But over the last several years, the maturation time has been wound back to around 14-15 months. This has promoted better freshness and tannin balance in the wines. The volume produced each year has also been reduced to around 300–500 dozen, depending on the year. All of these small adjustments have made a big difference to the evolution of the Olmo’s Reward style. The increasing age of the vineyard has also clearly helped. The 2014 and 2018 are benchmark vintages in the series, but the consistency across vintages highlights a thoughtful, empathetic and precise approach to winemaking. Red fruit characters and a strong tannin presence are found in almost all vintages. This is generally offset by very good inky density and maturation complexity. A firm bittersweet finish lengthens the palate. The elegance, energy, rusty/ sturdy textures and vinosity are standout features of the style. Frankland Estate Olmo’s Reward is one of few Australian cabernet franc-driven blends and promises to become a benchmark example. Ambitions for it to become ‘a top echelon Western Australian cabernet blend’ are well on track.
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The Vintage Journal – Verticals
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