Torbreck RunRig

 Torbreck offers a remarkable line of wines, priced from the $20s/bottle to the $700s or so. For drinkability, I have always enjoyed the mid priced wines the best; Struie, Gask, and in particular The Steading. I found wines like Factor and Les Amis too concentrated and ripe. Sure, this is what the grapes could give, but is it enjoyable? A bit of an exception has been RunRig. This blend from originally eight outstanding and old vineyards always had a bit of magic for me. I described the structure as if built like a skyscraper, with huge fruit weight and massive tannins. But there was always some balance and remarkable complexity.

After quite an absence, I enjoyed another vintage the other day: the 2016 Torbreck RunRig. I do not want to go into much detail on the flavours here. Chocolate and charred meat are dominant. This wine is no longer the poster boy of Parker wines. Yes, it is still very big and intense, but the 2016 version is more harmonious, and simply more enjoyable to drink. It could be argued that Torbreck lost some of its magic since the departure of David Powell, the original winemaker. However, judging by this example, RunRig has been tamed a bit, and this is for the better. This wine is an outstanding example of what a full-bodied Barossa Shiraz can deliver.

Score: 96/+++

Torbreck RunRig

The 2016 Torbreck RunRig is creating plenty of waves, even before its world-wide release on 1 June. This is due to its 100 point rating by Robert Parker, only the second time this has occurred in the 20 year life of this brand. I had an opportunity to taste this wine yesterday.

The first impression is; this wine has beautiful balance. It is lingering in the mouth and goes on and on. The colour of the wine is the usual impenetrable deep purple. Back to the flavour; this wine is delicious, great depth of fruit, unfolding in layers, not too heavy, with a rounded mouthfeel and silky tannins. The Viognier component does not stand out, but gives the wine a lift on the very long finish.

Make no mistake, this is a typical Torbreck wine with 15% alcohol, but the fruit can take it. It goes against the trend of lighter wines, but has probably shifted slightly to a fresher profile.

Score: 98/++

Am I swayed by the Parker rating? I hope not. Torbreck has access to the best and oldest Shiraz grapes in the Barossa Valley and in this release has fashioned a special wine. There is a word of caution, though, as I was able to compare this wine with the release from 10 years earlier, the 2006 Torbreck RunRig.

This wine had the 'advantage' of being poured from Magnum. And there was still some freshness in the wine. The flavour and structural profile was very similar to the 2016, but the fruit flavours were beginning to decline. The wine is now more savoury, the tannins are still silky, but the high alcohol (15.5%) is now starting to show, leading to a slightly hot finish.

Score: 94/0

The lesson from this comparison is to pick the drinking window of the 2016 RunRig carefully. It will definitely benefit from some maturity, but I would suggest to drink this wine earlier than what would be normal for a wine of this pedigree, maybe at 5 years of age. The fruit needs to still be strong to keep the alcohol in check.  

Torbreck RunRig

Back in Sydney, I decided to raid my cellar for a quintessential Australian red wine, the 2004 Torbreck RunRig. Torbreck has been facing a couple of headwinds, the departure of David Powell and the wine journalists drive against full-bodied Shiraz. And also, there has  been a question mark about the ageing ability of these wines.

Dealing with the last issue first, there is no problem with the age of this wine. It is not tired and drinking very well. This wine is a perfect example of a very ripe, yet lively wine. One element of this is the fact that Torbreck has access to the very best grapes in the Barossa. This wine is big, but the small Viognier component provides just the lift it needs. The blend is perfectly integrated and fills the mouth beautifully. Plum and blackberry flavours are integrated with new oak and smooth tannins. The finish is long and silky.

This is not a wine for everybody. However, it stands out as an example of a sun drenched, high quality Shiraz, which is a unique style not matched from any place in the Northern Hemisphere.

Score: 96/++ 

Torbreck The Gask

The Gask is the only Torbreck wine to come 100% from the Eden Valley. It is sourced from a single vineyard in what a number of people call the 'Golden Triangle', a secluded area in the middle of Eden Valley. Given the higher altitude than the Barossa, one would expect more vibrancy, maybe even pepper in this wine.

