Torbreck
About Torbreck
Established in 1994 on the Western Ridge of the Barossa Valley in an appellation named Marananga, Torbreck is the brainchild of former lumberjack David Powell. A former lumberjack, he named the estate after a forest in Scotland. The estate's first release in 1997 gained magnificent praise. In 2002 they acquired their historic property in Lyndoch, and then in 2008, the estate was bought by Pete Knight. Today, with the prodigious stewardship of Ian Hongell, this estate has rapidly ascended into the Australian elite.
Torbreck "has it all" - it has some of the finest terroirs in Barossa, a superstar winemaking team and multiple vineyards planted exclusively with vines well over 100 years old. To this day, Torbreck sources much of the fruit used to produce its incredible wines from selected farmers throughout the region - a continuation of David Powell's early belief in the concept of "shared farming". The team at Torbreck are highly involved in the farming regimes at their contractors' sites, but the belief that generational growers can coax the best out of their family terroirs is firmly held by Ian Hongell et al.
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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South Australia | 1 | 98 (WA) |
Inc. TAX
€1,580.87 |
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Wine Advocate (98)As usual, the 2017 RunRig is approximately 2% Viognier. It spent almost 30 months in oak, 40% of which was new. Hints of peach or apricot appear on the nose, alongside notes of hickory smoke, cherries and baking spices. It's full-bodied and concentrated but supple and silky enough to seem lighter in the mouth, showing tremendous length and elegance on the finish, where it adds nuances of cinnamon and cocoa. |
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South Australia | 1 | 99 (DC) |
Inc. TAX
€1,364.87 |
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Decanter (99)The must-try wine Tightly wound yet with cashmere tannins, soft kid-glove oak and cut-finger minerality. The anise, clove and cinnamon-edged palate is unbelievably svelte, like melted chocolate. On day two, succulent, spicy cherry fruit emerges, with blackberry liqueur, roses and violets. Savoury cep undertones, graphite and cedar follow through on an endless finish. A stunning blend of six old vineyards, one planted in the 1850s. |
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South Australia | 1 | 97 (WA) |
Inc. TAX
€1,087.98 |
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Wine Advocate (97)A blend of 94% Shiraz and 6% Viognier aged in second fill barriques (all French oak), the 2016 Descendant features lovely floral aromas, accented by blueberries and a hint of apricot. On the palate, it's full-bodied, rich and creamy in texture, hugely mouthfilling yet somehow without excessive weight or heat, while the plush, velvety finish adds a hint of dark chocolate. It's a terrific success at a still-reasonable price for the quality. |
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South Australia | 1 | 97 (WA) |
Inc. TAX
€693.68 |
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Wine Advocate (97)Torbreck's 2016 The Factor incorporates what winemaker Ian Hongell calls their "most structured Shiraz, from a lot of ironstone soils." It spends two years in French oak barriques, half of which were new, so it shows hints of cedar pencil shavings and toasted coconut layered over ripe blackberries and spice. Full-bodied, rich and velvety, it finishes long, with terrific energy and drive. It should prove to be one of the longest-lived wines from this lineup. |
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South Australia | 2 | 98 (JS) |
Inc. TAX
€976.07 |
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James Suckling (98)A pristine nose of ripe and intense blackberries, blueberries and redcurrants, as well as some sanguine, rust-like notes. This is an excellent edition of The Factor. I like the power and focus this wine delivers and, in 2018, it is a wine of great length and presence. Abundant ripe blackberries bathe the palate. Try from 2025. |
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South Australia | 1 | 99 (JS) |
Inc. TAX
€2,185.88 |
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James Suckling (99)A distinctive and very concentrated, single-parcel shiraz that offers a rich plum and raisin nose with plenty of tarry notes and a swathe of baking spices. The palate is packed with rich, dark-plum and black-fruit flavors and the long, strong hold on the finish lasts for minutes. So intense, this is their finest Laird to date. Best from 2028. |
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South Australia | 1 | 93 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€298.07 |
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Vinous (93)Opaque ruby. Lush, dark berry and fruitcake scents are complemented by suggestions of candied flowers and backing spices. Sappy and focused on entry and then fleshier in the mid-palate, offering ripe blackberry, cherry and allspice flavors and a hint of cola. Closes very long and smooth, with slowly building tannins lending gentle grip. |
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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|
South Australia | 1 | 98 (WA) |
In Bond
€1,295.00 |
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Wine Advocate (98)As usual, the 2017 RunRig is approximately 2% Viognier. It spent almost 30 months in oak, 40% of which was new. Hints of peach or apricot appear on the nose, alongside notes of hickory smoke, cherries and baking spices. It's full-bodied and concentrated but supple and silky enough to seem lighter in the mouth, showing tremendous length and elegance on the finish, where it adds nuances of cinnamon and cocoa. |
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|
South Australia | 1 | 99 (DC) |
In Bond
€1,115.00 |
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Decanter (99)The must-try wine Tightly wound yet with cashmere tannins, soft kid-glove oak and cut-finger minerality. The anise, clove and cinnamon-edged palate is unbelievably svelte, like melted chocolate. On day two, succulent, spicy cherry fruit emerges, with blackberry liqueur, roses and violets. Savoury cep undertones, graphite and cedar follow through on an endless finish. A stunning blend of six old vineyards, one planted in the 1850s. |
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|
South Australia | 1 | 97 (WA) |
In Bond
€888.00 |
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Wine Advocate (97)A blend of 94% Shiraz and 6% Viognier aged in second fill barriques (all French oak), the 2016 Descendant features lovely floral aromas, accented by blueberries and a hint of apricot. On the palate, it's full-bodied, rich and creamy in texture, hugely mouthfilling yet somehow without excessive weight or heat, while the plush, velvety finish adds a hint of dark chocolate. It's a terrific success at a still-reasonable price for the quality. |
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|
South Australia | 1 | 97 (WA) |
In Bond
€563.00 |
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Wine Advocate (97)Torbreck's 2016 The Factor incorporates what winemaker Ian Hongell calls their "most structured Shiraz, from a lot of ironstone soils." It spends two years in French oak barriques, half of which were new, so it shows hints of cedar pencil shavings and toasted coconut layered over ripe blackberries and spice. Full-bodied, rich and velvety, it finishes long, with terrific energy and drive. It should prove to be one of the longest-lived wines from this lineup. |
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|
South Australia | 2 | 98 (JS) |
In Bond
€791.00 |
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James Suckling (98)A pristine nose of ripe and intense blackberries, blueberries and redcurrants, as well as some sanguine, rust-like notes. This is an excellent edition of The Factor. I like the power and focus this wine delivers and, in 2018, it is a wine of great length and presence. Abundant ripe blackberries bathe the palate. Try from 2025. |
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|
South Australia | 1 | 99 (JS) |
In Bond
€1,810.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (99)A distinctive and very concentrated, single-parcel shiraz that offers a rich plum and raisin nose with plenty of tarry notes and a swathe of baking spices. The palate is packed with rich, dark-plum and black-fruit flavors and the long, strong hold on the finish lasts for minutes. So intense, this is their finest Laird to date. Best from 2028. |
|||||||||
|
South Australia | 1 | 93 (VN) |
In Bond
€226.00 |
|||||
Vinous (93)Opaque ruby. Lush, dark berry and fruitcake scents are complemented by suggestions of candied flowers and backing spices. Sappy and focused on entry and then fleshier in the mid-palate, offering ripe blackberry, cherry and allspice flavors and a hint of cola. Closes very long and smooth, with slowly building tannins lending gentle grip. |