Farr Rising Vertical Tasting
Geelong Chardonnay ($35)
Light straw-green; very complex bouquet with a sotto voce web of vineyard and winery inputs; the palate opens with a reprise of the bouquet, then swells on the mid to back palate before tightening on the citrus and mineral finish.
96 points; to 2015; 13.5 alc; cork
05 Geelong Chardonnay
Straw-yellow, minimal green; while the colour asks the question of touch of oxidation, the richness of the bouquet and palate with notes of cashew, fig and melon make it hard to continue the question - until you taste the '04.
94 points; to 2012; 13.5 alc; cork
04 Geelong Chardonnay
Bright straw-green; closer to the '06 than the '05; superb wine; elegant and focussed, combining finesse and power; melon and grapefruit lead the way, with oak and other winemaker inputs in a pure support role, the finish long and minerally. If the cork does its job, the wine has a very long future.
97 points; to 2020; 13.5 alc; cork
06 Geelong Saignee ($20)
Pale salmon; if the wine was in a dark blue glass to hide the colour it might be hard to pick the variety on the bouquet - chardonnay or pinot? Only a few roses made this way in Australia, all about mouthfeel and length, not about primary fruit or - even less - sweetness. However, cherry, spice and cashew flavours do emerge on the palate.
94 points; to 2011; 14 alc; cork
05 Geelong Saignee
Pale salmon; has a more lifted bouquet than the '06, the palate similarly brisker, both throwing down a mini-challenge, probably best met with food, a characteristic of all three saignees.
92 points; to 2010; 14 alc; cork
04 Saignee
Intriguingly has the most youthful colour; here the pinot noir base is more immediately obvious on both bouquet and palate, the wine having gained in power and personality over the past three years; shares with the '06 excellent length.
95 points; to 2011; 13.5 alc; cork
06 Mornington Pinot Noir ($39)
Youthful purple tinges to the brilliantly clear colour; fragrant plum and cherry, part blossom, part fruit; caresses the palate with silky fruit echoing the bouquet; perfectly proportioned and balanced.
96 points; to 2014; 14 alc; cork
05 Geelong Pinot Noir
Shows some signs of colour development, but not unduly so; some forest and spice notes on bouquet, then a palate of somewhat unexpected intensity and length, savoury in the best possible sense.
95 points; to 2012; 13.5 alc; cork
04 Geelong Pinot Noir
Slightly less developed colour than the '05; very elegant and precise, with considerable thrust to the fruit on the long palate; has a particularly lively finish and aftertaste.
95 points; to 2012; 13.5 alc; cork
04 Mornington Pinot Noir
Has a different colour spectrum to the Geelong duo, with some of the purple of the '06 still to be seen; has more depth and ripeness to the fruit in a plum and spice spectrum; a complex, slightly funky, style which may split opinions.
93 points; to 2010; 14 alc; cork
06 Geelong Shiraz ($35)
Clear, bright purple-crimson; absolutely classic cool-grown shiraz, laden with black fruits, spice and licorice; the structure is exemplary, the tannins civilised but ample for the long future the wine will have.
96 points; to 2021; 14.5 alc; cork
05 Geelong Shiraz
has the most developed colour of the three wines; a fragrant, medium-bodied wine, with supple mouthfeel but now without the clarity of the '06 and '04.
93 points; to 2014; 14.5 alc; cork
04 Geelong Shiraz
Excellent colour retention, still with hints of purple; a complex, multi-faceted bouquet, then a lip-smacking palate, with vibrant and energetic black cherry and blackberry fruit liberally sprinkled with spice.
95 points; to 2019; 14 alc; cork
Light straw-green; very complex bouquet with a sotto voce web of vineyard and winery inputs; the palate opens with a reprise of the bouquet, then swells on the mid to back palate before tightening on the citrus and mineral finish.
96 points; to 2015; 13.5 alc; cork
05 Geelong Chardonnay
Straw-yellow, minimal green; while the colour asks the question of touch of oxidation, the richness of the bouquet and palate with notes of cashew, fig and melon make it hard to continue the question - until you taste the '04.
94 points; to 2012; 13.5 alc; cork
04 Geelong Chardonnay
Bright straw-green; closer to the '06 than the '05; superb wine; elegant and focussed, combining finesse and power; melon and grapefruit lead the way, with oak and other winemaker inputs in a pure support role, the finish long and minerally. If the cork does its job, the wine has a very long future.
97 points; to 2020; 13.5 alc; cork
06 Geelong Saignee ($20)
Pale salmon; if the wine was in a dark blue glass to hide the colour it might be hard to pick the variety on the bouquet - chardonnay or pinot? Only a few roses made this way in Australia, all about mouthfeel and length, not about primary fruit or - even less - sweetness. However, cherry, spice and cashew flavours do emerge on the palate.
94 points; to 2011; 14 alc; cork
05 Geelong Saignee
Pale salmon; has a more lifted bouquet than the '06, the palate similarly brisker, both throwing down a mini-challenge, probably best met with food, a characteristic of all three saignees.
92 points; to 2010; 14 alc; cork
04 Saignee
Intriguingly has the most youthful colour; here the pinot noir base is more immediately obvious on both bouquet and palate, the wine having gained in power and personality over the past three years; shares with the '06 excellent length.
95 points; to 2011; 13.5 alc; cork
06 Mornington Pinot Noir ($39)
Youthful purple tinges to the brilliantly clear colour; fragrant plum and cherry, part blossom, part fruit; caresses the palate with silky fruit echoing the bouquet; perfectly proportioned and balanced.
96 points; to 2014; 14 alc; cork
05 Geelong Pinot Noir
Shows some signs of colour development, but not unduly so; some forest and spice notes on bouquet, then a palate of somewhat unexpected intensity and length, savoury in the best possible sense.
95 points; to 2012; 13.5 alc; cork
04 Geelong Pinot Noir
Slightly less developed colour than the '05; very elegant and precise, with considerable thrust to the fruit on the long palate; has a particularly lively finish and aftertaste.
95 points; to 2012; 13.5 alc; cork
04 Mornington Pinot Noir
Has a different colour spectrum to the Geelong duo, with some of the purple of the '06 still to be seen; has more depth and ripeness to the fruit in a plum and spice spectrum; a complex, slightly funky, style which may split opinions.
93 points; to 2010; 14 alc; cork
06 Geelong Shiraz ($35)
Clear, bright purple-crimson; absolutely classic cool-grown shiraz, laden with black fruits, spice and licorice; the structure is exemplary, the tannins civilised but ample for the long future the wine will have.
96 points; to 2021; 14.5 alc; cork
05 Geelong Shiraz
has the most developed colour of the three wines; a fragrant, medium-bodied wine, with supple mouthfeel but now without the clarity of the '06 and '04.
93 points; to 2014; 14.5 alc; cork
04 Geelong Shiraz
Excellent colour retention, still with hints of purple; a complex, multi-faceted bouquet, then a lip-smacking palate, with vibrant and energetic black cherry and blackberry fruit liberally sprinkled with spice.
95 points; to 2019; 14 alc; cork