Alas! The 2005 Torbreck The Gask has none of it. At 15% alcohol, it is as big and beefy as Torbreck's Barossa wines. Admitted, 2005 was a hot year, but why make a special Eden Valley wine, if it tastes like a big Barossa? Meaty tones and dried fruit dominate. The wine finishes hot. On the positive side, the structure is solid and the wine would deliver with Wagyu beef. But is this why I open an Eden Valley Shiraz? - An opportunity missed.

Score: 89/--

Torbreck The Struie Shiraz

Dave Powell at Torbreck wants to produce ripe, full-bodied and voluptuous wines. They can be gorgeous. It is, however, disappointing to see some principles not changing in response to the variability of the season.

The 2005 Torbreck The Struie Shiraz comes from a hot vintage. Its fruit tastes overly ripe and somewhat porty. Even the Eden Valley fruit cannot lift this wine. It is too heavy. Obviously, as usual, the fruit was picked very late. The wine seems to suggest the optimum picking time was missed. I have recently tried the 2010, which was excellent, but this wine misses the mark.

Score: 87/--

Barossa Tastings, Day 1, Part 2

A new star: Torbreck


Visiting the Torbreck tasting room is always exciting, because the Torbreck policy is to open pretty much all wines, other than the Laird - a cheap way to taste very expensive wines.

My favorite of the small list of white wines is the Roussanne/Marsanne/Viognier with its toasty flavours. the 09 is attractive, but possibly a bit leaner than in previous years. It has a firm and satisfying finish (90 points).

But now onto the reds. The wines are all based on Rhone varieties and can be grouped into Shiraz based and other. I started with 'other'. The 2008 Steading is a classic GSM. The Mataro is prominent in this year, delivering vibrant fruit, a firm tannic structure, and a lifted finish (92 points). The 2007 Pict is the 100% Mataro from an old single-vineyard in Moppa. I liked this wine a lot. The redcurrant is not fruit forward, but quite savoury, as only old vines can deliver. At the same it is quite elegant and generous - a very well made wine (94 points). I have reviewed the 2009 Les Amis before. This is a very special Grenache, the best I have tasted. The raspberry fruit delivers a sweet core, but goes on and on. The silky tannins lead to a big and lasting finish (96 points).

The first of the Shirazes was the cheapest and probably the best. The 2010 Struie has quite a dark colour. The blackberry flavours are elegantly structured. The wine is spicy and a shining example of a well made Barossa Shiraz. Only 16% of its fruit is from Eden Valley this year (probably because the milder vintage delivered enough grape freshness and elegance in the Barossa Valley). The wine has good length and a silky finish (95 points).

The 2009 Celt is from a small block near the winery. The high price is more driven by its rarity than quality, I suggest. The wine is dark and big, and a bit unbalanced. It tastes as if this is not quite a finished product (92 points).

The 2008 Descendent is another outstanding wine. The Viognier component has softened the big Shiraz flavours. The grapes are well integrated. And although this wine is quite sweet, it is elegant with a silky finish (95 points).

The 2007 RunRig is disappointing. It is quite earthy and bitter (dead fruit?). The wine has good length and is obviously a substantial wine, but I wonder if it should have been made in 2007 (91 points).

Overall, the wines were impressive, as always. They tend to be big and ripe (although maybe less than 5 years ago) and not to everyone's taste, but one cannot deny that Torbreck uses excellent fruit and produces very special wines from it, which only the Barossa can deliver.

A forgotten winery: Sieber


This family winery is located at the Southern end of Seppeltsfield. I have never had these wines before and it is pretty clear that I did not miss much. It is actually surprising how bad these wines are, given the grapes grow on terra rossa soil over limestone.

I tried a couple of blends, GSM and Shiraz/Mataro from the 07 and 08 vintages. These wines were quite earthy and harsh. The very dry vintages sure did not help. I would score these wines 86/87 points. The 08 Ernest Shiraz is their standard Shiraz. It was earthy and minty, the fruit not very concentrated (82 points). The 2008 Special Release Shiraz was a bit more concentrated, but still harsh (85 points).

