2024 Fearon Rosé

A complex but ultimately extremely satisfying and moreish expression of Rosé wine, inspired by Blanc de Noir (white from red grapes) wines as much as the classic Provençal style. Pale salmon-pink in colour, confected raspberry, cranberry and ruby grapefruit are laid out atop creaming soda, sherbert candy and musk lolly. Some fresh spring herbs and sea-spray add a subtle savoury element to the nose. Soft and creamy red fruit on the palate is held aloft by a firm textural acid line, bringing structure and mineral tension. A long saline finish proves thirst-slaking, inviting another sip. Tim firmly believes that this wine is best enjoyed by itself paired with a hot summer afternoon, although the acidity and aromatics do lend itself to pairing magically with squid and chips on the beach.

Vineyard

The fruit was sourced from our 25-year-old vines on our Hillsedge vineyard, located in our home of the Ferguson sub-region of Geographe. The Ferguson Valley has a variety of slopes, aspects and microclimates, formed by the eponymous river as it meanders down the Darling Scarp. Hillsedge is located on a moderately steep south-east facing slope just above the Ferguson River, in the upper reaches of the catchment. Soils are typically dark-brown loamy earth with patches of the districts prized chocolate soils and pockets of granite and shattered quartzite. Alternating low ridges of shallow granite bedrock and wet depressions create distinct variation in vine vigour throughout. Excellent drainage, sub-soil water retention and soil fertility create excellent conditions for grapevines, while the exposure to persistent breezes helps reduce disease pressure. In the 2024 growing season, the vines were farmed by Rob Doherty.

Winemaking

Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were handpicked on the 9th of February at lower sugar ripeness, and higher natural acidity, with the fruit then being chilled overnight. The fruit was then destemmed, crushed and gently basket pressed, with the free run juice being transferred directly to seasoned French oak barriques. The pressings were settled for 48 hours, then also racked to oak. An organic cultured yeast strain was inoculated into half of the barrels, with the other half were allowed to go through wild fermentation. Primary fermentation was completed after an average of 21 days, upon which the barrels were topped and stirred regularly. Half of the barrels were racked off gross lees and then returned to oak. Stirring continued for 10 weeks, upon which the barrels were allowed to rest for four months. The wine was then racked out of oak and blended with a small volume of Sauvignon Blanc and Malbec, to add aromatics and colour respectively. The wine was lightly filtered before being bottled.

Season

The 2024 vintage will go down as one of the earliest, hottest and most compressed harvests in the viticultural history of southwest WA. A drier than average winter saw a slightly earlier than usual budburst, and the spring of 2023 was one of the driest and warmest on record. Early shoot growth was rapid, bringing forward further phenological milestones. Soil moisture deficiency affected flowering and fruit set, reducing yields somewhat. Irrigation was necessary from the end of spring through summer to maintain vine condition. Veraison was early and subsequent ripening rapid across all varieties, hastened by the recurrent heatwave conditions across January and February. One silver lining is the very low disease pressure, and abundant Marri tree flowering ensuring little bird pressure. White varieties fared well, with very early harvesting ensuring retention of natural acidity. Red varieties were exposed to the most intense of the several heatwaves that occurred during February, as a result reaching sugar ripeness far in advance of tannin (skin & seed) ripeness. All in all, a difficult growing season that perhaps gave a glimpse into more regular conditions under a warming global climate, and highlighted just how important selecting the appropriate varieties and planting sites will be to adapt to future conditions. The wines produced were very good, and with the earlier harvest dates will suit early-release and approachability.