By Farr Shiraz 2022

This was the bookend wine, the last of the 2022 releases that we tasted with Nick in the back of the shop. This is a fantastic expression of a cool climate Shiraz, black fruited, olive tapenade and smoke all in a line. Medium bodied in weight, soft tannin, ample acidity in support and a camphor, woody finish, there’s plenty going on. It might sit slightly in the shadow of the By Farr stable of Pinot, but it deserves a place in the spotlight, simply delicious drinking. Cameron, FWC.

At the risk of sounding over the top, this wine is impeccable, maybe a little more acid than Australian consumers want in their Shiraz, but that is perhaps their issue!  This is so un-Australian in style it’s not funny.  Although there are some wineries that can do it, it’s incredibly uncommon.  And by ‘doing it’, I mean getting the grapes to be ripe but not overdone, the spice and all that good stuff obvious without being green, and acid that lets you need another glass, every sip revealing 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.  That’s obviously too many things to mention, and reading it makes it sound too muddled, but in the glass it is captivating.  I can see through the wine, but there’s a telltale ruby rim.  The palate is similar to my aroma notes, almost too many flavours to mention, but it has a creaminess and lovely baked goods element too.  Maybe that’s just the Malo.  Whatever it is, with the way the acid is present too, it’s so good.  Beautiful wine. Nick Farr, Producer.