Should Sieber look for a different winemaker? But maybe it is just a hobby for this mixed farm.

Overall, a great day - not surprising if Henschke and Torbreck is on the program.

How well do premium Torbreck wines age?

There has been a question mark about the ageability of Torbreck wines because of their richness and ripeness of fruit and their relatively low level of natural acidity.

I like to drink Shiraz when it has developed complexity, but still shows levels of freshness and fruit. My usual drinking window for good Australian Shiraz is 6 to 9 years, with 7 the sweet spot. I prefer the leading wines more mature: Grange 20 years (depending on vintage), Hill of Grace 15 years.

Recently I drank a number of mature Torbreck wines: 2002 RunRig, 2001 Les Amis, 2002 Struie. How did they shape up? In summary, pretty well. The concentrated fruit was still there, although a bit drier than I would have liked. The tannins had lost some silkiness, but the structure of these wines was holding up well. The RunRig still had its sweet core, the Struie was quite smoky, whereas the Les Amis had lost some of its richness and was on the downhill slope.

Where does this put these wines? I think they are middle distance runners. Drinking them at 7 years is probably better than at 15.

Torbreck New Premium Shiraz Releases

The latest Torbreck Shiraz releases are from difficult hot years in the Barossa. Given this, they perform pretty well, but the prices are high. It might be better to wait for the 2009 wines.

The 2008 Torbreck The Struie is a Shiraz with fruit from the Barossa Valley as well as Eden Valley. The wine is quite smooth and shows the lifted flavours typical for Eden Valley. The fruit concentration is not as good as in other years (92 points).

The Factor has never been a favorite of mine. I find this Shiraz too ripe and concentrated to drink more than a glass of. And what for the rest of the evening? The 2007 Torbreck The Factor shows overripe fruit, the flavour is very meaty and the finish dull (90 points).

The 2007 Torbreck Descendant is much livelier, partly due to the Viognier component. This is a serious and also elegant wine with a lasting finish (94 points).

The 2007 Torbreck RunRig is a good wine, but will no doubt split the tasters. The wine is quite sweet, with plenty of chocolate besides the dark plum and blackcurrant fruit. The finish is good, but lacks the complexity of previous years (93 points).

Torbreck Les Amis Grenache

The 2009 Torbreck Les Amis is probably the best pure Grenache I have ever tasted. This is a big statement, but this is a very special wine.

This wine bursts out with big cherry flavours. It is a heady wine with a huge mouthfeel, length and depth of fruit, yet amazing balance. The finish goes on and on, creating a real 'wow' factor.

I have drunk Les Amis from its inception in 2001, but this vintage takes this label to a new level, and uncharted territory, I think.

Score: 97/+++

Torbreck RunRig

I wanted to give myself a treat last night and opened a 2002 Torbreck RunRig. Elas! My disappointments continue. 2002 was a great year for many Barossa wines, but it seems not for this one.

As expected, the wine is very big and masculine, with intense concentration of plummy fruit. In addition, the wine tastes of barbecued meat and confectionery, which is not a great combination. On the plus side, the structure stands up after eight years, and there is some silkiness in the tannins. However, this is overwhelmed by the syrupy and broad flavours on the palate.

Score: 92/--

Torbreck The Steading - vertical tasting

I decided to open a few of The Steadings over the last couple of days, the 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004.

The first observation is that one should not be guided by general vintage descriptions too much. In this line-up, the outstanding wine was the 2001. Who would have thought?The second observation is that The Steading is a mighty fine GSM, maybe the most appealing of Torbreck's wines for the average punter, and not overpriced like some of the other wines. And finally, these wines clearly have staying power, which is something people question of Torbreck's wines from time to time.

The Torbreck The Steading is a beautifully crafted blend, medium to full-bodied, but quite elegant, with fine tannins on the finish.

The 2001 The Steading expressed this the best. The balance of this wine is excellent, with fruit still dominant and silky tannins. It has a number of years ahead.

Score: 95/+++

The 2000 The Steading is now dominated by earthy characters. Cherry and redcurrant flavours are still there. It still stands up well, but should be drunk now.

