2021 By Farr, `Sangreal` Geelong Pinot Noir - Liberty

Based in Geelong, around 80 kilometres southwest of Melbourne, Gary Farr and his son Nick make small quantities of single vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that rank among Australia’s best. Nick explains, “The wines we make are not mainstream—they are expressions of our vineyard, our land and what we like to drink.”

Gary has a wealth of winemaking experience in the region, having made wine in the Moorabool Valley since 1978. In the decades since, he has developed an encyclopaedic understanding of Geelong’s topography, leading to the purchase of the site that would become By Farr in 1994. In the meantime, Gary gained considerable experience in Burgundy, undertaking 10 vintages at Domaine Dujac, which influenced his meticulous use of whole-bunch fermentation in his own winemaking. His son Nick, who similarly honed his craft at Domaine Dujac, as well as Au Bon Climat in California, later joined him. Nick has carved out a stellar reputation of his own and was named Winemaker of the Year by Gourmet Traveller Wine in 2020.

By Farr’s Chardonnays reflect the care they take in making balanced, elegant wines. The Geelong Chardonnay hails from the ‘Sangreal’ vineyard, first planted in 1994. The ‘GC’ Chardonnay is from the densely planted ‘Côte’ vineyard (7,000 vines per hectare), where a diversity of aspects and soil types (including a mixture of loam, limestone and black volcanic soils) provide a range of different blending components. In the cellar, whole-bunch pressing, natural, cool fermentation and judicious use of oak provide elegance and complexity. The Viognier hails from a blend of fruit across two vineyard sites, with time spent on skins and barrel fermentation creating a rich, perfumed wine.

The Shiraz is co-fermented with a small percentage of Viognier for added depth on the nose and palate. All the fruit for the Pinot Noirs is hand-picked, with a high percentage of whole-bunch fermentation to lift the aromas and give a lovely grainy tannin structure on the palate. The ‘Sangreal’ vineyard’s red soil over limestone is unique in the estate, and this site is home to Pinot Noir vines that the Farrs believe have mutated since they were planted 20 years ago, adapting to their own microclimate.

Although just 300 metres from ‘Sangreal’, the differing conditions of the ‘Farrside’ vineyard mean that it is harvested 10 to 12 days later. The rows of vines at ‘Farrside’ run east to west to shade the fruit from overexposure. The clones are a mixture of the Bernard clones from Dijon (114, 115, 777 and 667) and Australia’s own MV6. The soils at ‘Farrside’ and ‘Tout Près’ are primarily black volcanic with heavy amounts of limestone on the surface. ‘Tout Près’ is a densely planted hillside site (7,300 vines per hectare) and produces the most intense of the four Pinot Noirs. Due to its density and low yields, ‘Tout Près’ is also three times more expensive to farm than ‘Sangreal’. The ‘RP’ Pinot Noir is a tribute to Gary’s wife and Nick’s mum, Robyn Pamela. It is a beautifully perfumed wine, made with fruit sourced from the ‘Côte’ Vineyard. The ‘Tout Près’ and ‘Sangreal’ Pinot Noirs are fermented in wood and aged in Allier oak barrels, while ‘Farrside’ and ‘RP’ are vinified in stainless steel before ageing in wood. The ‘Barbarian’ is from a small parcel of Pinot Noir that Nick planted in 2015 with inheritance from his great aunt Pamela Brinsmead. In 1975, at the age of 51, ‘Aunty’ Pam was a member of the first all-women’s crew to sail in the ‘Sydney to Hobart’ Yacht Race, aboard the yacht ‘Barbarian’. The site of the Barbarian Pinot is a rockier outcrop of the soil type found in neighbouring Sangreal. The block is terraced, close-planted and is oriented oppositely to Sangreal with east-west rows.

The Sangreal vineyard is the oldest planting (1994) on a north-facing slope which has red ironstone colouring on the surface and a limestone base. This site is unlike their other vineyards, which are mostly black volcanic soil with heavy amounts of limestone on the surface. The vines run north to south, gaining full sun exposure throughout the day, resulting in perfectly ripened grapes. The Pinot Noir clones originally planted in the vineyard were Côte-d’Or origin 114 and 115, which produce wines with good potential for ageing. However, these clones are believed to have mutated over time to create the unique ‘Sangreal’ clone.

Fruit was hand harvested and sorted, prior to cold soaking for four days before spontaneous fermentation took place in a five tonne oak open top fermenter, using between 60-70% whole bunches. Fermentation lasted for 7-9 days before the fruit was pressed off the skins. Malolactic fermentation was encouraged before the wine was racked off the lees and aged for a period of 18 months in 60% new oak. No fining or filtering took place prior to bottling.

The Sangreal Pinot Noir is the flagship wine for By Farr, perfectly expressing its unique site and Pinot Noir clones. The nose is full of delicate notes of cherries and raspberries, which continue onto the palate. These fruit characteristics are balanced by bright acidity. It is richly textured, owing to the prolonged oak ageing.