By Farr Shiraz 2018

"I’m often asked who makes the best shiraz in Australia. I always include By Farr in my answer."  Campbell Mattinson

By Farr Shiraz is Australian cool-climate shiraz par excellence, with more than a passing nod to the northern Rhône. Shiraz fruit comes from the original By Farr vineyard, planted in 1994. Special site, special winemaker, special wine.

"Superfine, silky-soft tannins, seamless texture, tidy berries and spices to close. Refreshing acidity in balance. An exceptional, northern Rhône-style shiraz that is already drinking beautifully."  Huon Hooke

"A powerful nose, with the depth and complexity of cool-climate shiraz. This wine is spiced with pepper and mineral elements, leaning towards earthy. The co-fermented viognier adds a little richness to both the bouquet and palate, which has a very pleasant sweetness to start, followed by intense fruit and earthy long tannins to complete the delicate structure and overall elegance of the wine.

The original By Farr vineyard lies on a north-facing slope, and the red volcanic soil has a base of limestone with deep-set sandstone. All fruit is hand-picked from the VSP trellising, with 20% left as whole bunches in the fermentation. Most years we co-ferment between 2 and 4% viognier with the shiraz, the date determining whether or not the former is co-fermented and bled back. It is a natural fermentation, with the fruit remaining in the tank for 19 days before pressing. Shiraz sees 18 months in French oak, 20% being new, and is bottled under vacuum."  By Farr

Huon Hooke and Nick Farr discuss By Farr: Australian Winery of the Year 2022

Expert reviews

"Medium to deep red colour with a good tint of purple. The bouquet is earthy and faintly peppery with a savoury note from wood-ageing, the brown-spice notes adding to the impression of sapidity. Superfine, silky-soft tannins, seamless texture, tidy berries and spices to close. Refreshing acidity in balance. An exceptional, northern Rhône-style shiraz that is already drinking beautifully. (Viognier 4%). Drink: 2020-2033."  Huon Hooke, The Real Review - 97 points

"A special wine. It's all tang and undergrowth, cherries and peppery spices but putting names to the individual flavours doesn't do the overall effect justice. This is a wine of fresh-faced beauty; it's a glance and a wink and a nod all rolled into one. How. It doesn't take you long into the first glass to start wondering how they did it. It tastes like a kind of magic. Drink by 2032."  Campbell Mattinson, Halliday Wine Companion – 97 points

About the winery 

The Farr estate is located in the Moorabool Valley between Geelong and Ballarat, 100km southwest of Melbourne. Grape growing in this region dates back more than 200 years, with Swiss settlers planting Victoria's first vineyards here in the early 1800s. The rich volcanic soil and continental climate at the estate produce premium fruit with a flavour, bouquet and colour that is unique to our surrounding area.

Gary and Robyn Farr purchased the original property in 1994 and the second section in 1998—this latter had been untouched for almost 40 years and consisted of dense boxthorn and noxious weeds. The final piece of the puzzle, which links the two blocks of land, was purchased by their son Nick in 2011, making a total of 130 acres—of which 36 acres are under vine and the remainder is maintained as grazing and cropping for cattle and horses. With a mixture of different clones and rootstocks, the grape varieties grown here are viognier, chardonnay, pinot noir, gamay and shiraz.

Notoriously brusque but hugely admired and loved, Gary Farr has been making wine in the Moorabool Valley, Bannockburn since 1978. While the landscape has undergone many changes in the past decades, Gary's approach to wine has not and it is this fastidious attention to detail that has inspired a whole generation of vignerons. His experience as a hands-on winemaker was shaped by time spent at Domain Dujac in Burgundy, Cristom in Oregon and Calera in California. Gary developed an appreciation for the beauty of shiraz and viognier from his many journeys to France's Rhone Valley, where he also learned techniques for incorporating these wonderful varieties into his winemaking.

The baton has now been passed on to Nick to carry on the Farr legacy. Nick Farr readily acknowledges the influence of his father in his winemaking and viticultural practices—however, these have been significantly enhanced by his own vast experience. While he was growing up, Nick often worked alongside his father on the family estate before a stint at Rosemount in the Hunter Valley in the late 90s. This was followed by more vintages with Gary as well as at Innisfail Vineyards in the Bannockburn area, where Nick commenced his label Farr Rising. Like his father, Nick has experience at international vineyards, including Cristom in Oregon, Au Bon Climate in California, and Domain Dujac in Burgundy. The reins may have been handed over to the next generation, but Gary, who produced what legendary wine connoisseur Len Evans called 'Australia's best pinot', still keeps a watchful eye over proceedings to ensure the wine continues to meet his high standards.

"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

 Climate and soils

"The microclimate of the Moorabool Valley is influenced by winds from the western plains and bracing sea breezes, which regulate the temperature on long, sunny days and cool the air overnight. This climate is key to producing naturally balanced, low-yield fruit that is rich in flavour.

The region's environment is both cool and harsh for viticulture, due to the low rainfall and ever-prevailing winds that sweep across the barren western plains of Victoria. On average we receive 240mm of the 540mm annual rainfall in the growing season. The variation of temperatures between night and day helps us achieve complex and long-palate structures in our wines. Farming our land is not easy, but we believe the best wines are born from the most challenging environments.

Our vineyards are based on ancient river deposits within the Moorabool Valley. Thousands of years later, we are reaping the rewards of these complex and mineral-rich soils, which lend their unique characteristics to our grapes.

There are six different soils spread across the Farr property, with the two main types being rich, friable red and black volcanic loam, and limestone, which dominates the loam in some areas. The other soils are quartz gravel through red volcanic soil, ironstone (called buckshot) in grey sandy loam with a heavy clay base, sandstone base, and volcanic lava rock. The soil's good drainage and low fertility are crucial in ensuring small yields of intensely flavoured fruit.

The soil structure and microclimate at our vineyard make it ideal for growing pinot noir and chardonnay, and our location rates among the world's best for both varieties."  By Farr