Score: 94/++

The 2002 The Steading is a weaker wine. Its fruit is less penetrating, tannins are disappearing, and the finish falls a little short. Still a decent wine, but should be drunk now.

Score: 90/+

The 2004 The Steading was different from the other three, not just because it is younger. This was a much bigger and riper wine. As a result, it did not have some of the delicate fruit flavours of the others and instead had a meatier profile. I was having duck with it, and it overpowered the meal, which I was not expecting from a GSM. Plenty of life still in the wine.

Score: 91/0

Torbreck - The Struie

On the first cold night, it was time to crack a big Shiraz. Initially, I opened a 2002 Charles Melton Nine Popes, but it was badly corked. The other wine I had at room temperature was a 2003 Torbreck Struie. I was not too confident, as this was a hot vintage in the Barossa and I expected slightly dead fruit.

The wine opened nicely, with substantial and pure plum flavours on the palate. As always, Torbreck wines produce good mouthfeel, and some of the cooler climate flavours and white pepper from the Eden Valley component was shining through as well. But on the finish I did get the dried and dead fruit character.

I like the concept of this wine, but there are better years than 2003.

Score: 90/+

Torbreck The Factor Shiraz

The Factor is Torbreck's biggest and most concentrated wine. Last night I had the 2001 Torbreck The Factor. This wine is not only concentrated, but really dense - like a steak. The wine is very ripe, but not too high in alcohol (14%), certainly not hot. The 2001 does not have the complexity and nuances which I believe some other years have. The good news is the wine is still very much alive despite its ripeness.

This is a style which would not please everybody. You would probably only drink a glass or two, and probably after dinner, as opposed to with food.

I would have liked to include this wine in my poll. My guess would have been it would have ended up in the middle of the pack. I could not include it, because it is over $100/bottle. As such it is overpriced.

Score: 93/0

Torbreck Viognier Marsanne Rousanne

Getting the white Rhone varieties right is no easy task. If the wine is made in a fuller bodied style, the Viognier often tastes like an undefined fruit cocktail, and the others can be dull. The lighter styles often lack character.

The 2008 Torbreck Viognier Marsanne Rousanne hits the spot. It is quite full flavoured, with complex stone fruit characters, like pear and white peach, but also very nutty. The key is the mouthfeel. The wine fills the mouth beautifully without being heavy or overripe. This is certainly not a low percentage lunch drink, but it holds enough fruit and interest to carry the 14% alcohol well.

Score: 92/++

Torbreck Dinner

Torbreck dinners are always great value and gregarious affairs. Last night was particularly good, as I came away with the lucky door prize (see the Steading Magnum on the left).

The range of wines included the following reds:

- 2002 Juveniles

-2003 The Steading

-2006 The Struie

-2007 The Gask

-2005 RunRig

The Steading showed very well, great complexity, texture and length. I think in some ways, this is David Powell's best wine. I will do a little vertical tasting in a couple of weeks.

The Struie was another highlight. A fullbodied Shiraz, yet elegant and interesting. The Gask was from the warm 2007 vintage and tasted more like a Barossa floor wine than from the Eden Valley, where the single vinyard is located - a bit broad and undifferentiated for my taste.

I am not sure I was at my tasting best, when the time came for the RunRig. Therefore I will not review the wine. It was big and sweet, as you would expect, a meal in itself. My sense was I had tasted better vintages of this wine, but still, this wine stands out from its many imitators through the elegance it has despite its big frame.

Torbreck RunRig (2)

I cannot go back as far with the RunRig as I could with the Mt. Mary Quintet, partly because the wine did not exist in 91, partly because I do not have the first vintages, starting from 95. My first one is the monumental 98.

The 1998 Torbreck RunRig is much further developed than the 2001. The fruit has blackcurrant and cherry flavours. The oak is much more in the background. The wine is as big as the 2001 and has a slight alcoholic feel to it. The mouthfeel is equally thick, ripe and intensive. The tannins are strong and produce quite a dry feel leading to a very long finish. 

