2023 By Farr 'Farrside' Pinot Noir

About the Wine

Each vintage of Farrside pinot noir exhibits more masculinity, structure and savoury components, while deep meaty, spicy and mineral flavours also continue to evolve. A balanced array of red and black fruits, Farrside pinot noir is fresh and edgy with bucketloads of character. This is a firm yet delicate wine with a long-textured finish.

The Farrside vineyard sits on a northeast-facing slope and consists of limestone topped with black volcanic soil. The vines were planted in 2001 and run east-west to protect the fruit from overexposure to the sun. The clones are a mixture of 114, 115, 777, 667 and MV6. Even though the Farrside and Sangreal vineyards are only 300 metres apart, the darker soils and cooler growing conditions of the Farrside vineyard mean these grapes are picked 10 to 12 days after all others and produce a more masculine and edgy wine.

The fruit is hand-picked and sorted in the vineyard, then fermented in an open-top fermenter. Between 40 to 50 per cent of the fruit will be stemmed and then cold soaked for four days. We use only the natural yeast for the fermentation process, which takes roughly 12 days. Grape-stomping (known as pigeage) will occur two to three times a day depending on the amount of extraction required, and the wine is then placed in 50 to 60 per cent new Allier barrels by gravity. It is racked by gas after secondary fermentation, then again at 18 months to be bottled.

Review

The evolution of this site and wine is complexing, gone are the days of words being used like bold, brash and muscular. Now two decades of releasing the wine, the description is fine, vibrate and ethereal. This wine has a retained nose for the moment, but the mouthfeel is almost jubilant in comparison. Even against the Sangreal, this feels plush and luxurious. A soft creamy and varietal ripeness, all swirling around to deliver lots of pleasure. It’s texturally generous and provides a nice counterpoint to the tight, edgy flavours of spice and pepper that is Farrside. - BEN KNIGHT, CRITIC

About By Farr

“The wines we make are not mainstream—they are expressions of our vineyard, our land and what we like to drink. That is what we promise to deliver.” - Nick Farr.

By Farr Wines is a family-owned and operated winery that has been producing world-class wines since 1994. The winery is located in the heart of the Moorabool Valley, where the cool climate and unique terroir provide the perfect conditions for producing exceptional Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Shiraz. The winemaking philosophy is focused on minimal intervention, allowing the grapes to express their full potential and creating wines that are a true reflection of the land and the season.

The attitude, depth of character and understated finesse of the wines is signature of Nick Farr's winemaking ethos. 

Region: Bannockburn, Victoria

Country: Australia

Vintage: 2023

Size: 750ml

ABV: 14%

Closure: Cork

Grape: Pinot Noir