Torbreck’s Finest & New Releases:
From the marvellous 2012, 2016, 2018, 2022, 2023 & 2024 Vintages -
Taste the 2023 New Release Run Rig, 4 x The Factors incl. the 2024 New Release and 3 museum releases, Les Amis, The Descendant and The Gask.
“My Winery of the Year is Torbreck.”
“Ever since Ian Hongell was appointed winemaker at Torbreck, the wines have sky-rocketed in precision, impact and detail. The red wines have improved beyond all expectations, and the whites have also done so.”
— Matthew Jukes, 100 Best Australian Wines 2022/23
“Torbreck is among Australia's top producers.”
“In short, for consumers seeking bold, flavorful wines that reflect their origins, Torbreck is among Australia's top producers.”
— Joe Czerwinski, The Wine Advocate
“Torbreck wines are more polished and better than ever these days.”
“The Laird has the concentration, weight and power of a true iconic wine, but also the elegance and balance to raise it above the ruck, and the ageworthiness to make it super-collectable.”
— Huon Hooke, The Real Review
Monday, June 29th
Hosted by Scott McDonald, Torbreck Winemaker
Masterclass: 5.30–7pm | 13 wines & canapés | $95
Dinner: 7.30–9.30pm | 13 wines and 4 courses | $225
Torbreck Context:
The Torbreck new releases are always an exciting suite of wines to taste through, as they straddle a delicate line: they are true to their traditional Torbreck roots—the very thing that made the brand famous—in that they are lusty, powerful, full-throttle wines that represent the power and density that the Barossa (and Eden, where relevant) is capable of. However, they do so with a measure of grace and elegance.
Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate April 2024
It’s 30 years since cult winery Torbreck was established in the Barossa – and plenty has changed in that time, from ownership to viticulture and winemaking. Through it all, however, the central ethos of expressing the quality of some of the oldest vines on the planet remains.
The Drink Business March 2024
…Torbreck is still a powerhouse of impactful old vine Barossa reeds, but it is the detail and nuance in the wines that is seeing it enhance its already shimmering reputation.
Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion October 2024
Scott Mcdonald | Torbreck Winemaker & Host for the evening…
Scott Mcdonald | Torbreck Winemaker & Our Host
Scott McDonald was raised in the Barossa, moving into the wine industry was a natural progression for him and one that he enjoys to this day. Scott started his career with Yalumba winery in Barossa Valley including Cellar, harvest and vineyard nursery positions. In 2005 he was awarded an opportunity to work as a cellar hand for Torbreck Vintners. Through this position Scott had winemaking stints in Sonoma Valley for harvests in 2008, 2009 and 2015. Since those formative years, in 2010 Scott was rewarded with a winemaking promotion. In 2018 he became Senior winemaker at Torbeck reporting to Chief winemaker and GM Ian Hongell.
Scott is responsible for all winemaking duties and manages the winery through harvest and throughout the year. At harvest he travels Barossa vineyards extensively with Ian making critical picking decisions, then managing fruit intake with the growers along with managing a team of cellar hands and interns. Throughout the year he tastes, blends and assembles all parcels for each wine in line with bottling specifications. He also is responsible for the OH&S of the winery along with procurement of oak barrels. When not at the winery there is responsibility for travelling throughout Asia, Europe and the USA hosting dinners and supporting Torbeck’s international network of wine distribution partners whilst liaising with international journalists.
Scott has been fortunate to have been with Torbreck as its International reputation and recognition as a preeminent Barossa fine wine producer has grown, including receiving 5 x 100-point Wine Advocate (Robert Parker) reviews: 2005 Laird, 2008 Laird, 2012 Laird, 2010 Run Rig, 2016 Run Rig.
Scott is very confident with the quality of Torbreck’ s international release of wines and looks forward to continuing the legacy of high quality craftmanship that his skills provide to Torbreck suite of Barossa wines.
The Wine List & Menu
First Bracket
2024 Torbreck The Steading Blanc MRV
The 2025 The Steading Blanc comprises a blend of Roussanne (60%), Marsanne (37%) and Viognier (3%) and will be released on March 1, 2026. The wine spends a year in barrel, with a small percentage new. This is floral and juicy, full on the middle palate and rich in flavor but not heavy. It's a wine that shows the personalities of its varieties but is not defined by any one of them. It has notes of white pineapple, green apple, cheesecloth, wet chalk, layers of wax and pressed flowers. This is a truly successful blend. It's classy. 12.2% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.
93 Points - Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
2024 Torbreck Marsanne
The 2024 Marsanne leads with white chocolate, star anise, fennel, pineapple lumps and white flowers. It's ultra pretty and engaging its purity and distinction. The wine has so much personality, and it might be the birdsong wafting in through the open window as I type, but the wine has dappled detail and harmony that is most pleasing. A delight. 13% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.
93 Points - Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
Second Bracket
2024 Torbreck Cuvee Juveniles GMS
The 2024 Cuvée Juveniles leads with pomegranate and strawberry, licorice, dried bay leaf and tapenade. In the mouth, the wine is pretty, fresh, a little slippery and loaded with flavor, driven by savory tannin. Medium-bodied, spicy and fine, it's a blend of 48% Grenache, 31% Mataro (for those playing at home, i.e., not Australia or Portugal, this is Mourvèdre or Monastrell), 10% Carignan, 6% Counoise and the balance Shiraz. The wine was matured in large-format older oak and stainless steel where possible in order to maintain and protect the freshness and detail in the fruit. 15% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.