This is a wine which requires food. It is overpowering on its own. In comparing it with the 2001, I feel that the 2001 is better made. The 98 does not have the same elegance and smooth finish. It is quite a big and aggressive wine. On the other hand, the oak integration is working much better at this point in time. I am probably drinking the 98 at its optimum time. The 2001 will live a lot longer and, in my opinion, will outshine this wine in a few years time.  

Torbreck RunRig

Now it is time for a new iconic wine to show its wares. Boy, how different can two red wines be? But to start with the conclusion, this 2001 Torbreck RunRig came through with flying colours as well. 

As I was drinking this wine in a restaurant environment, I can't say too much about the nose. Then I took the first sip - and it hits you like a ton of bricks - actually more like a wave of thick ripe dark cherry fruit and plenty of oak. Dave Powell is the master of combining concentrated fruit and elegance, in my book. The best fruit each year, and he has the best of the best to choose from, goes into the RunRig. The wine also includes 3% Viognier, but its perfumed character is hardly noticable. The wine has incredible mouthfeel and initial sweetness. Down the palate, the vanilla character of the oak takes over, there is some eucalypt there and plenty of spice as well. It then leads to a harmoneous finish on the back of strong, but silky tannins.

This wine is still young. The fruit is quite dominant and fresh. My only concern: There is too much new oak on the palate. The fruit can take it, but I hope the oak will mellow and step into the background over time.

After having written this, I thought to look up what Parker in his "The world's greatest wine estates" had to say. He gave the wine 99+ points (how ridiculous is that?) 'flirting with perfection' and a 'worthy successor to the blockbuster, surreal 1998' (which I will be drinking tonight). A good description is 'The impression on the palate is one of marvelous richness and expansive texture, a multilayered skyscraper soaring across the palate with no heaviness.' In my view, the 'no heaviness' is the real achievement and difference to many blockbuster Barossas. He gives the wine 20 to 25 years, and after tonight's experience this may well be right.

Torbreck Woodcutter's Shiraz

The Woodcutter's Shiraz is Torbreck's entry wine. It is interesting to compare it with the Struie I described in the last post. The 2006 Woodcutter's is not as big, but still a substantial and well crafted wine. It tastes predominantly of redcurrant fruit and is not as smooth as the Struie. However, it has excellent length for its price point and finishes with well integrated tannins.

Torbreck has the ability to produce Shiraz at vastly different price points which can all be satisfying, mainly due to the policy of buying a very high standard of grapes and David Powell's ability to combine power and elegance.  

Torbreck 'The Struie' Shiraz

The 2002 Struie is certainly a big, meaty wine.

Since David Powell of Torbreck appeared on the scene, he has split the wine world. He is loved in America, where they like our Shiraz big, alcoholic and sweet, and is criticised by some of our influencial wine writers for producing wine which will not age, lack structure and is not very grape specific.

The facts are that it is not that simple. He purchases top class fruit, and while the wines are big, they are elegant and carry velvet tannins. In this way, he has no doubt moved the Barossa forward.

This Struie has good mouthfeel and carries the significant fruit volume through to the back palate. It has good length and finishes with smooth tannins. To me, the wine combines great strength and fruit concentration with great elegance. You would want a substantial meal with this substantial wine.

For the record: this wine will last many more years

Torbreck 'Les Amis' Grenache

This must be one of Australia's best wines! Yesterday I opened a bottle of the 2001 Torbreck Les Amis. I have been collecting this wine from the beginning. The 2001 was actually not officially available in Australia, but made for a restaurant in Singapore, however, I managed to pursuade David Powell to sell me a few bottles at a Torbreck dinner.

The wine has a beautiful strawberry and cherry nose which continues to the palate. The wine is 100% Grenache and shows its typical sweetness, but the wine has excellent structure and length as well. The fruit is very concentrated and carries the high alcohol (15%) well. The wine is very smooth and has soft silky tannins which go on and on. A powerful wine in a velvet glove. Surely, if the other vintages are as good, this is Australia's best Grenache and better than any Chateuneuf I have ever had - a big statement, but this wine is sensational.