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More wines available from Torbreck
![Torbreck Descendant 2016 750ml](https://www.saratogawine.com/files/images/cached_thumbs/07/079a64d74730f8988f20356d5c217e62.jpg)
Pre-Arrival
Torbreck Descendant 2016
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$128.81
Viognier (6%) is co-fermented with Shiraz from RunRig cuttings planted in 1994. Like a great Côte-Rôtie, it starts...
![Torbreck Descendant 2017 750ml](https://www.saratogawine.com/files/images/cached_thumbs/4d/4d2df142f839158538bb7dfa6fdc4110.jpg)
Pre-Arrival
Torbreck Descendant 2017
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$108.32
Consistently one of my favorites in the Torbreck lineup, this year's version, the 2017 Descendant, was co-fermented...
![Torbreck RunRig 2004 750ml](https://www.saratogawine.com/files/images/cached_thumbs/7d/7d6ca5efd381050d1f544eacc7338f3d.jpg)
Pre-Arrival
Torbreck RunRig 2004
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$228.13
The flagship 2004 Run Rig is 96.5% Shiraz and 3.5% Viognier with the Shiraz component aged for 30 months in a mixture...
![Torbreck RunRig 2014 1.5Ltr](https://www.saratogawine.com/files/images/cached_thumbs/7d/7d6ca5efd381050d1f544eacc7338f3d.jpg)
Pre-Arrival
Torbreck RunRig 2014
1.5Ltr - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$545.69
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2014 Run Rig opens with a bang, delivering intense fruits of the forest and...
More Details
Winery
Torbreck
Vintage: 2009
Despite less than ideal climatic conditions, featuring storms which threatened an otherwise perfect year, most parts of California had an excellent year for viticulture. Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs were picked at optimum ripeness, and Californian white wine was just about as good as it could be. Surprises and overcoming difficulties summed up much of the United States' wine industry in 2009, and many of the results from Oregon, Washington State and all over California speak for themselves, with the flagship Cabernet Sauvignon grapes having developed healthy, thick skins and thus plenty of character and distinction. Elsewhere in the New World, South Africa had a very good year in 2009, and wineries across the cape of the African continent are proclaiming it a truly great vintage.
In most of Europe, fine weather and punctual ripening periods produced some excellent wines, with many of the best coming out of France's Bordeaux and the surrounding regions. Merlot had an exceptionally good year in France, and wineries are proclaiming that the 2009 Merlot harvest was one of the best in living memory. Indeed, across most of France, ripening was relatively even, and red wine grapes such as Cabernet Franc, Syrah and others were reportedly highly characterful, with plenty of the required tannin levels with which to make high quality wines. Italy, too, had a very good 2009. Piedmont reported extremely favorable conditions throughout 2009, and their signature Nebbiolo grapes were more or less perfect when harvested, having benefited from the slight drop in temperature at the end of their ripening period. Veneto, too, had an enviable year, producing superb Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay wines in 2009.
Varietal: Grenache
Grenache grapes have long been cultivated in various parts of Europe, and are noted for being particularly successful in arid regions which are both hot and very dry. As such, they are ideal for many New World countries, and have quickly established themselves as one of the most widely grown red wine grape varietals in the world. The Grenache grape is easily identifiable by its purple skin, and tightly hanging bunches which grow quite rigorously in the correct conditions. They are most commonly associated with light bodied wines, with little tannins or acidity, yet quite a high alcohol content. As such, they are very versatile, and are regularly used for both single variety and blended wines, in which their strong and unique features can shine through.
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
Despite much of Australia being covered by dry, arid deserts and bushland, the southern regions of the country and islands such as Tasmania have proved to be ideal for vineyard cultivation and wine production. The fertile soils and brisk oceanic breezes, coupled with the blazing Australian sunshine allow the grapes to grow to full ripeness before a late harvest, resulting in hugely flavorful wines which appeal to a wide international audience. Combine this with the experimental and daring approach Australian wineries have in regards to wine production, and it becomes clear why Australia has relatively quickly become something of a world leader when it come to exporting their produce to Europe and America. The Shiraz and Chardonnay grape varietals have produced the most successful and broadly appreciated results over the decades, however, in more recent years wineries have begun experimenting with a much wider range of grape varietals, demonstrating how Australian wineries are continuing to adapt and develop alongside international palates.