Winemaking and Drinking
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In the rolling curves of Victoria’s Moorabool Valley, where cool breezes temper the Australian sun, there’s a small vineyard with a very big reputation: By Farr’s Sangreal Pinot Noir. The name, a nod to the “Holy Grail,” is more than just romantic branding it’s an acknowledgment of the wine’s almost mythical status among Australian Pinots.
Origins
Planted in 1994, Sangreal is the oldest vineyard on the Farr estate, set on a north facing slope rich in bluestone, limestone, and rust red ironstone soils. These ancient earths, along with the site’s aspect, produce fruit of exceptional purity and character. Originally planted with Burgundy’s 114 and 115 clones, the vines have slowly evolved into what the Farr family call the “Sangreal clone,” an identity shaped entirely by this patch of land.
The custodians of this treasure are Gary Farr, one of Australia’s pioneering Pinot Noir winemakers, and his son Nick Farr. Gary’s formative years at Domaine Dujac in Burgundy taught him the value of precision, patience, and restraint lessons that run through every bottle. Nick, bringing his own energy and nuance, works alongside him, the two seamlessly blending old world tradition with an Australian sense of place.
Winemaking
The Sangreal is handled with minimal interference. Around 60–70% of the fruit is fermented as whole bunches in large, open top oak fermenters, preceded by a gentle cold soak. Wild yeasts drive fermentation over the course of a week or more, before the wine spends about 18 months in a mix of new and seasoned French oak. It’s bottled unfiltered, with only one racking after malolactic fermentation every decision made to preserve the vineyard’s voice.
Tasting
The result? A wine that’s simultaneously fragrant, elegant, and quietly powerful. Aromas of cherry, raspberry, and wild strawberry rise from the glass, laced with hints of forest floor, spice, and a faint, earthy musk. On the palate, it’s seamless bright acidity, supple tannins, and lingering notes of red fruit and oak spice that seem to hum rather than shout.
Awards and Accolades
It’s no stranger to accolades. The 2016 vintage, for example, earned 97 points in the Australian Wine Companion and was ranked among the country’s top Pinots. Devotees—critics and casual drinkers alike regularly describe Sangreal as seductive, timeless, and almost impossible to forget.
In the end, Sangreal is exactly what its name promises: a wine worth seeking out, a rare expression of place and craft, and a reminder that sometimes the Grail isn’t a cup it’s a glass.
| Wine Type | Red wine |
| Producer | By Farr |
| State | Victoria |
| Region | Geelong |
| Variety | Pinot Noir |
| Year | 2022 |
| Volume | 750 mL |
| Alcohol | 13.5% |
