The OLD BRIDGE

2008 TOUT PRÈS PINOT NOIR, By Farr. Geelong, Victoria, Australia

Alcohol Percentage: 13.5%
Area: By Farr are based in Geelong, about 80km west of Melbourne. It's not a beautiful area but the cooling ocean breezes and the aged limestone soils make it ideal for growing Pinot Noir. Tout Près is a single, densely planted vineyard (7,500 vines per hectare)
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir, all fermented with 'whole bunches', all matured in new oak for a year
Producer: Gary Farr and his son Nick have 33 acres of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Both have worked many vintages at the much revered Domaine Dujac in Morey-St-Denis - where the Seysses family are great believers in the use of whole bunches for fermentation. (It results in paler colours, but finer aromatics)
Cellar Potential: 2012-2018
Old Bridge Rating: Expensive, for sure, but this is fine, delicate, very 'pure' Pinot Noir of a kind that you will rarely find outside Burgundy. This is Farr's top wine and, amazingly, does not show the new oak at all
Press Reviews: www.jancisrobinson.com - "17.5+ Drink 2011-2018. More earth and over-ripe, leaf litter character: like a condensed version of the Farrside. Wonderful elegance and such a long haunting finish. (RH)"
TheWineDetective.co.uk, Sarah Ahmed, September 2011 - "This is a wonderfully earthy, deep and resonant Pinot Noir with layer upon layer of spice, forest floor, chocolate and earth to its concentrated sweet and sour cherry fruit. Ripe velvety suede tannins seemingly cleave to the mouth intensifying the flavours on a finish which steadily builds in the mouth. Terrific."

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