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ACellars Newsletter 3rd November , 2022 - BY FARR + BK WINES SATURDAY TASTING + HOFGUT FALKENSTEIN + WOTW

by Annandale Cellars
BY FARR

The name Farr is instantly recognisable for anyone who has even a passing interest in Australian wine. The Farr family is one of the multi-generational, stalwarts of the Moorabool Valley in the Geelong region of Victoria, who have been producing exceptional wines of elegance and class for decades.

The By Farr label was established by the notoriously brusque, yet incredibly well-respected, Gary Farr in 1994. Gary had been, up until that point, the winemaker at Bannockburn, having also completed numerous vintages at the vaunted Domaine Dujac in Burgundy. Together with his wife Robyn, Gary planted, grafted, tended, produced and created some of the finest vineyards and resultant wines in Australia - a position that By Farr still holds today.

Gary has since retired from the full-time management of By Farr, but he is succeeded by his son, Nick. Like his father, Nick completed vintages at Domaine Dujac (among others), bringing Burgundian technique and philosophy together with the Farr's uniquely Australian site. He also cut his teeth with his own label, Farr Rising, which won many accolades and praise over the years. Nick is not simply a worthy successor - he is an incredibly talented vigneron in his own right, and has taken By Farr to new heights.

 

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BK WINES

Tasting this Saturday, November 5th

3pm - 6pm

 

Brendon Keys creates art. Or as we like to call it, wine.

Having decided early on that #cheflife was not for him, Brendon threw in the teatowel to step into the winemaking ring, with a few creative and interesting side projects along the way. Studying viticulture and oenology in his native New Zealand, Brendon left the land of the long white cloud to begin a winemaking world tour that would take him and his wife Kirstyn from the McLaren Vale to the Napa Valley and to Argentina. But it was in the Adelaide Hills that they decided to call home. The quality and balance of the fruit spoke to Brendon. The Keys started up their BK Wines label in 2007 with the same artful skill and passion that Brendon had applied to his stints as a professional snowboarder and a DJ in London during the peak of the house music scene.

Working closely with growers to source exceptional grapes that reflect the individuality of a particular site, Brendon's approach to winemaking is minimalist yet creative. He has experimented with extended skin contact for both red and white varietals and nonconventional fermentation techniques. The current release is just the thing for spring with vibrant fruits and alluring aromas. The BK Wines truly are homemade. Enjoy them at home, perhaps with some house to mix it up on your own deck.

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Hofgut Falkenstein 



We've been following the wines of Hofgut Falkenstein for a few years now and have had the pleasure of trying a few bottles across each of the recent releases, including a magnum at one of our most recent staff parties. Each time we have been struck by the clarity and pure pleasure these wines offer.

The Weber family has been at the helm of this estate since the mid eighties with father and son team, Erich and Johannes now running all aspects of the estate. They farm a variety of sites across the Mosel and Saar, mostly focussing on Riesling however there are small holdings of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir too. Their vineyards pristine with a focus on biodiversity, shunning the use of herbicides and pesticides across the 9ha of land they farm.

Simplicity is the key for them. Winemaking is very straightforward without adjustments and sulfur is kept to a minimum. Whole bunches are pressed into old foudre via gravity for settling and then racked into its site specific foudre (designated by AP number) for ageing. Keen fans of their wines seek specific bottlings via the number as they have their preference and can see the evolution of the terroir and the vessel.

We were lucky enough to receive a small selection of each of the wines imported into Australia this year and highly recommend you give these a try.

 

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WINE OF THE WEEK

Bondar Violet Hour Shiraz 2021

Violet Hour is made with fruit coming from one of the most esteemed vineyards in McLaren Vale, the Rayner Vineyard which was planted back in the mid 40s. This wine is one of the best examples of Australian medium bodied Shiraz combining the spectrum of black and blue fruits handled with grace and finesse. Subtle tannin and just the right amount of oak spice make this a very friendly package. - Pete L

 

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