2025 Farr Rising Saignee Rose, Geelong

Cherry, strawberry, almond, roses and hibiscus, a little spice and orange peel, and a slight lift. It's juicy and red fruited, maybe something of a peach tea thing here, an almond creaminess to it, a light blood orange tang, fine powdery texture, with a savoury yet fleshy finish of excellent length. It's a bolder style in a way, but has complexity and character to burn. Delightful. A rosé made with intent. Drink 2025-2029+

95 points Gary Walsh winefront.com.au

Farr Rising Saignée Rosé from Geelong is a beautifully vibrant, deeply flavoured and quietly sophisticated rosé that reflects the Farr family’s meticulous approach to viticulture and their deep understanding of the Moorabool Valley’s limestone rich soils. The fruit is drawn from estate Pinot Noir vines planted on volcanic loam, ironstone and ancient marine sediments, a landscape that naturally delivers lifted aromatics, fine tannins and a mineral line that gives the wine striking definition. True to the saignée method, a portion of juice is gently drained off early in the fermentation of Farr Rising’s Pinot Noir, concentrating the red wine while producing a rosé with more depth, perfume and structure than the typical pale Provençal style. Wild fermentation and a short period on lees round the edges and give the wine its signature textural finesse.

The aromatics are wonderfully expressive. Wild strawberry, raspberry and red cherry sit at the core, joined by cranberry, blood orange and a delicate rose petal lift. Beneath the fruit lies a savoury echo of dried herbs, warm earth and crushed limestone, a reminder of Geelong’s ancient geology. As the wine opens, notes of rhubarb, pomegranate, peach skin and subtle spice weave through the bouquet, giving both charm and quiet complexity.

On the palate the wine is vivid, silky and beautifully balanced. Juicy red berry flavours glide across a fine, lightly structured frame shaped by the saignée technique. A gentle phenolic grip adds sophistication without heaviness, allowing flavours of strawberry, redcurrant, grapefruit zest, cherry kernel and soft spice to unfold in elegant layers. Bright natural acidity keeps everything fresh and energetic, guiding the wine into a long, dry, mineral edged finish with lingering citrus, berries and savoury nuance. It’s a rosé that drinks beautifully now but has enough structure to hold and evolve over the next couple of years.

Brilliant with charcuterie, roast chicken sandwiches, grilled prawns, tuna steaks, heirloom tomato salads, sushi, mezze plates, goat cheese, herb driven vegetarian dishes or simply chilled on a relaxed afternoon. Its combination of depth and freshness makes it one of the most characterful rosés produced in Geelong.