2021 By Farr Farrside Pinot Noir

The 2021 By Farr Farrside Pinot Noir is a benchmark Australian Pinot from one of Victoria’s most respected family estates. Sourced from a cooler, wind-swept site in Bannockburn, Geelong, this cuvée delivers a darker, more brooding expression of Pinot Noir while retaining remarkable finesse and detail. Farrside is prized by collectors and sommeliers alike for its ability to combine Old World structure with New World purity of fruit.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2021 Farrside Pinot Noir shows a deep ruby hue with garnet edges, hinting at concentration and age-worthiness. The nose opens with layers of dark cherry, black plum and wild raspberry, woven together with savoury notes of dried herbs, forest floor, star anise and gentle wood smoke. Subtle hints of violet, graphite and spice oak sit in the background, adding complexity without dominating. On the palate, this is a structured, textural Pinot Noir, with fine yet assertive tannins framing a core of dark, tightly coiled fruit. Flavours of black cherry, mulberry and blood orange peel are lifted by savoury, almost ferrous undertones, plus charcuterie and roasted beet notes. A streak of cool-climate acidity runs through the wine, giving it precision and length, while quality French oak contributes spice, cedar and a touch of cocoa on the long, savoury finish. The 2021 vintage has the depth and balance to reward patience; it is already expressive but will comfortably evolve and gain further complexity over 8–12 years in a good cellar.

Production
Farrside is sourced from By Farr’s cooler, more exposed Pinot Noir block in Bannockburn, Geelong, where dark volcanic loam overlays limestone and clay, and persistent winds naturally limit yields and enhance concentration. The vineyard is farmed with a strong focus on soil health and site expression, using careful canopy management and low-intervention viticulture to achieve perfectly balanced, small-berried fruit. Grapes are hand-harvested in small parcels and sorted meticulously before fermentation. The wine is typically fermented with a significant proportion of whole bunches and indigenous yeasts to build aromatic lift, structure and savoury complexity. After a gentle maceration and pressing, the wine is matured in quality French oak barriques (a notable portion new) for an extended period, allowing tannins to integrate and the distinctive Farrside character—dark fruit, spice and minerality—to fully emerge before bottling with minimal fining or filtration.

Food & Serving
This is a serious, gastronomic Pinot Noir that shines at the table. Pair it with roast duck, confit duck legs, game birds such as quail or partridge, or slow-roasted lamb shoulder. It also works beautifully with mushroom dishes—wild mushroom risotto, truffled pasta, or porcini-based sauces—and with richer poultry preparations like coq au vin. Semi-hard cheeses such as Comté, Gruyère or aged cheddar are also excellent partners. Serve at 14–16°C to highlight its aromatic complexity and freshness. Decanting for 45–60 minutes in its youth helps open the bouquet and soften the structure; older bottles (8+ years) can be served with a brief, gentle decant to separate any sediment.

Producer
By Farr is a highly acclaimed, family-run estate based in Bannockburn in the Geelong region of Victoria, Australia, founded by Gary Farr and now run alongside his son, Nick. Over the past few decades, By Farr has played a key role in proving that Australian Pinot Noir and Chardonnay can rival top-tier examples from Burgundy in terms of finesse, complexity and age-worthiness. The estate’s vineyards, planted on a mosaic of volcanic, limestone and clay soils, are carefully matched to specific clones and rootstocks to express each site’s individuality. By Farr has earned an impressive collection of top scores and awards from leading wine critics and competitions, and its wines—particularly the single-site Pinots like Farrside—are now considered reference points for cool-climate Australian winemaking.