Producer website


Passion, Persistence, Patience

Gary and Nick Farr are pleased to offer you the opportunity to order by mail, their handmade 'By Farr' and 'Farr Rising' wines respectively.

"Our wines are not main stream, they are the expression of our vineyard, our terroir and what we like to drink and we promise to deliver."



Vineyards


By Farr

By Farr wines are produced from only estate grown fruit. Each of the wines are from single vineyards. The Chardonnay, Viognier and Shiraz were planted on the house block in 1994 to a range of French clones and rootstocks. The soil type of the house block is rich, friable red loam over limestone and north facing. We believe that the soil characteristics undoubtly show through on these wines.

The three single vineyard By Farr Pinot Noirs are planted on different soil types and aspects.

Sangreal in planted on the house block to 114 and 115 clones running north south, therefore exposed to maximum sunlight from east to west. The red soils exhibit more perfume and silkiness.

Farrside was planted in 2001, to 114, 115, 113, 667, 777 and MV6 clones on the black volcanic soils over limestone. It is a north east facing slope, with the vines orientation running east-west so that the fruit is more protected from the sunlight. This vineyard is producing wines of greater structure, tannin and savouriness. The black soils of Farrside produce a more masculine wine, where as Sangreal on the red soils is more focused, elegant and feminine.

Tout Pres is our very special and intriguing site. Over only 2.5 acres, it has three individual soil types, across a three sided cirque (an amphitheatre like valley head) that rises above the other vineyards. Each slope consists of a soil type. The largest slope is black volcanic soil of limestone, the second is quartz gravel mixed with red ironstone soil and the third, an iron strand in grey sandy loam. The clones that will acclimatise and mutate over time are currently 113, 114, 115, 667, 777 and MV6 in this vineyard to become the Tout Pres clone.

Tout Pres is the most densely planted vineyard on the estate, hence its name "very cosy" at 8000 vines/ ha. The land is a challenge to farm, but well worth the effort. The soils and competition between the vines force the vines to work hard and not unexpectedly this leads to excellence. The fruit is lush but masculine provides the coveted structure found only in the most age-worthy wines.


Farr Rising

Farr Rising wines are produced from both Estate grown fruit and purchased fruit. The single vineyard estate grown fruit for both the chardonnay and pinot noir were planted in 2002 on a mixture of black volcanic soil over limestone towards the bottom of the north facing slope and ironstone soil towards the top. The vine rows run north south to achieve maximum light and flavour.

The purchased fruit comes from pinot noir clones 114 and 115, Dijon clones on rootstock, a vineyard planted in 1980, solely to MV6 for pinot noir and I10V1 for chardonnay. The site is 10km down the Moorabool valley from the Winery Estate, on similar soils.

Also fruit is sourced from Merricks on the Mornington Peninsula for the Farr Rising Mornington Pinot Noir, which has now reached 10 years of production. Merricks is a very different site to Bannockburn, it has twice the rainfall, vigour and protection from the elevation. Therefore, there needs to be manipulation in the vineyard to produce intense, complex flavours. The wines are always a lot softer and sweeter than Bannockburn.



Location

Bannockburn, Victoria, Australia

100 km SW of Melbourne
Just 95 m elevation
Cool climate with maritime influence
MJT: 18.8C ASH: 1455
240mm of the annual 540mm rain falls in the growing season
4.8Ha of close planted, multi-clonal vineyard planted and nurtured by Gary and Nick Farr
Situated on the North-East and East facing slope
Friable red loams over clay and limestone

The Geelong region held the first plantings of vines in Victoria and while the history of the vines in the region has seen its good and bad times the fruit grown is of premium quality and unlike any in the state.



Climate

The Moorabool Valley exhibits its own micro-climate that is influenced by prevailing winds from the western plains, which keep the vines on edge, while a maritime influence on the temperatures regulate the long days of sunshine and cool night breezes. All aspects of our climate equate to vineyards that are naturally in balance, low yeilding and producing intriguing fruit.



Terra Firma

The vineyards are based on ancient river deposits, complex and mineral rich sediments within the Moorabool valley. Thousands of years later, we’re reaping the rewards of these exceptional soils, which lend their characteristics to our grapes.

We have four different soil types over limestone. The two predominant soil types are a rich friable red and black volcanic loam over clays and limestone, and in some sites the limeston dominates the loam. The other two soil types are a quartz gravel mixed with red ironstone and ironstone (called buckshot) in grey sandy loam with a heavy clay base. The soils are well drained and of low fertility. They compare with the best sites for pinot and chardonnay anywhere in the world.

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