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All tasting notes
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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.6 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 10 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Annikaochanders on 12/15/2023 & rated 92 points: Fabolous chardonnay - balanced with an oaky touch. (475 views) | | | Tasted by SirJ on 11/24/2023 & rated 93 points: Wine tasting 24/11
Held a wine tasting where the theme was Chardonnay from different parts of the world. We tried six different producers where my idea was to pit a Premier Cru from Burgundy against five other producers to blindly test and see what possible differences we could find.
All six wines have gone through malolactic fermentation and all have been aged for a certain amount of time in oak barrels. All but one wine (By Farr) has been on its lees (Sur Lie). All wines were decanted 30 – 60 minutes before tasting.
Three of the wines come from several different vineyard locations:
House of Smith – Sixto Uncovered Chardonnay 2019
USA / Washington State / Columbia Valley.
Alcohol 14.0%
Calera Chardonnay Central Coast 2021
USA / California / Central Coast
Alcohol 14.5%
Failla Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2019
USA / California / Sonoma County
Alcohol 13.5%
Three of the wines came from a specific vineyard location:
Les Héritiers Saint-Genys Mercurey 1er Cru Clos Marcilly Blanc 2019
France / Burgundy / Côte Chalonnaise / Mercurey
Alcohol 14.0%
Gala Vinnarstvi Chardonnay Hermes 2020
Czech Republic / Moravia / Perná
Alcohol 13.0%
By Farr Chardonnay 2021
Australia / Victoria / Geelong
Alcohol 13.5%
I presented all the wines first, origin, terroir, what altitude and a little about the philosophy of the respective winemaker. Then we tested all the wines blindly where everyone had to decide their respective top three wines for the evening;
3rd wine 1 p
2nd wine 2 p
1st wine 3 p
No prices were revealed before the tasting, but everyone was looking for the wine from Burgundy, thinking it would be the most expensive. All six wines were very good, and very difficult to distinguish in many ways. No over oaked wines (phew) but good fruit and more or less well-balanced oak.
After scoring, the outcome was as follows:
Failla Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2019 - 0 points (my score 90 p)
House of Smith – Sixto Uncovered Chardonnay 2019 - 2 points (my score 89 p)
Calera Chardonnay Central Coast 2021 - 6 points (my score 90 p)
Les Héritiers Saint-Genys Mercurey 1er Cru Clos Marcilly Blanc 2019 - 8 points (my score 92 p)
Gala Vinnarstvi Chardonnay Hermes 2020 - 10 points (my score 91 p)
By Farr Chardonnay 2021 - 10 points (my score 93 p)
Compilation
Blind tasting is incredibly interesting, and difficult, but usually gives a fairly fair picture of the wines. What we found most interesting was that all three wines that were specific vineyard locations ended up in the top 3.
What surprised many was that the Czech wine from Vinnartsi Gala shared first place, I was not surprised, one of my favorites for sublime well-balanced Chardonnay. That By Farr's Chardonnay also ends up at the top was not surprising, here it is the terroir that really ends up in the first place, limestone, limestone...limestone, the fruit is also extremely elegant. Those of you who have not tried By Farr's Pinot Noir should do so, very fine wines.
In third place Premier Cru Héritiers Saint-Genys, a wine that really performed and would probably have been rated higher a few hours later with a little more time in the glass.
Also have to give + points to the Caleras Chardonnay, near the podium, a clear fruit that appealed to many. But as said before, all six wines were very good, small margins. A very appreciated test, and instructive.
And the price level of these wines, cheapest Calera with its SEK 279, most expensive By Farr SEK 580. All wines purchased at SB except Gala which is bought in the Czech Republic.
