Description
Irrewarra is one of Australia’s most brilliant winemakers pushing himself further, delving into new territory and giving voice to another captivating landscape. Made by Pinot superstar, Nick Farr of By Farr. The name is an Aboriginal term meaning “long spear throw” – and it’s partly the thrill of the hunt that drew Nick Farr to this frontier in the heart of Western District farming country, approximately 150 kilometres south-west of Melbourne near Colac 40 odd kms from Bass Strait. The slope is a mixture of grey sandy clay loams at the south end, to dark brown loams with fragments of buckshot and quartz gravels towards the north – all with underlying brown to yellow clays. Overall the soils remain very moist throughout the year, lending an attractive, spicy, damp-earth depth to these exceptional wines. Harvest comes in April after a steady, drawn-out growing season, resulting in great fruit expression and a deceptively long, mineral palate. “It’s a site that demands attention,” says Nick Farr
Vineyard owners John and Bronwyn Calvert, of Irrewarra Sourdough Bakery, share with the Farr family an appreciation of honest, homegrown food and wine. The vineyard was planted in 2001 to a mixture of clones on their own roots. It’s predominantly Pinot Noir, with six acres, with a further two acres planted to Chardonnay. When Nick learned from John in 2011 that the vineyard had been left untended for a couple of years, he jumped at the chance to work with it. 2012 was his first vintage handling the fruit, and the Farrs now have a long-term lease in place, giving Nick the freedom to explore a completely new challenge.
All MV6 clone. 30% new oak. A bit of deep garam masala-type spice on the nose, which is fruity (no whole bunch here) with raspberry and plum-like red fruit notes with an elegant lick of creamy oak . A sense of warm, damp earth. First impression in the mouth is round and juicy before a sharper sense of cranberry, cherry and peppery spice comes through. The depth is marked by earthiness and a cherry liqueur note, then light, clean, fresh and long through the finish.
About this wine ….“Spice grip and char then softness, then more tart bright sinewy notes. The nose is petals and perfume, then darker, richer barrel notes. It has a really lovely aroma. Actually, calling it lovely diminishes it somewhat, this is unique, complex and entirely appealing for those looking for something more from a glass of Pinot Noir. There is a different oak profile maybe, something smokier, something more angular. It really works with this wine, even if I’m wrong about the new oak regime. Whatever it is, be it new or just more present, adds a layer to this wine.” Ben Knight, Wine Educator & Journalist, benandwine.com
Top notch Pinot offering here… Sweat and sour cherries, earth, spice and a lovely elegant structure.
96 points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review “Good depth of purple tinged colour, the bouquet super expressive and loaded with dried-herb, dried seaweed, iron/ferrous savouriness, dried cherry as well, but the bouquet is very savoury and the opposite of a fruit bomb. On the palate it’s very intense and powerful, with a gorgeous core of sweet cherry fruit, liberal fine grained tannins providing the structure and the length also remarkable. Seems whole-bunchy but there is zero whole bunch in the ferment. Very much a Farr style of pinot and from memory the best Irrewarra I’ve seen to date.”
RRP$79 **Our Special Price $69.99** – LIMITED STOCK!
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