The pedigree of the By Farr label is indisputable. Gary Farr rose to fame as head winemaker at Bannockburn, having honed his craft while working vintages in the world's best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay regions including Oregon, California, and of course, the Cote d'Or of Burgundy at Domaine Dujac. After expanding his travels to include France's Rhone Valley, portfolio additions of Shiraz and Viognier soon materialised. Gary was named Qantas/Wine Magazine Winemaker of the Year 2001 while his son Nick, having followed in his father's footsteps and working vintages in the same regions, was a finalist in Gourmet Traveller's Australian Winemaker of the Year awards in 2013. The duo produces two ranges; By Farr, a collection of complex, site-derived wines, and Farr Rising, wines made in a more approachable style for more immediate consumption. With free-draining, infertile soils, the Farr's vineyard holdings compare with the world's best for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay production.
The By Farr chardonnay comes from the same site as the Sangreal pinot noir—composed of red soil over limestone—and was planted in 1994. The limestone of this site is not exposed on the surface as at other sites. The limestone starts 20 to 30cm below the surface, to the depths of the root zone of the vines. It is a very exposed north-facing slope. The clones used for the chardonnay are a mixture of Dijon clones and Penfolds 58.