Wine Advocate (98)

The 2005 Les Amis, sourced from a 100+-year-old vineyard, is 100% Grenache aged for 18 months in new oak. Remarkably fragrant, it emits full-throttle aromas of spice box, kirsch, wild raspberry, and blackberry liqueur. Plush on the palate, it reveals layers of rich, red and black berry flavors, ripe tannin, and a 60-second, pure finish. Although it can be admired now, the wine merits 6-8 years of further bottle aging to reveal all of its splendors. This sensational effort could easily masquerade as Pegau Cuvee de Capo on human growth hormone.

Wine Advocate (98+)

Torbreck’s flagship is the 2005 Run Rig, a 97% Shiraz cuvee sourced from 120- to 160-year-old vines with 3% finished Viognier added before bottling. It spent 30 months in 60% new French oak. Opaque purple/black in color, it has a kinky, exotic bouquet of fresh road tar, smoke, lavender, black pepper, game, blueberry, and black raspberry. Full-bodied and opulent on the palate, the wine is dense, packed, and unevolved. It will continue to open up over the next 10-12 years and drink well through 2040 in the style of a Chapoutier Hermitage. If it develops as I think it will, it will be a candidate for perfection down the road.

Wine Advocate (100)

Simultaneously incredibly rich and incredibly fragrant, the 2010 RunRig seems capable of aging at least another 15 years. Scents of violets and red berries combine with darker fruit, ample dried spice and hints of savory meatiness. It's a complete wine and one of the ultimate expressions of Barossa Valley Shiraz.

Wine Advocate (99)

I feel like the consistency and quality of Torbreck's flagship wine has only increased over time. The 2012 RunRig is gorgeously floral and vibrant, with concentrated red berries, characteristic weight and intensity on the palate and supple, silky tannins. It's delicious now, but it should age gracefully through at least 2035.

Wine Advocate (98)

Who would've thought that in the context of Barossa Shiraz, the 2015 RunRig would seem like a relative bargain? It's certainly much less expensive than Grange or Hill of Grace will be when they're released. It's also more approachable in its youth, with enormously appealing aromas of grilled fruit, savory complexities and rich, velvety tannins. Of course, it's full-bodied and concentrated, with the stuffing to age for up to a couple of decades, and it has a long, licorice-tinged finish. Winemaker Ian Hongell, who joined Torbreck from Peter Lehmann, may not have made this wine, but he deserves a lot of credit for the blending and finishing of this tour de force.

Wine Advocate (98)

As usual, the 2017 RunRig is approximately 2% Viognier. It spent almost 30 months in oak, 40% of which was new. Hints of peach or apricot appear on the nose, alongside notes of hickory smoke, cherries and baking spices. It's full-bodied and concentrated but supple and silky enough to seem lighter in the mouth, showing tremendous length and elegance on the finish, where it adds nuances of cinnamon and cocoa.

Decanter (99)

The must-try wine Tightly wound yet with cashmere tannins, soft kid-glove oak and cut-finger minerality. The anise, clove and cinnamon-edged palate is unbelievably svelte, like melted chocolate. On day two, succulent, spicy cherry fruit emerges, with blackberry liqueur, roses and violets. Savoury cep undertones, graphite and cedar follow through on an endless finish. A stunning blend of six old vineyards, one planted in the 1850s.

Matthew Jukes (20+)

2021 RunRig will make you turn your head while you gawp in disbelief. This wine has something I have never seen in Runrig before – an immovable mountain of terroir, monolithically anchored in its core. Standing at the foot of this gargantuan flavour, I could not see the summit. There is so much ravishing Shiraz skin draped decorously around this totemic terroir it appears wholly demonic and fear-inducing. But the fruit notes are as refined and finely tuned as ever, providing the taster with a baffling counterpoint between the Dark Side and a Venetian dandy, resplendent in its filigree and finery. I cannot remember seeing two such opposing characters in one wine before, and every time I went back to the glass, there was more to admire, and these elements fuse and shape-shift into a glorious amalgam of sophistication and power. Of course, it deserves a perfect score. This wine is unique and uniquely stunning. I wish I could attend every opening of 2021 RunRig – oh, to be a fly on the wall, listening to the gasps of delight when people are lucky enough to taste this wine.

Wine Advocate (96)

Primarily Shiraz with a tiny dollop of Viognier, the blockbuster 2003 Descendant spent 18 months in used French oak (barrels that were previously used for Torbreck’s flagship cuvee, Run Rig). A spectacular perfume of flowers, blackberries, cassis, licorice, and honeysuckle is followed by an unctuously textured, full-bodied red displaying a seamless integration of wood, tannin, acidity, and alcohol. With elegance, power, richness, and just about everything one could want in a full-throttle, beautifully balanced dry red wine, it will drink well for 12-15 years.

