Museum Release
2022 Hurley Vineyards 'Hommage' Pinot Noir
$103 | Offer: $95
$
"Hommage is the name given to the north-east-facing, most sheltered block of Pinot at Hurley, planted in the late 1990s in deep red volcanic soil. Mostly G5V15 clone, with some MV6. This has a more complex, energetic character to it than the Garamond or Lodestone: more sour-cherry Morello fruit, glossy, then tart, snappy, tangy tannins in the mouth, some eucalypt, long and linear. Will be fascinating to see how this ages in the bottle." 16.5+/20 - JancisRobinson.com
Just-Landed Special
2023 Bachelet-Ramonet
Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru 'Les Grandes Ruchottes'
$235 | Offer: $229 | $224 in 3-Packs
Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru 'Les Grandes Ruchottes'
$
These wines are hidden gems (from some of the really great sites in Chassagne!). Bachelet-Ramonet is under the radar and the family is not good at promoting themselves so they are relatively cheap (1er Cru Chassagne here!). These are "on the money" - great quality, clean, tight, dense and as mentioned, great value.
This great lieu sits at the top of the slope between La Romanee and Caillerets, and it's also known as La Grande Montagne. This is taut and powerful, classy and ripe with deep flavours. The oak is well hidden, and it really needs a few years to open and for the inner core of latent power and richness to emerge. As an example the 2020 is now much richer than it appeared a few years ago, such is the "old-school" classicism.
Cheers, Randall
New Release | 2024/2025 By Farr
"It’s easy to say, now that we are where we are, that the By Farr endeavour was always going, at some stage, to move from excellent to elite, or from very good to superb. In wine, such a conclusion is never foregone, and no matter how hard anyone tries, it will forever remain out of the reach of most. And yet, By Farr is now here; it is one of the best, a leader on all quality fronts." James Halliday
The new core range of By Farr is hot off the press from Moorabool Valley, delivering their expected and benchmark Burgundian standards. Trademark concentration, power and precision yet again define a new release that remarkably retains a distinct sense of place, effortlessly slotting into a growing canon of Australian icons. Explore the online shop linked below, too, for a rare chance at snagging some back vintage bottles!
2025 Chardonnay
Offer: $109
There’s a not-so-quiet Chardonnay revolution happening in Australia — and By Farr’s been a leader of the story for years. Same vineyard as Sangreal: red dirt, limestone, planted in ’94, the 2025 Chardonnay is all about balance — ripe fruit, salted almonds, flinty edges and that chalky, bone-dry precision. It’s generous but never loud. People around the world are starting to catch on: the best Aussie Chardonnays are right up there, and this one fits right in.
2024 Shiraz
Offer: $109
Planted in 1994, the Shiraz vines sit on a north-facing slope of red volcanic soil, underpinned by limestone and deep-set sandstone. Warm and spicey, it lands more in northern Rhône than classic Aussie Shiraz. Black olive, lavender, crushed black pepper, a flicker of oak spice — all wrapped in a savoury, silken frame. There’s a coolness to it, sharpened by bright acidity. It’s elegant and expressive - and a clear example of what cool-climate Shiraz can be in the right hands.
2024 Farrside Pinot Noir
Offer: $109
Situated on a cooler, northeast-facing slope of volcanic topsoil over limestone, the Farrside vineyard was planted in 2001. Just 300 metres from Sangreal, its darker soils and later picking window result in a markedly different Pinot.
With two decades of evolution behind it, the 2024 Farrside presents a more nuanced character than earlier releases. The fruit shows ripeness and breadth, but the wine is anything but overblown — but is texturally generous, creamy plush on the mid-palate with a savoury, spicy edge that lingers. This also drinks wonderfully with some time in cellar.
2023 Sangreal Pinot Noir
Offer: $135
This north-facing slope, planted in ’94, draws long sunlight hours across its ironstone-streaked bluestone and limestone soils. From that comes a wine that speaks in radiant tones. The Sangreal is defined by flow — a wine that opens with tension and finishes with fanning tannins and embraces an entirely complete and 'effeminate' framework. While it’s unmistakably perfumed and pretty, there’s a spine of acidity and intent that gives it purpose.
