Brief impressions on Torbreck wines

[Baby Chickpea]

<b>2003 Torbreck Woodcutters Red</b>
Dark chocolate (of the 85% cocoa version), more-ish dark fruit and dry liquorice on the finish. Good drinking and well structured. Not bad at all. $18.50
<b>Very Good 17.0 / 20</b>

<b>2002 Torbreck The Juveniles Grenache/Mataro/Shiraz</b>
I must be one of the only fortunate ones in Australia blessed with not one but two very good examples of the 2001 Juveniles. This one is even better – more perfumed cherries and spicy. Very nice to drink with pizza. A$27.50
<b>Very Good 17.5 / 20</b>

<b>2002 Torbreck The Steading Shiraz/Grenache/Mataro</b>
Effectively the Juveniles but with oak treatment. Torbreck believe it to be the best Steading to date, and I can categorically say that since the 1999 (my earliest one) I would also agree. Long and still youthful. A good value wine but you wouldnÂ’t want the price to nudge any further north. A$37.50
<b>Very Good 17.6 / 20</b>

<b>2002 Torbreck The Struie Barossa/Eden Valley Shiraz</b>
Quickly becoming my favourite Torbreck wine (on a relative per price basis) and the 2002 improves upon the very good 2001. Lovely structure and built to last but drink well young. Lots of dark berries, augmented by oak and fine tannins round off the wine. The one to buy! A$46
<b>Excellent 18.0 / 20</b>

<b>2001 Torbreck The Factor Barossa Valley Shiraz</b>
A bit more oak and marginal increase in fruit intensity from the Struie. Yes, it is better but only just. A bit expensive (obviously). A$125
<b>Excellent 18.2 / 20</b>

<b>2001 Torbreck RunRig Shiraz Viognier</b>
The wines have all been very good up to this point so expectations were high on the RunRig. But this wine stamped its authority with sheer class. Hard to imagine how such a seamless and intense wine like this drinks so well already. This wine was fragrant (love the viognier splash), perfumed with excellent balance, long length and chalky persistent tannins augmenting the very deep, concentrated and abundant black fruits. The oak remains in the background. ItÂ’s not cheap but in my humble opinion this wine is potentially magnificent in a decade and is worth the splurge, even for an Aussie wine. I honestly believe this will be a world-class wine in time. A$187.50
<b>Excellent 18.5 / 20</b>

<b>2002 Torbreck The Bothie Frontignac</b>
Drank a full bottle of this the night before. One of ChockyÂ’s (aka Liz) favourite wines. The best Aussie frontignac IÂ’ve had for sometime. Not as unctuous or dense or super sweet like Aussie botrytis styles. Full of floral aromas, rose essence and ripe tropical fruits, all enslaved in a medium body with good persistence of flavour and nice clean finish. The only other Aussie IÂ’ve had that comes very close (but not surpassing it) is DutschkeÂ’s Ivy Blondina Frontignac. The benchmark for Australia. $25
<b>Very Good 17.5 / 20</b>

[ChrisH]

Thanks for the notes Danny. I noticed others (Gary and Adair from memory) have also lauded the 2001 Runrig.

No Descendant on tasting ?

regards
Chris

[Baby Chickpea]

Nope Chris - all sold out when i got there in early July.

[707]

Can only agree the 2002 Struie is excellent wine and great value.

The 2001 Run Rig really is all class, just too expensive, at around $100 I'd be buying it without hesitation but $180?. The 2001 is only behind the sublime 1998 IMO. Looking forward to seeing the 2002, might be tempted to pay the money asked this time!

Don't ignore the Woodcutters Red, I reckon it's a ripper drink at the price, I take it out with me frequently and it always wows the audience.