By Farr Shiraz 2022

Shiraz with Pinot like elegance. The fruit comes from the original By Farr vineyard, planted in 1994. It lies on a north-facing slope, and the red volcanic soil has a base of limestone with deep-set sandstone.  

Although there are some wineries that can do it, it’s incredibly uncommon to have a Shiraz this racy, this fresh. Growing grapes this ripe but not overdone is an art in and of itself - the spice and savoury complexity without being green. Every sip reveals something a little better than the last. The nose takes about two seconds to hit you, dense plum and black cherry, black olive, white pepper and something chocolatey. Captivating.

All fruit is hand-picked from the VSP trellising, with 20% left as whole bunches in the fermentation. Most years we co-ferment between 2 and 4 per cent viognier with the shiraz, the date determining whether or not the former is co-fermented and bled back. It is a natural fermentation, with the fruit remaining in the tank for 19 days before pressing. Shiraz sees 18 months in French oak, 20% being new, and is bottled under vacuum.