Torbreck The Factor Shiraz 2016 1.5L

Torbreck is a winery on a mission to become one of the world’s great wine brands. Since 1994, they have remained committed to creating exceptional Rhone-style red and white wines that reflect the very best vineyards in Australia’s famous Barossa region. Provenance is everything to them, and they believe that the Barossa is the most exciting place to make wine in the world. With a European sense of tradition, Torbreck pays tribute to the vineyards with minimal intervention, creating wines of richness, structure and length that age gracefully. The multi-generational growers, whose descendants arrived here nearly two centuries ago, are the backbone of Torbreck’s winemaking aspirations. They work in partnership with the people of the Barossa who grow their fruit, always aiming to get the very best out of their vineyard sites. At Torbreck, they constantly seek to understand the difference between all of these special places in the Barossa and how this combination of soil, climate and farming experience is reflected in unique grape flavors. They are simply custodians, enhancing the innate expressiveness of the wines and enabling them to reveal over time their individual origins and personality. Torbreck is actually named after the forest near Inverness, Scotland where the winery’s founder, David Powell worked as a lumberjack after completing university studies. The winemaking style at Torbreck is meticulous and dedicated to producing exceptional wines. They use carefully selected 225-litre oak barriques for maturation, known as Dominique Laurent ‘Magic Casks’. The oak is personally harvested from Forêt de Tronçais in Allier, and the staves are aged for 48 to 54 months at an exposed location for maximum seasoning. The staves are then hand-made into barrels and heated over three differing flames for several hours, resulting in a gentle toast due to the remarkable density of the wood. Torbreck’s winemaking style reflects their commitment to producing exceptional wines that reflect the unique terroir of the Barossa region. Torbreck’s The Factor is a rich and complex wine that is emblematic of the Barossa region’s reputation as one of Australia’s top red wine growing regions. The name is fitting, as the manager of a highland estate is called The Factor and this wine is a true testament to the factors that make Barossa’s vineyards so special. Many of the vines in the Barossa region were planted in the 19th century and have survived for over a century on their own roots. This is due, in part, to South Australia’s far-sighted quarantine policy, which prevented the spread of phylloxera – an outbreak that ravaged vineyards worldwide in the 1880s. These clonal time capsules have produced exceptional grapes that, in turn, create remarkable wines. The Factor is one such wine, showcasing the exceptional quality that is found in the vines of the Barossa region. It is a wine that is powerful and rich, with flavors of black fruit, vanilla, and spices that are perfectly balanced by the wine’s tannins. This wine is a prime example of why the Barossa region is known for producing some of Australia’s finest red wines. The Factor is a wine that is both complex and refined, a true result of the rich history and unique factors that make Barossa an unparalleled red wine region. Its exceptional quality is a testament to the dedication and passion that Torbreck winery has for their craft. The Torbreck The Factor Shiraz 2016 1.5L is a wine with a deep, dark red colour and aromas of plum, brambleberries, dried herbs and earthy notes. On the palate, it has a bold, full-bodied style with dense layers of ripe dark berry fruits balanced by notes of spice, earth and graphite minerality. The tannins are ripe and concentrated yet soft and round, supporting the long, lingering finish. This is a structured, complex Shiraz made for medium to long term aging. Torbreck’s 2016 The Factor incorporates what winemaker Ian Hongell calls their “most structured Shiraz, from a lot of ironstone soils.” It spends two years in French oak barriques, half of which were new, so it shows hints of cedar pencil shavings and toasted coconut layered over ripe blackberries and spice. Full-bodied, rich and velvety, it finishes long, with terrific energy and drive. It should prove to be one of the longest-lived wines from this lineup. Drink 2020-2040. – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, 97 points The Finer Details Style – Red Wine Varietal – Shiraz Country – Australia Region – Barossa Valley, South Australia Vintage – 2016 Bottle Size – 1.5L ABV – 15%