Philippa Farr’s back with two 2018 Pinot Noir wines
The daughter of Gary Farr has been known to fly under the radar as she continues to plough her own furrow in Gippsland and the Mornington Peninsula.
But Pip Farr has long garnered a cult following for her own label, which began with the 2012 vintage and a pair of Pinots from Gippsland and the Mornington Peninsula.
There’s a bad joke somewhere in all this about how the apple doesn’t fall Farr from the tree – and these wines ooze the class, complexity and range that you’d expect from this dynasty.
Reliably, then, the Pip Farr Pinots invite you to delve into good, pure fruit with depth and drive, allied to superb tannins that lend texture and fan out on the peacock tail finish.
2018 Philippa Farr Gippsland Pinot Noir $55
The Gippsland fruit comes with considerable vine age – almost 20 years – and is dominated by the MV6 clone. The vines are on a slight north-facing slope, and are cooled from the Bass Strait winds that are also known to also wreak havoc in spring at the pivotal times of flowering.
These wines continue to show a dominant thread of spice and savouriness, complemented by cherries and strawberry notes. The acidity is a reflection of the vintage and gives drive to the wine’s length and acts as the backbone to delicate tannins. – Pip Farr
Medium to full red colour with a tint of purple. Aromas of cherry, vanilla and chocolate, the palate fleshy and almost chunky, intense and firm but finely-textured and blessed with good line and length. Very good concentration and richness. A baby Pinot with real potential.
95 points. Huon Hooke, The Real Review June 2020
2018 Philippa Farr Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir $55
The fruit for the 2018 comes from the same vineyard we have been working with for the last few years. The vines are 20 years old and really hitting its straps. It’s predominantly clone 115, with some MV6 and 114. This vineyard is well protected and a consistently delivering southeast-facing slope, made up of rich red loam over course gravel.
As the emphasis is on the region, my comments repeat year in, year out of the Mornington wine. The 2018 is no exception. The fruit shines through on the nose of deep, dark berry notes and the palate of medium body weight is streamlined with the fine acid line. – Pip Farr
Medium red colour with a trace of purple. There are earthy, savoury, foresty aromas as opposed to primary fruit, the palate solid and a little straightforward, but it has depth and concentration, and probably just needs time to develop its full potential. Good tannin spine. Very long. Highly promising, but give it time.
95 points. Huon Hooke, The Real Review June 2020