. There is quite a distinct transition mid-palate to the structural components, particularly the minerality, which is a defining feature. What this does need, however, is time. Time to allow the minerality/tannin structure to meld with the fruit. Whilst I do not have benchmarks to compare to, I am confident that in 10 years, this will be a star. 100% whole bunch. 95pts.

Swinney – Farvie – Mourvèdre – 2022. In 2022, the fruit is slightly less overt, as is the minerality and tannic structure. This allows the sheer quality to express itself perfectly. The balance between the fruit, ferrous minerality and tannins is quite extraordinary. Supple, slippery and seamless, this is a classic case of iron fist in a velvet glove. Superb. 96pts.

Swinney – Farvie – Mourvèdre – 2023. The fruit ripeness has been turned up to 11, with plum-like fruit taking precedence over berry characters. The ripeness gives it a degree of generosity, making it so, so approachable. Whilst this has a very high proportion of whole-bunch ferment, it was very gently handled, with the occasional foot stomping the only winemaking input. There is no new oak in these wines; they rely on the fruit/stalk tannins to provide the structural input. 95pts.

Swinney – Farvie – Mourvèdre – 2024. As good as the 2022 is, this may actually be better. But here, the whole package has been wound back with subdued fruit and very fine tannic structure. The end result is a wonderful wine with innate power and real presence. The highlight is how everything is perfectly balanced. The ferrous, mineral, earthy characters are a key feature, but they are very restrained and balanced. A wonderful wine. From a very dry year, Mourvèdre was the standout in 2024. I am not sure how this will age, but I am keen to find out. 97pts.

Swinney – Farvie – Shiraz – 2018. As with the 2018 Grenache, this is a very powerful, ripe rendition of Shiraz and has the same slightly stewed fruit notes up front. Also like the Grenache, this looked so much better after 30 minutes in the glass. But it is an awkward phase, making accurate assessment difficult. 94pts.

Swinney – Farvie – Shiraz – 2019. Wow. Now this is special. The ripe fruit is quite spectacular, and the way it is complemented by the tannins/minerality elevates this to the next level. Refreshing acidity is a key component to this wine. Interestingly, no specific characteristics leap out from the glass. Sure, there are berry and stone fruit notes, and the minerality is a feature, but this is so beautifully balanced that everything comes together in a seamless way. Superb length of flavours to close. Only harvested the morning side of the vines in 2018/19 to protect the vibrancy of the fruit. From 2020, shade cloth was introduced on the side of the vines receiving the afternoon sun, to protect the fruit from sunburn/scalding. 97+pts.

Swinney – Farvie – Shiraz – 2020. Another brilliant wine, but here, the coffee and cocoa nibs take precedence over the berry fruit. The trademark tannins and minerality sit quietly in the background, but this is something of an anomaly in the line-up today. But underneath the structural elements, there is superb fruit lurking. It just takes time in the glass for this to really express itself. Of all the wines to date, this is the wine that I would want to give the longest in the cellar. A quiet phase? 95pts.

Swinney – Farvie – Shiraz – 2021. From the outset, this is closed, structured and quite tannic, and represents a stylistic point of difference in the line-up. The cooler/wetter vintage has resulted in a wine that, whilst full of potential, is really quite shy right now. But underneath, there is a vibrancy to the ripe fruit that is most attractive. An understated wine, but one with great potential. A sleeper. 96pts.

Swinney – Farvie – Shiraz – 2022. Oh my, this is a wine that makes me swoon and go weak at the knees. Tremendous presence in the glass. Just stunning. There was no new oak used here, or indeed in any wine under the Farvie label. The palate appears to have unfathomable depths, the flavours and textures cascading across the palate, with waves of flavours ebbing and flowing along the length of the palate. A profound wine and a tremendous bargain on the world’s wine stage. The fruit was 2/3 whole bunch pressed and comes from two distinct plots within the vineyards. Stunning. 97pts.

Swinney – Farvie – Shiraz – 2023. This is all about balance and finesse. A Goldilocks wine that is just right. Again, there are no specific characters that leap out of the glass, rather, there is a quiet confidence about how this wine presents, with everything in perfect balance. A wonderful wine and one of my favourites on the day. Blue fruits come to the fore with time in the glass. 97pts.

Swinney – Farvie – Shiraz – 2024. Here the fruit is the primary focus, and what a focus it is. Blue fruits, satsuma plums, cinnamon, spice, texture, depth, structure, this has it all. A superb wine that is spectacular right now, but it is sure to age very well. The fruit quality is stunning. A personal favourite to drink now, as it is quite irresistible despite its ageing potential. 97pts.