Torbreck Vintners is one of the most well-known Australian wineries, producing bold and singular Shiraz from the Barossa Valley. The estate was founded as a 'garagiste' in 1994 by upstart David Powell, though it now operates as a refined machine, gaining acclaim from top critics like Robert Parker and Jeb Dunnuck. With over 85 hectares of land and 18 different wine labels, Torbreck regularly challenges Penfolds and Greenock Winery as Australia's greatest wine export.
Torbreck Winery History
Torbreck Winery was founded in 1994 by Australian vintner David Powell, who began collaborating with local wine growers and renovating "bargain" vineyards. These dilapidated sites contained some of the oldest Shiraz vines in the Barossa Valley, with certain plots hosting 120-160 year-old vines. After years of nursing these vineyards back to full health, Powell formally established Torbreck, naming the wine estate after a forest in Scotland where he worked as a lumberjack.
Slowly, but surely, Powell acquired more land, planting each site to Rhône varieties (most notably Shiraz, or 'Syrah'). And, within two years, Powell crafted the 1996 Torbreck RunRig, the estate's flagship label, which put Torbreck 'on the map.' A 1996 review by Robert Parker resulted in an unexpected 96-point score, introducing many collectors to the then-unknown Australian wine. In his review, Parker compared the Torbreck RunRig to "Marcel Guigal's single vineyard Cote Roties," lauding the wine for its phenomenal aromatics, structure, and texture. Only 150 cases were produced, creating mass demand and forever cementing the bottle as one of Australia's most iconic and sought-after wines.
Nearly a decade later, Torbreck earned its first 100-point score from Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate, with the inaugural 2005 Torbreck The Laird in December of 2010. The 2005 Laird became one of the few Australian wines to earn a 100-point score from The Wine Advocate and was crafted from Dominique Laurent “Magic Casks,” showcasing silky tannins and striking, savory notes on the palate.
However, despite the mass acclaim and commercial success, Torbreck Winery found itself in immense financial distress, forcing proprietor David Powell to sell the estate to Australian businessman Jack Cowin in 2002. Powell later re-acquired Torbreck in 2008 along with his business partner Peter Kight, though the pair eventually split in 2013 due to irreconciliable differences. Consequently, Peter Kight still stands as Torbreck's owner today, guiding the estate to some of its greatest success and implementing Ian Hongell as chief winemaker and managing director.
Torbreck Barossa Valley Terroir
Today, Torbreck owns 85 hectares of land in Southern Australia's Barossa Valley and sources fruit from an additional 200 hectares from 35 different growers. Nearly all of its vineyards are planted on elevated slopes and depleted soils, as its winemakers are best known for late picking and dry farming deeply rooted old vines.
Torbreck Wine Portfolio
Torbreck Winery crafts 18 different wines in its portfolio across Shiraz, Grenache, Mataro, Viognier, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Semillon. Its flagship label, Torbreck RunRig, and sibling label, Torbreck The Laird, remain some of Australia's most expensive and collectible wines. Each is a Shiraz-dominant blend with small amounts of Viognier in the final cuvée.
Torbreck RunRig
Torbreck RunRig is the estate's original and flagship label, first produced in 1995 and currently standing as one of Australia's most iconic wines. The wines are molded after those from the Northern Rhône's Côte Rôtie, displaying a power and richness most often found in Hermitage wines.
Torbreck Woodcutter's Semillon
The Torbreck Woodcutter's Semillon is possibly the estate's most celebrated non-Shiraz label, first crafted in 2001 from vines planted as far back as 1890. Once aged and bottled, the wine displays a dry, earthy palate and exquisite bouquet of lemons and golden apples.
Torbreck The Laird
Torbreck's The Laird was first produced in 2005 and is typically a single-vineyard, 100% Shiraz made from vines planted in 1958. The fruit's source, Gnadenfrei Vineyard, sits in the northern Barossa Valley and is a small, 5-acre site with a south-east facing exposure on heavy clay loam and limestone. The resulting blend is dense, complex, and age-worthy, with vintages known to last for decades in the cellar.
Add Torbreck To Your Cellar Today
Torbreck Wine is one of Australia's greatest wines, consistently earning high marks from critics and placed on must-have lists of collectors from across the world. With its minimalist farming and Rhône-like notes, Torbreck is a bottle that belongs in any serious cellar. Browse our selection of in-stock Torbreck wines and add a bottle to your cellar today.