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2004 Descendant, an old oak-aged blend of 92% Shiraz and 8% Viognier from a 12-year old vineyard, offers up notes of blackberries, ink, sweet truffles, and acacia flowers. There are 1,000 cases of this full-bodied, intense, rich blockbuster. It will drink well for 10-15 years.

Wine Advocate (97)

A blend of 94% Shiraz and 6% Viognier aged in second fill barriques (all French oak), the 2016 Descendant features lovely floral aromas, accented by blueberries and a hint of apricot. On the palate, it's full-bodied, rich and creamy in texture, hugely mouthfilling yet somehow without excessive weight or heat, while the plush, velvety finish adds a hint of dark chocolate. It's a terrific success at a still-reasonable price for the quality.

Wine Advocate (97+)

2019 followed the warm (but excellent) 2018 in the Barossa, and was marred by low yields and very concentrated fruit. 2020 was another step further down that low-yielding, dry track, completing a trio of concentrated, brooding vintages that are, as the years go by, harder and harder to get ahold of. So, the 2019 Descendant includes Viognier skins in the ferment, usually around 2%, and the fruit is sourced from vines planted from cuttings from the RunRig Vineyard. A baby Runrig, if you will. So, this is silky, slippery, tannic and intense, with layers of vibrant raspberry, jasmine tea, red licorice, jelly snakes and deli meat. As usual for the Torbreck reds, the texture of the wine is velvety, plush, intense and enveloping. This ages very well, we know it does, but if you must drink it early, decant it!

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2000 The Factor (1,000 cases) has benefited from the fact that Powell decided not to produce a Run Rig in 2000. It is a compelling wine of great richness, multiple dimensions, and glorious levels of blackberry liqueur-like fruit intermixed with creme de cassis, melted licorice, espresso, and leather. Sweet, expansive, and opulent, it is a lusty, hedonistic, mouth-staining Shiraz that should drink well for 10-15 years.

Wine Advocate (99)

Remarkably, the 2002 The Factor may be even more awesome than the 2001. It boasts a blackberry liqueur-like intensity with chocolatey richness intermixed with blackberries, raspberries, and cherries. The unctuous texture, refreshing acidity, and sweet tannin frame-up this magnificent wine. It should drink well for 15+ years. Interestingly, the 2002 The Factor did not have the Cote Rotie-like roasted element found in the 2001, no doubt because 2002 was a much cooler growing year than the record heat experienced in 2001.

Wine Advocate (96)

The 2003 The Factor (100% Shiraz aged 24 months in old French oak) is a riveting effort that displays the exquisite talent of David Powell. Its smoky perfume of blackberry liqueur intermixed with cherries, acacia flowers, and espresso roast is followed by a full-throttle, multi-layered palate as well as a 60-second finish. This stunning Shiraz should drink well for 10-15+ years.

Wine Advocate (97+)

Deep garnet-purple color and a 100% Shiraz wine aged in predominately older oak, the 2010 The Factor reveals a stunningly beautiful nose of creme de cassis, plum pudding and blackberry coulis with intriguing flourishes of licorice, dark chocolate, cloves and peppered salami. Big and voluptuously fruited in the full-bodied mouth, this is a full-on, complex Shiraz possessing a great foundation of firm, rounded tannins and an energized acid backbone to bring everything to a finish with outstanding length and harmony. Approachable now, it should drink best 2016 to 2028+.

Wine Advocate (97)

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.

James Suckling (98)

A pristine nose of ripe and intense blackberries, blueberries and redcurrants, as well as some sanguine, rust-like notes. This is an excellent edition of The Factor. I like the power and focus this wine delivers and, in 2018, it is a wine of great length and presence. Abundant ripe blackberries bathe the palate. Try from 2025.

Wine Advocate (98+)

Very deep purple-black colored, Torbreck's 2010 The Laird offers an extraordinary perfume of Chinese five spice, sandalwood, rose petals, espresso and licorice over a core of prunes, dried mulberries and blackcurrant preserves plus a touch of cloves. Full-bodied, rich, concentrated and packed with dried black fruits and exotic spice flavors, the generous fruit is structured with velvety tannins and just enough freshness. It finishes with commendable persistence.

Wine Advocate (100)

Deep garnet colored with a touch of remaining purple at the rim, the 2012 The Laird is one of those wines you could just go on smelling all day. It opens with a complex perfume of kirsch, dried mulberries, blackberry tart and spice cake over cloves, mocha, dusty earth, incense, star anise, yeast extract and aged beef. The full-bodied palate is drop-dead seductive, unfurling in the mouth to reveal exotic spice, meat, earth and berry preserves layers, supported by firm, velvety tannins and seamless acid. The finish seems to go on forever—and this is exactly what you want it to do. Stunning.

