Fruit from Freeman Vineyards in Prunevale, Hilltops region. Fermented on skins using indigenous yeasts. Pressed into seasoned French oak barriques. Cherry and rhubarb with a good bite to it. Somewhere between a Rose and a light red. Keep this one chilled- Sam Leyshon, Winemaker.

Situated about 3.5 hours drive West of Melbourne, at the foothills of the Grampians is the town of Tarrington, formerly known by the name given to it by its German settlers, Hochkirch. A mere 70km north of the cold Southern coast of Western Victoria this Western neck of the Henty sees gently undulating hills, cold breezes and the perfect conditions for cool climate farming.

Co-fermented whole-bunch Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that has seen a long carbonic maceration. It was then basket-pressed to older barrels to hang out on full lees until bottling. The 2021 has that classic Maison Derrière funk over a delicious strawberries-and-cream base, followed up by fresh cherries and crunchy cranberry juice. It’s the very definition of a summer smasher.

Grenache (35%), Carignan (20%), Viognier (10%), Mourvedre (9%), Syrah (9%), Malbec (7%), Sauvignon Blanc (5%), Pinot Gris (5%). All sourced from a mixture of blocks Dan picks for the other wines he produces across the Barossa, the fruit is picked early for the Rose separately for freshness. Most of the varieties are fermented separately and pressed straight away to a mixture of stainless steel and larger format oak. The exception is the “Farmer exploration block” of Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Viognier, Pinot Gris which are fermented together on skins for 20 days then pressed into old French puncheons and a 100 yr old oak Foudre (1600L). Elevage is until early August in which it is racked off lees which can sometimes create a slightly cloudy wine. A small amount of sulfur was added before bottling.