Sutton Grange 2021 'Fairbank' Rose

There are some wines, immediately when you open them, you know were a passion project for the winemaker. Sure, you will argue, all wines are like the children of viticulturalists and vignerons, but every now and then, there is a certain je ne sais quoi about a wine which, to put it mildly, really lifts the skirt. Sutton Grange's Fairbank 21 Rose is one of those wines.

The nose is beautifully intense, heavily perfumed with berries and orange, and notes of lemon thyme, violet and watermelon. Suggestions of red currant and cassis linger and there is a sugary musk lolly like scent. Its rich and dense and demands immediate consumption.

The palate sings with raspberry and strawberry, rip red plums and fresh, vibrant acidity. It's very fruity in a really good way, with a playfulness on the front of the plate before it angles out in all corners, filling the mouth with spice, boysenberry, black cherry and some very pleasant and velvet like tannins.

This is a very sophisticated and elegant rose, and while it can be enjoyed at any time, it redolent of flinty, minerally rose consumed on the sandy Camargue is the south of France. It is savoury and spicy as much as it is sweet and deliciously crisp. Final notes of pink lady apple and some peppery spice, add to scents of fennel and more herbs.

Balanced with impeccable texture, lovely acidity, this will be a pleasant wine to sip on a spring evening or a summer afternoon. Pair it with smoked salmon blinis and pickled red onion or enjoy it with a piece of grilled white fish and a caprese salad. It is worth every penny of its price, and then some. It is a stunning bottle of rose.

RRP $35

https://www.suttongrange.com.au/

VIC | 2021 | Bendigo | 12.5% ABV