Wine Advocate (97)

There's no denying the power and concentration of Torbreck's 2013 The Laird. The fruit is impressive, the oak luxurious, the texture velvety, yet I can't help but wonder if it needs to spend that extra time in barrel. Complex notes of baking spices, licorice and pepper add nuance to the Christmas-cake flavors and somehow emerge savory on the long finish. It's a wonderful wine, but would I rather have three bottles of RunRig? Without question.

Wine Advocate (97)

Torbreck's 2015 The Laird boasts explosive aromas of Christmas spices, ripe plums, vanilla, hickory smoke and maple syrup. It's a big wine, loaded with fruit and oak, full-bodied, rich and velvety, adding hints of toasted coconut and cinnamon streusel on the long, almost dessert-like finish. For a more savory experience, age it a decade or so before pulling a cork.

Wine Advocate (97)

Torbreck's 2015 The Laird boasts explosive aromas of Christmas spices, ripe plums, vanilla, hickory smoke and maple syrup. It's a big wine, loaded with fruit and oak, full-bodied, rich and velvety, adding hints of toasted coconut and cinnamon streusel on the long, almost dessert-like finish. For a more savory experience, age it a decade or so before pulling a cork.

Wine Advocate (97)

Torbreck's 2015 The Laird boasts explosive aromas of Christmas spices, ripe plums, vanilla, hickory smoke and maple syrup. It's a big wine, loaded with fruit and oak, full-bodied, rich and velvety, adding hints of toasted coconut and cinnamon streusel on the long, almost dessert-like finish. For a more savory experience, age it a decade or so before pulling a cork.

James Suckling (99)

A distinctive and very concentrated, single-parcel shiraz that offers a rich plum and raisin nose with plenty of tarry notes and a swathe of baking spices. The palate is packed with rich, dark-plum and black-fruit flavors and the long, strong hold on the finish lasts for minutes. So intense, this is their finest Laird to date. Best from 2028.

Matthew Jukes (20)

The Laird is used to being top dog at Torbreck and now that The Forebear has arrived it will have to share the throne. Has this worried The Laird? Not a bit of it because it has allowed this wine to become even more of a showman. 2019 is a particularly un-Laird-like vintage! It is finally enjoying its celebrity status instead of acting monkish and reclusive in the glass. When you wear a massive price tag and appeal to a different level of wine nerd, these feelings are inevitable. Self-doubt, reflection and nervousness are all part and party of a superstar lifestyle, however, with The Forebear presumably sucking up column inches and taking the spotlight off The Laird for a moment or two, this wine has returned, rightly, to loving life. As these two opened up in the glass, The Laird sprinted past The Forebear, high-fiving its fans with gleamingly bright fruit and epic length. Of course, this is an incredible creation, and it is used to attracting nose-bleed scores from the critics, but there is a new lease of life here that has allowed The Laird to relax and finally enjoy its position at the top of the pile (alongside its new stablemate). But will it retain its position out front? I wouldn’t bet on it. The Forebear has very special energy in its core. One final thought – are wines sentient beings? I have a few rather whacky ideas along these lines. For anyone who doubts this could be a possibility, if you taste the last couple of wines in this review, you could be forgiven for believing that they are and also that they know where they stand in relation to each other, appreciating their differences and relishing their familial ties. I believe. Do you?

Wine Advocate (95+)

A new offering, the 2004 The Pict, is a 220-case cuvee of 100% Mourvedre that tips the scales at 13.2% alcohol. Reminiscent of a 1998 Domaine Tempier Cuvee Speciale (a great vintage for that estate), it boasts an inky/blue/purple color, phenomenally intense blueberry and blackberry fruit characteristics, and hints of black truffles as well as fresh mushrooms. Deep and full-bodied, with superb fruit and the right amount of sweet tannin (a rarity for Mourvedre), this beauty should evolve slowly, and drink well for 15 or more years.

Wine Advocate (93)

Reminiscent of a Rhone Valley Chateauneuf du Pape, the 2003 The Steading is an intriguing, complex blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, and 20% Shiraz. Aromas of garrigue, Provencal herbs, pepper, black cherries, raspberries, and currants are followed by a medium to full-bodied red possessing great fruit, surprising elegance, and loads of complexity. It will provide plenty of pleasure over the next 5-7 years.

Wine Advocate (93)

David Powell takes pride in his Chateauneuf du Pape-styled The Steading, and the 2004 (a 60% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, and 20% Shiraz blend aged 22 months in old wood) is a superb example of this cuvee. Its deep plum/ruby color is accompanied by a big, rich bouquet of resiny pine forest scents interwoven with kirsch liqueur, blackberries, pepper, and spice. Full-bodied, pure, heady, complex, and nuanced, it should drink well for 7-10 years.

Vinous (93)

Opaque ruby. Lush, dark berry and fruitcake scents are complemented by suggestions of candied flowers and backing spices. Sappy and focused on entry and then fleshier in the mid-palate, offering ripe blackberry, cherry and allspice flavors and a hint of cola. Closes very long and smooth, with slowly building tannins lending gentle grip.