Then the evening ended with three very good red wines:
Failla Pinor Noir Lola 2017 (my score 92 p)
Two Handes Shiraz Ares 2014 (my score 91 p)
Lunae Niccolo V 2016 (my score 91 p) - Great wine for €25
Wine is fun friends! (500 views) | | | Tasted by JonnyG on 8/12/2023 & rated 92 points: My first encounter with this producer, and I was quite pleased. Good tension and energy, crisp and vibrant, with rich, concentrated stone fruit, citrus and a touch of nuttiness. Good upside from here. (675 views) | | | Tasted by Ennels on 7/17/2023 & rated 93 points: Citrus, apple, white fruit, and oak. Well-balanced and wonderfully delicious. The oak is beautifully integrated, and the acidity is perfect. A few years in the cellar will likely bring out more butter and nutty flavors as it's currently very young and fruity, but still amazingly tasty. (591 views) | | | Tasted by graemeg on 5/28/2023: Real Review Top Wineries tasting (Ovolo Hotel Woolloomooloo): {13.5%, diam, $100} Nuts, malo and sweet oak. Concerto for winemaker & orchestra. Sweetly-fruited on the palate too, buttery, generous, with yellow fruit characters. Medium acid, medium/full body. There’s quite a performance going on here; the worst you’d say is it’s a bit bombastic. May age, but seems like an early drinker – I find the price a bit silly though. If you want this style well executed you should be able to get it for half the cost of this. (601 views) | | | Tasted by chatters on 5/28/2023: Real Review - Top Wineries of Australia (Ovolo, Wooloomooloo): Rich, concentrated, good oak, stone fruit, toasted nuts, slight butter. Citrus notes are more to the fore on the palate, slightly coarse texture, very slight alcohol warmth helps carry this long. Nice (1050 views) | | | Tasted by Romz on 2/26/2023 & rated 94 points: 26022023 - 5 ⭐️ luncheon hosted by SKT with 14 bottles of wines & 2 aged cognacs. Definitely my white wine of the day. Thank you bro Joe Yee Wong this blind bottle. Delighted that I guessed this right as an Aussie Chard but not from MR. Bracing and juicy acidity, lots of freshly squeezed lemon & citrus peel, flint, some stone fruit and very elegant “green” or herbaceous notes that I usually detect in Aussie Chards. It is a cross between a fresh asparagus & grapefruit with some minerality. Delicious! (696 views) | | | Tasted by LB88 on 9/12/2022 & rated 93 points: This was opened and within about 30 mins this was super approachable with white flowers and a delicate white fruit palate. So fresh and delicious (542 views) | | | Tasted by chatters on 7/17/2022: Real Review - Top Wineries of Australia (Est. Restaurant, George Street, Sydney): A little of that chicken herb thing, wild ferment funkiness, sweet spice, biscuit, lemon over stone fruit. Juicy, palate very much a reflection of the nose, a little textured burr tugs at the tongue. Time will help - needs to come together. (754 views) |
| By Farr 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.
By Farr ChardonnayCHARDONNAY BY FARR
Vineyard
The By Farr chardonnay comes from the same site as the Sangreal pinot noir—composed of red soil over limestone—and was planted in 1994. The limestone of this site is not exposed on the surface as at other sites. The limestone starts 20 to 30cm below the surface, to the depths of the root zone of the vines. It is a very exposed north-facing slope. The clones used for the chardonnay are a mixture of Dijon clones and Penfolds 58.
Vinification
The fruit is hand-picked then whole-bunch pressed in the winery. All the solids are collected and chilled before being put to barrel, which are 30 per cent new French oak. A natural fermentation will occur at cool temperatures over the next one to two months, and then a small amount of stirring helps start malolactic fermentation. The wine is then racked, fined and lightly filtered before bottling 11 months after picking. A very mineral site for chardonnay.
Tasting Note
The trademark characteristics of the wine produced on our site are understated power and length with a mineral finish. The wine has a great fruit expression that is well integrated with French oak. The soil characteristics have come through in the style of wine we have today. The palate is fine but firm, with great acidity, texture and length. This wine is rich in flavour, yet very refined.Chardonnay The Chardonnay GrapeAustralia Wine Australia (Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation) | Australian Wines (Wikipedia)Victoria Wines of Victoria (Victorian Wine Industry Association) |
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