FRANKLAND ESTATE OLMO’S REWARD
Frankland Estate Olmo’s Reward is an emerging classic from Western Australia’s Frankland River. The wine honours the contribution of viticulture expert Professor Harold Olmo (University of California), who visited the area in 1955. Olmo concluded that the Lower Great Southern was ‘equivalent or better than areas to be found in the present (day) quality districts of Australia or California’. This opinion was shared by vigneron Jack Mann, who encouraged Olmo to explore the potential of cool climate grape growing in Frankland River and Mount Barker sub-regions. Although it took a while to get the Lower Great Southern going, viticulture has become a feature of the landscape for nearly half a century. Frankland Estate features prominently in Frankland River’s recent history. The original 2.5-hectare vineyard was established by former real estate broker Barrie Smith and his wife, Judi Cullam, in 1988. Together they had become important wool growers and crop farmers in the district. Previously they had acquired a 1000-acre (405 ha) soldier settlement farm called Rocky Ridge and had been made aware of the potential of grape growing and winemaking. Barrie also grew up on a vineyard in the Riverina, so wine had always been an important part of his life. Their combined interest was further primed by meeting Bill Hardy of Thomas Hardy & Sons, who took them through the wine regions of France during the mid-1980s. With this knowledge, they also travelled to Bordeaux and worked a vintage at Château Senejac with the intrepid New Zealander winemaker Jenny Dobson. Their intention was to make a classic Western Australian claret style based on the classic Bordeaux varieties. Frankland Estate lies on rolling countryside and comprises pastureland, 34 hectares of vineyard and large stands of marri (red gum) forest. The original vineyard block runs along an isolated ridge (on north- and east-facing slopes) peppered with ironstone sands and gravels over red clay loams. First plantings comprised cabernet franc, shiraz and riesling. In 1991 further plantings of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petit verdot and malbec took place. Although there were plans to make a claret-style red wine, Frankland Estate made its name with its well regarded Isolation Ridge Riesling. Throughout the 1990s, Judi Cullam was a prominent ambassador for the cause of fine wine (and riesling particularly). In 2018, she was recognised for these efforts, winning the Len Evans Award for Leadership.
Frankland Estate Olmo’s Reward 199
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