2023 By Farr GC Chardonnay Côte Vineyard

The 2023 By Farr GC Chardonnay Côte Vineyard is one of Australia’s benchmark cool-climate Chardonnays, crafted in a distinctly Burgundian-inspired style. Sourced from the prized Côte Vineyard in Bannockburn, this wine combines precision, minerality and depth, making it a standout choice for collectors and Chardonnay enthusiasts alike. Named for Gary Charles Farr (“GC”), it showcases the family’s most refined expression of Geelong Chardonnay, marrying old-world sensibilities with the unique character of Victorian terroir.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2023 GC Chardonnay shines a pale straw to light gold, with a subtle green hue hinting at its youth and tension. The nose is immediately complex and seductive: struck flint and wet stone mingle with white peach, nectarine, lemon curd and grapefruit pith, layered with nuances of toasted hazelnut, cashew, nougat and a gentle creamy lift from quality French oak. There’s a faint saline edge and smoked spice character that add detail and intrigue. On the palate, this is tightly focused yet powerful, with a fine, chalky structure and beautifully integrated acidity. Ripe stone fruits and citrus drive the core, supported by hints of pear, brioche, grilled almonds and subtle matchstick reduction. The oak is polished and seamlessly woven, framing the fruit rather than dominating it. The finish is long, saline and mouthwatering, with lingering notes of citrus zest and mineral tension. While already impressive in its youth, this Chardonnay is built to evolve; with proper cellaring, it should develop greater texture, nutty complexity and honeyed layers over 8–10+ years.

Production
The GC Chardonnay is sourced from the Côte Vineyard in the Bannockburn area of Geelong, Victoria—a cool-climate site influenced by maritime breezes and underpinned by volcanic basalt over limestone and clay. This combination of free-draining topsoils and calcareous subsoils contributes to the wine’s hallmark minerality, tension and drive. The vines are close-planted and carefully managed to achieve low yields and high concentration, with hand harvesting ensuring only the healthiest, most balanced fruit is selected. In the cellar, the grapes are typically whole-bunch pressed and fermented with indigenous yeasts in high-quality French oak barriques, a portion of which are new, to build texture and complexity. Extended lees contact, with gentle bâtonnage as appropriate, adds creaminess and depth, while malolactic fermentation is carefully managed to retain freshness and energy. The result is a wine that expresses both the character of the site and the restrained, detail-driven winemaking of By Farr.

Food & Serving
This is a gastronomic Chardonnay that pairs beautifully with refined dishes. Think seared or roasted scallops, poached lobster with beurre blanc, grilled king prawns, or rich white fish such as turbot, snapper or Murray cod. It also shines alongside roasted chicken with tarragon, veal in a light cream sauce, truffle risotto, and dishes featuring mushrooms or subtle, creamy cheeses like Comté, Gruyère or aged Gruyere-style Australian cheeses. For best enjoyment, serve at 10–12°C; if too cold, allow it to warm slightly in the glass to reveal its full aromatic range. Young bottles will benefit from a gentle decant of 30–45 minutes to open up the nose and soften the reductive, flinty edge, while more mature bottles can be served straight from the bottle with a few minutes of aeration in the glass.

Producer
By Farr is one of Australia’s most respected family-run producers, based in Bannockburn in the Geelong region of Victoria. Founded by Gary Farr, whose experience in Burgundy—particularly with Domaine Dujac—has deeply influenced the estate’s philosophy, By Farr has become synonymous with site-driven, elegant Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that rival top cool-climate wines from around the world. Today, the estate is led by Gary and his son Nick Farr, whose collaboration has cemented By Farr’s reputation for meticulous vineyard work, low-intervention winemaking and a strong focus on terroir expression. Their single-vineyard bottlings, including the GC and Côte releases, are highly sought after by collectors and consistently receive critical acclaim, positioning By Farr as a benchmark producer not only in Geelong, but in the broader landscape of premium Australian wine.