Torbreck Vintners was founded by David Powell in 1994. The roots go back to 1992 when Dave, who was then working at Rockford, began to discover and clean up a few sections of dry-grown old vines. Near lifeless, he nurtured them back to health and was rewarded with small parcels of fruit that he made into wine. Dave was able to secure a contract for the supply of grapes from a run-down but ancient Shiraz vineyard. He managed to raise enough money to share-farm the vineyard, a practice which involves paying the owner a percentage of the market rate for his grapes in return for totally managing the vineyard. This share-farming principle has enabled Torbreck to use fruit from the very best vineyards in the Barossa Valley, which is home to some of the most precious old vines in the world. In 1995 Dave crushed three tonnes of grapes and fermented them into wine in a shed on his 12-hectare Marananga property. He named his wine 'Torbreck' after a forest in Scotland where he worked as a lumberjack. The Torbreck endeavour is based around the classic Barossa Valley varietals of Shiraz, Grenache and Mataro, and a love for the wines of France's Rhone Valley. Dave loves the intense, rich, Rhone-like flavours that come from old-vines and the fact that Shiraz and Grenache are the mainstay red grapes of the Northern and Southern Rhone often draws comparison. Torbreck doesn't only make red wines though, we have Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne planted on our winery block which we have blended to make a white wine for the last 2 years. In July 2002 the historic Hillside property was acquired by Torbreck. Situated in Lyndoch, it is one of the original Barossa properties. Vast and picturesque it contains some magnificent old and ancient vineyards that will further our source of premium quality fruit. The Hillside property contains a wonderful native ecosystem that supports a myriad of flora and fauna. Dave hopes to turn it into a nature reserve in the future that will be open to visits. In June 2003 at the finish of vintage, we opened our cellar-door for sales. An original settlers hut, it has been lovingly restored and provides a personal touch and some Barossa warmth whilst you taste our wines. It is open daily and we welcome any visits. In the middle of 2008 a long term vision of Dave Powell's will reach completion. A new winery and administration facility will have been completed on land acquired from a next door neighbour. This will enable our grapes to be made into wine using the best availble equipment and then bottled 'on the estate' using our own bottling line. Finally we have complete control of all aspects of production which will see a new benchmark of wine quality established by us in the Barossa Valley.
Wines from Torbreck Winery
- Torbreck 'The Descendant' 2004 Barossa Valley (75cl)
"The 2004 Descendant, an old oak-aged blend of 92% Shiraz and 8% Viognier from a 12-year old vineyard, offers up notes of blackberries, ink, sweet truffles, and acacia flowers. There are 1,000 cases of this full-bodied, intense, rich blockbuster. It will drink well for 10-15 years." Rober Parker, 98 points
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- Torbreck The Steading 2001
Scoring 92/100 Parker points this super red wine "is an ageworthy effort. Made from the same blend as the Juveniles but aged 18 months in old French and American hogsheads (300 liter barrels) it exhibits a deep plum/garnet color in addition to a big spice-driven nose of cinnamon pepper soy damp earth dried herbs and red as well as black fruits. Ripe full-bodied and complex it is a French-styled red that should drink well for a decade." Drink now - 2013. This vintage wine is shipped in a silk lined hinged presentation box with four wine accessories (corkscrew wine pourer drip stopper & wine stopper) [worth £14.99] at no extra cost.
Shipping from: - Torbreck Juveniles 2002
Scoring 90/100 Parker points "The unwooded blend of 60% Grenache 20% Mourvedre and 20% Shiraz the 2002 Juveniles is a crunchy deliriously fruity red offering aromas of kirsch liqueur pepper and spice box in a fruit-driven full-bodied style that is immensely captivating as well as satisfying." Drink now - 2009. This vintage wine is shipped in a silk lined hinged presentation box with four wine accessories (corkscrew wine pourer drip stopper & wine stopper) [worth £14.99] at no extra cost.
Shipping from: - Torbreck Juveniles 2001
From the very good 2001 vintage and scoring 89/100 Parker points "The 5 200 case cuvee of 2001 Juveniles is a blend of 60% Grenache 20% Mataro (Mourvedre) and 20% Shiraz aged completely in tank. This fruit-bomb exhibits copious quantities of raspberry cherry and blackberry fruit along with hints of Asian spices and Acacia flowers. Sweet and expansive (from concentration not sugar) succulent fleshy and hedonistic this sexy fruit-driven New World red will drink well for 5-6 years possibly longer." Drink now - 2009. This vintage wine is shipped in a silk lined hinged presentation box with four wine accessories (corkscrew wine pourer drip stopper & wine stopper) [worth £14.99] at no extra cost.
Shipping from: - Torbreck The Steading 2000
Scoring 89/100 Parker points "The 2000 The Steading displays aromas of plums balsam wood sweet black cherries a hint of raspberry pepper and saddle leather. As the wine sits in the glass fig notes also emerge. Among all the wines he produces David Powell's personal favorite is The Steading. This Australian version of a southern Rhone is a blend of 65% Grenache 20% Mataro and 15% Shiraz from old Barossa vineyards and aged six months in neutral French and American hogshead (essentially 300 liter foudres). Elegant medium to full-bodied pure and concentrated it should drink well for a decade." Drink now - 2012. This vintage wine is shipped in a silk lined hinged presentation box with four wine accessories (corkscrew wine pourer drip stopper & wine stopper) [worth £14.99] at no extra cost.
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Related Blogging
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| Torbreck's Woodcutter's Shiraz 2006 | PFI Magazine Here's a very special wine that we're featuring this time around that we know will please your palette. Named after a forest in Scotland where the winery's owner, David Powell, worked for a time as a lumberjack, Torbreck has been called ... |
| Torbreck Natural Wine Project | Drinking Outside The Box After learning of your enthusiasm for this wine, I bludged a bottle when I went to see shy David at Torbreck. I drank it that evening with my mates Joch Bosworth and Louise Hemsley-Smith of Battle of Bosworth wines in McLaren Vale. ... |
| Torbreck's The Laird is Priciest Australian Wine : Luxury, Tech ... At AU$700 per bottle, Torbreck's The Laird 2005 has become Australia's most expensive wine, eclipsing the Penfolds Grange which is priced at AU$600 a bottle. Read the rest of the story at: Torbreck's The Laird is Priciest Australian ... |
| Powell buys back Torbreck | Daily wine news - the latest breaking ... Barossa Valley winemaker David Powell has regained control of his ultra-premium winery, Torbreck. |
| Minneapolis Web Design Company Helps Experts Provide Radiation Answers "Pete and I are inspired by the idea that a wine should speak of both terroir and tradition," Powell says. "We are both perfectionists. This partnership will enable Torbreck to continue to create wines that command respect on the world ... |
| Wine 'dream team' to visit Beijing: Writer James Suckling, Louise ... Wine distributor Links China is bringing what it calls a dream team to Beijing in November. The group includes former Wine Spectator senior editor James. |
