Torbreck

Founded in 1994 by David Powell (although he is no longer the owner today), the domaine In just thirty years, he has risen to the top of the world hierarchy, becoming a favorite of international critics like Robert Parker.

Here is what defines Torbreck's identity:

The obsession with "Old Vines" (Vieilles Vignes)

Torbreck's philosophy rests on an invaluable treasure: the very vieilles vignes of the Barossa. THE domaine does not own all of its plots, but works under a contract of trust with winegrowing families established for generations.

• The Shiraz, Grenache and Mataro (Mourvèdre) grape varieties used are often centenarians, or even more, producing tiny yields but with an extraordinary phenolic concentration.

A tribute to the Rhône Valley

The name "Torbreck" (a forest in Scotland where the founder worked as a lumberjack) hides a deeply Rhone soul.

• THE domaine specializes almost exclusively in grape varieties from the Rhône Valley (Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvèdre for reds; Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne for whites).

• The winemaking style seeks to capture the fruit purity and the texture, with the use of new wood often present but controlled to support the massive structure of the wines.

“The Laird” and “RunRig”: The icons

Torbreck produces two of Australia's most iconic wines:

• RunRig: A masterful Shiraz blended with a touch of Viognier (inspired by the Côte-Rôtie). It is a massive, complex wine, with notes of plum, licorice and graphite, capable of aging for decades.

• The Laird: The absolute pinnacle. Made from a single plot of Shiraz planted in 1958 in the Marananga sub-region. It is one of the most expensive and concentrated wines in the world, aged for 36 months in new French oak barrels (Dominique Laurent).