Description
Gary Farr is one of Australia’s Pinot pioneers and knows more about Pinot than anyone! He began at Bannockburn wines in the 80’s and with his son Nick (combined) they have done 20 vintages at Domaine Dujac in Morey-St-Denis in Burgundy. Their vineyard (planted in 1994) is located at Bannockburn (near Geelong) and planted on volcanic soils over limestone. Their winemaking influence is very Burgundian (natural yeast, whole bunch fermentation and long maceration for the reds) to produce wines that reflect their terroir with pure primary fruit characters and savoury depth, structure and longevity. I regard their Pinots and Chardonnay as up there with the best in land. …Their wines are rated in the Top Ten wines in their categories every year in James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion.
Nick Farr was named 2021 Gourmet Traveller ‘Winemaker of the Year’ & 2022 Real Review ‘Winery of the Year’.
ABOUT the wine by Nick Farr: “The GC Chardonnay (GC – Gary Charles) is attributed to all the knowledge we have been able to extract from Gary to create a close planted/high density planting of chardonnay on an exposed côte. These hillsides facing North, North East and East will be the backbone of the Farr dynasty for decades to come.They consist of the most suitable clones, rootstocks, trellising and management you will find for our landscape.
“This is our tribute to what ‘Gazza’ has achieved and provoked over 40 years not only in our region but for chardonnay and pinot noir of Australia.
“The North côte is a red to brown loam with buckshot stones across the surface. The most exposed of the three côtes, the North côte is harvested last of all because of the large amount of clay, holding valuable moisture for a much longer time than the other slopes. The East côte is divided through the centre of the slope by a rise. Black volcanic soil with fragmented limestone in one direction and grey loam with buckshot stones in the other direction. Soil is King as the East côte has the least amount of clay and therefore least water-holding capacity resulting in it being harvested first even though it is the coolest côte of the three.”
TASTING NOTE, by Ben Knight for Nick Farr – “You get in trouble for making links to Australian wine being like Burgundy, and I agree, we don’t make wine like Burgundy. All I’m saying, is that when I sat outside with dinner and had a glass of the GC, it reminded me of the time I sat in the square in Meursault and chose the “expensive” glass of wine. That smell of chalky cellars and stone fruit mixed with barrel char and something match stick like. A softness and tension that’s more like a gentle pull than either or .. A green gold colour in the glass, tending towards straw, it’s crystal clear, and if liquid can appear chiselled, then this is it. The nose is restrained yet detailed, a common thread from this house. It’s precise yet comforting. It’s redolent of light caramel (I shouldn’t lead off with that, but it’s there) ripe nectarine, struck match; faintly, and barrel spice. I guess the caramel note is more appropriately a creaminess with warm barrel notes, but who has time to explain it all. The palate leaves you feeling relaxed, a lovely softness and masked acidity that makes your mouth water, but not feel like you’ve encountered too much acid. It’s alarmingly supple and easy to drink and the way it sits quietly in the glass makes it easy to see how these types of great wines can easily be overlooked for loud, brash, show ponies. Exquisite, perhaps, peerless, unquestionably.”
Review of the 2021 .. 97 Points – Stewart Knox THE REAL REVIEW “Pale lemon in the glass with a fragrant bouquet of lemon curd, white flowers, and hints of roasting hazelnuts. The power and intensity of the palate is what stops you in your tracks here, it builds and builds to a crescendo of ripe peach, grapefruit pith and smoky nut characters, all the while being deftly lifted and carried by a persistent acidity and the subtlest hint of phenolics. Prodigious length and keeps its power right to the end 03 JAN 2023 Drink 2023–2033”
LAST OF THIS EXCEPTIONAL VINTAGE – Our Price $159.99
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