More wines available from Torbreck
Pre-Arrival
Torbreck Descendant 2016
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$128.16
Viognier (6%) is co-fermented with Shiraz from RunRig cuttings planted in 1994. Like a great Côte-Rôtie, it starts...
Pre-Arrival
Torbreck Descendant 2017
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$104.94
Consistently one of my favorites in the Torbreck lineup, this year's version, the 2017 Descendant, was co-fermented...
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Torbreck Les Amis 2009
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$235.38
The oak in the 2009 Les Amis is still apparent, but it's much better integrated than in the 2006. Hints of toasted...
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Torbreck RunRig 2015
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$218.33
Who would've thought that in the context of Barossa Shiraz, the 2015 RunRig would seem like a relative bargain? It's...
Pre-Arrival
Torbreck RunRig 2017
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$217.94
As usual, the 2017 RunRig is approximately 2% Viognier. It spent almost 30 months in oak, 40% of which was new. Hints...
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Winery
Torbreck
Vintage: 2012
2012 has, so far been a positive year for wineries around the world. While it may be a little too early to speak of the wines being made in the northern hemisphere, European and North American wineries have already begun reporting that their harvesting season has been generally very good, and are predicting to continue with the kind of successes they saw in 2011. However, 2012 has been something of a late year for France, due to unpredictable weather throughout the summer, and the grapes were ripening considerably later than they did in 2011 (which was, admittedly, an exceptionally early year). French wineries are claiming, though, that this could well turn out to be advantageous, as the slow ripening will allow the resulting wines to express more flavour and features of the terroir they are grown in.
The southern hemisphere has seen ideal climatic conditions in most of the key wine producing countries, and Australia and New Zealand particularly had a superb year, in particular with the Bordeaux varietal grapes that grow there and which love the humidity these countries received plenty of. Also enjoying a fantastic year for weather were wineries across Argentina and Chile, with the Mendoza region claiming that 2012 will be one of their best vintages of the past decade. Similar claims are being made across the Chilean wine regions, where Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon had an especially good year. These two grape varietals also produced characterful wines on the coastal regions of South Africa this year.
Varietal: Muscat
Muscat varietal grapes are surely one of the most versatile wine grapes in the world. In dozens of countries across Europe and the New World, they are used for the production of everything from fine, fruity dry wines, to elegant sparkling examples and even dense, aromatic fortified wines of exceptional character and flavor It is a favorite with winemakers and vintners worldwide as a result of its hardiness and the high yields the vines routinely produce, and grows in a wide range of terroirs and climatic conditions. Such conditions have a considerable effect on the grapes themselves, which is part of the reason why Muscat wines are so varied when it comes to flavor, aroma and characteristics. Generally, Muscat wines are recognizable as a result of their strong, fresh and distinctly 'grapey' flavor, making them popular with those looking for a simple yet elegant wine easily paired with many different foods.
Region: Barossa
The Barossa Valley in Australia is one of the New World's most interesting wine regions, having been established in the late 19th century by German settlers. The region benefits enormously from the relatively temperate climate, which ranges from being hot on the lower parts of the valley, to quite cool as the altitude increases on the valley slopes. Barossa Valley produces mostly Shiraz wines, and has become one of the key Australian regions for this distinctive grape varietal which has gone on to be a major grape for the Australian wine industry. Despite suffering from a poor reputation in the mid 20th century, by the 1980s, plenty of unique and forward-thinking wineries set up in Barossa to take advantage of its excellent climate, and set about producing the excellent red and white wines which the region is famed for today.
Country: Australia
With over sixteen thousand hectares of Australian land now under vine, Australia has become something of a world leader in regards to wine production. One of Australia's key attributes to their success has been their willingness to leave traditional vineyard practices to one side, and develop techniques which are perfectly suited to a New World country. Modern Australian wineries take into consideration the climate and the unique soil types which cover much of their country, and have had fantastic results from cross-breeding programs and blending practices which make the most of the grape varietals which thrive most successfully there, notably the Shiraz and Chardonnay grapes. In recent years, Australia has been lauded as the 'most influential' wine producing country in the world, and the rest of the New World is looking down under for inspiration, and the ability to produce comparable fine wines on their own terrain.