The secret of making great wine is great fruit – pure and simple.

We have spent many years learning what makes a vineyard capable of producing truly fine wine. That knowledge informs how we farm each site — carefully, precisely and with respect for its individual character — growing fruit that is unmistakably of its place.

Frankland River – Remote Possibilities

In Frankland River, our vineyards sit on ironstone gravel hill tops above the Frankland River and produce wines that have a distinctly ferrous character – a character we strongly associate with the highest quality Frankland River fruit. It is here that our focus on Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah has found its natural home.

Here, bush vine viticulture is a particular passion for us and, with the right site selection and varieties, produces some of the most site-specific fruit we have ever seen. Growing vines this way is labour intensive and requires a lot of dedication and patience. Everything must be done by hand, but the lower yield and greater effort is worth it.

Our guiding philosophy is simple – to reflect and preserve the personality of each individual vineyard site. To achieve this, we harvest by hand – often with multiple passes over the same vine – fruit and berry sort and co-ferment where possible.

This attention to detail extends to winery, where the use of gravity flow to avoid pumping – maximising the percentage of whole berries and minimising maceration. We use varying percentages of whole bunches, indigenous fermentation in oak vessels and maturation in seasoned 500 and 600 L French oak vessels to build complexity while preserving site character.

Margaret River – A New Chapter

When the opportunity arose to bring an exceptional vineyard site in Wilyabrup, Margaret River into the Swinney family, we were drawn to a place of remarkable natural beauty, proven pedigree and deep viticultural history.

While Margaret River represents a new chapter for Swinney, our philosophy remains the same. As in Frankland River, our focus begins in the vineyard, with thoughtful site stewardship, meticulous viticulture and a commitment to producing fruit that speaks clearly of where it’s grown. Here, our focus is directed towards Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, varieties that have long found a natural home in Margaret River’s maritime climate.

In the winery, our role is simply to preserve and express the character of each vineyard site. While the principles remain the same, our approach is adapted to suit the fruit and region. Whole bunch fermentation plays a smaller role than it does in Frankland River, while carefully judged use of new oak and maturation in smaller barrels help frame, rather than define, the personality of the wines.