The Holy Grail - Wine by Nick and Gary Farr

We are delighted to announce that as of April 1^st 2010, Smashingbottles is the new Queensland distributor or Wine by Farr and Farr Rising.

Wines by Farr 2008 release.

We believe we have settled into perfect timing with the release of By Farr wines at 2 years old.  They are displaying their true individuality and breeding and look fantastic.

The 2008 Chardonnay has spent 12 months in oak and a further 12 months in bottle.  The 2008 Viognier was made by the same process and ageing as chardonnay.  Both are, we believe, wonderful subtle examples of their varieties, looking fresh and fabulous on release.  The reds have had 19 months in oak and 5 months in bottle and are just beginning to express themselves.  The wines continue to be very small handmade parcels with less than 500 dozen produced. 2008 vintage produced exceptional wines of good quantities.  The wines truly express our unique sites and soils, showing distinctive minerality, firmness of tannins, texture of lees and integrated oak flavours.  All By Farr wines are matured in French oak.

We are releasing 3 pinot noirs again this year, from specific sites within the vineyard.  Sangreal By Farr (Holy Grail) is from the original house block vineyard;  Tout Pres is the second release from our 9 year old close planted vineyard at 8000 plus vines per hectare (it is quite unique); Farrside from the north end of our property (and is the wine that was initially released as ‘Pinot Noir by Farr). Enjoy the three amigos!!

2008 vintage weather conditions were warm with below average rainfall.  We harvested 1.8 tons/acre over 33 acres, a perfect quantity.  The wines show great replication of site and soil characteristics, with good intensity and mouth feel, complexity and length.  Exceptional wines from an interesting year.

Over the years, all of our vineyards continue to be a work in progress from cover cropping and mulching to eliminating herbicides and conserving moisture, to only using organic sprays on the vines.  It’s a case of hands on in the vineyard and hands off in the winery.  It has evolved that we (Nick and I) have our own favourite blocks within the vineyard and from which we make our own wines.

A note on Closures: We believe that corks enhance the development of our wines, they suit our style of wine.  Ageing of 1 to 2 years is for simple fruit driven wines, 2 to 8 years enables truly complex wine to evolve under this natural closure.  60 combined vintages on 3 continents and 1 island stands us in good stead to make this commitment to cork as have many of our peers around the world.

CHARDONNAY 2008                        

Great colour, fine minerally textured nose with fruit and integrated French oak almost dominated by the soil characteristics.  The palate is fine but firm with great acidity, texture and length.  This wine is richer and more intense than the 2007 unashameably my style (very Farr)

VIOGNIER 2008

It has fabulous colour, lovely perfume of peach and rich Viognier character.  The palate is restrained and luscious with underlying power and lingering aftertaste.  This wine has benefited beautifully from 12 months of bottle ageing.  The most integrated and drinkable Viognier we have made so Far.

SHIRAZ 2008

Powerful nose with depth and complexity of cool climate shiraz.  Spiced with pepper and minerality, leaning towards  earthy.  This year there is approximately 4% Viognier blended which is average over the previous years.  The palate has a very pleasant sweetness to start followed by intense fruit and some earthy long tannins which complete a robustness that does not prevent the overall impression from offering a certain elegance.  Drink now or keep for 5 – 10 years. 

TOUS PRES PINOT NOIR 2008

Here we have applied the meaning of this label name to the vine density of 8000 vines/Ha – ‘Tout Pres’ is French for ‘Very Cosy’. This vineyard is now up to 8 years of age and we are comfortable with the quality and complexity of the wine.  It has exceptional length and aging potential.

The nose is more savoury than fruit.  Fine layered delivery continually building a palate of excellent balanced rich fruit, oak and earthy to form a powerful expression of my very special site.  Wow! 5-8 years of pure pleasure awaits.

FARRSIDE PINOT NOIR 2008

This is our choice of the newer plantings which are on the most northerly side of the vineyard.  This wine was previously labelled Pinot Noir By Farr.

Floral, rich, full nose with powerful berry fruits beginning to build.  The palate has sweetness followed by minerality overtones, enhanced by toasty oak, fine tannins, great structure a along and savoury finish which complete this gem.  The wine combines density and precision with an ageing potential of 5-8+ years.  Full bore pinot.

SANGREAL PINOT NOIR 2008

This vineyard is planted on the original house block some 600 metres from the main block.  It is now 15 years old and has established itself amongst Australia’s top pinot noir. ‘Sangreal’ means ‘Holy Grail’ – that’s what we’re striving for!

Great perfume on the nose, fine well integrated fruit of highly complex red berries and subtle roasted oak.  Perfumed but savoury, the essence of pinot noir from our site.  Strong colour, rich flavoursome palate showing weight, true length and depth.  Seamless in its delivery and a joy to drink but there is good underlying material and a balance to age 8-10 years.  My style of pinot, gamey and moreish!