2009 Fairbank Rouge 
Nick Stock, The Penguin Good Australian Wine Guide 2010
"This is in the Emerging Reds Chapter on the basis of style, not grape varieties. I first tasted this as it was being pressed after fermentation and darn near hopped into the tank it was so good! It’s a roughly 50/50 blend of biodynamic estate-grown syrah and merlot with lots of carbonic maceration, but no yeast, enzyme acid or tannin added, just a dose of sulphur at bottling. Super-fragrant, juicy red, really perfumed and delicious, with plenty of fresh red and dark berry flavour, fine smooth tannins and a resolutely balanced finish. Rating 92."
James Halliday
"Purple-red; an interesting wine coming with the instruction to serve chilled; one suspects part of this wine is based on the skins ex the Rose, albeit with more shiraz; is curiously short on the finish. Shiraz / Merlot/ Cabernet. Rating:87."
Max Allen, Gourmet Wine Traveller April / May 2010
“Winemaker Gilles Lapalus’ French heritage is realised in the gorgeous young red blend of cabernet merlot and shiraz. Some of the fruit was fermented using the carbonic maceration of whole grapes, in an attempt to boost the purple colour and fragrant fruitiness of the wine. It’s a technique common to the reds of Beaujolais (where the best vineyards, like Lapalus’, are on granite-based soil), and stylistically that’s where this wine sits: very juicy, very refreshing, full of snappy, crunchy red and black berries.”
Nick Stock, Wine100 September 2009
“A 50/50 blend of biodynamic estate grown Syrah and Merlot with lots of carbonic maceration, no yeast, enzyme, acid or tannin added, just a little dose of sulphur at bottling. It’s super fragrant, really perfumed and delicious, with plenty of fresh red and dark berry flavour, fine smooth tannins and a resolutely balanced finish.”
Gilles Lapalus, Winemaker Sutton Grange Winery
Cherry red with purple hue, medium limpidity.
Very good intensity, the fruit (cherry, strawberry) character is obvious, followed by some fresh floral odours, and also some fermentary and amylic notes. The evolution of the nose is more towards the floral spectrum (iris, peony).
Soft attack immediately covered by the aromatic stimuli. The fruity character is very present, along some spice. The very well integrated acid level is discret and support the light structure of the wine. The texture is reinforced by some very fine tannin, keeping the fluidity of the wine in balance, and adding to the mouthfeel. Good length, mostly dominated by the fresh fruit aromatics.
Second vintage of the 'rouge', we are closer to a Beaujolais cru here, without gamay in deed. The wine will benefit from being served chilled, because it is first of all a summer drink, but will be surprising post summer at room temperature with a plate of 'charcuterie'.
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