91 Points - Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
2024 Torbreck ‘The Steading’
The 2024 The Steading is complex and full of flavor but not weight on the palate. This is a wine that shows ripe, dense fruit, with blood plum, pomegranate, blackberry and dark chocolate in profusion, alongside notes of licorice, clove and star anise. This is very good and has fine tannins. This is a blend of Grenache (50%), Shiraz (30%) and Mataro/Mourvedre (20%). There is sweet fruit on the mid-palate. 15.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.
93 Points - Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
2023 Torbreck ‘Les Amis’ Grenache (Pre-Release)
The 2023 Les Amis Grenache is the highest in elevation of the three single-vineyard Grenache vineyards. It is planted on bluestone and ironstone gravels in clay soils, and the vines were planted recently—some time in the 1980s. The vineyard is exposed and the soils shallow, so the vines work hard here. In the mouth, this is spicy and medium-bodied, with an attractive freshness that has nothing to do with the ripeness nor, upon questioning, the pH or total acidity, as the numbers relate pretty similarly to the other Grenache wines on the bench. The cooler, wetter season may play a part. In short, this is a lovely wine! 15.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.
94 Points - Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
2018 Torbreck ‘Les Amis’ Grenache (Museum-Release)
100% dry-grown single-vineyard grenache from Greenock. Matured 20 months in (50% new) French oak barriques. Monumental grenache of towering stature and enduring longevity. Deep wells of warm, spicy black fruits hover until kingdom come. Intricate, strong, slatey tannins mirror ancient geology. It completely laps up 50% new French oak, reinforcing spicy black density, shoring its scaffolding and heightening longevity.
96 Points - Tyson Stelzer, Halliday Wine Companion (August 2021)
Third Bracket
2024 Torbreck ‘The Gask’ Eden Valley Shiraz
The 2024 The Gask hails from the Eden Valley—one of my favorite places in this beautiful region—and it leads with graphite, jasmine tea, blueberry, raspberry, pomegranate and shale. The fruit from here brings with it a shiny polish, a glittery sort of profile, while being underpinned at all times by a profusion of earthy, savory tannins. I love this contrast that this growing area can provide. It has power and detail, freshness and depth. This is excellent. 15% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.
97 Points - Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
2024 Torbreck ‘The Factor’ Shiraz (New Release)
2023 Torbreck ‘The Descendant’ Shiraz Viognier (New Release)
Deep, dense, glass staining purple-red colour. Black fruits on the nose, along with graphite, ironstone and seed spices. Peppery notes underlying in accord with sumptuous blackberry and dark-plum fruit, maybe a twist of licorice too, and with airing a whiff of apricotty viognier is evident. This has a lot going on, and the palate is powerful and long-lasting with real depth and panache. The tannins are abundant and deliciously supple. A big red with grace.
96 Points - Huone Hooke, The Real Review
2023 Torbreck ‘Run Rig’ Shiraz Viognier (New Release)
The 2023 RunRig came from a cool, wet and late season, and the wine tastes so clearly both like RunRig and like 2023. It is savory and dense, powerful and concentrated, and the 1% Viognier (added, not co-fermented) contributes a gentle sway of flowers and dried apricots to the mix. This is a wonderful wine, one that ages with grace and ease. Last year, I did a vertical of the RunRig back to the first vintage, 1996, and the wine revealed itself to be sensitive to vintage variation yet true to its regional sourcing and identity. The fruit for this wine comes from six old-vine vineyards in the Barossa, each chosen for its textural, structural and flavor attributes. 15.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.
97 Points - Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate (September 2025 at Torbreck RunRig 1994-2024 Vertical)
Fourth Bracket
2018 Torbreck ‘The Factor’ Shiraz (Museum-Release)
Aged in about 50% new French oak and built for cellaring, the 2018 The Factor is a concentrated, structured Shiraz that should age well for up to two decades. Scents of cedar shavings and vanilla mark the nose, while the full-bodied palate folds in notes of ripe blackberries and mulberries, plus hints of baking spices. Complex, firm and age-worthy, with a long, focused finish, it should be at its best after about five more years. Drink Date:2025 - 2040
96 Points - Joe Czerwinski, The Wine Advocate (June 2021)
100% Shiraz from Gomersal and Marananga with some from Krondorf and Ebenezer with an average age of 20 years picked 15 March to 4 April. Aged for 24 months in French barriques (40% new). Blackish crimson. The nose manages to have tarry notes but to suggest enormous smoothness. Gosh, on the palate it's almost like satin! And the tannin and alcohol lightly insinuates on the finish. Hints of cassis and mulberry. And this is approachable already!!! The acidity is well judged. This is pretty smart, if you're looking for a powerful, quintessentially South Australian red – though the price indicates it's fit only for special occasions. Luxurious. (JR)
17/20 Points - Jancis Robinson, JancisRobinson.com
2016 Torbreck ‘The Factor’ Shiraz (Museum-Release)
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 Date: 2020 - 2040.
97 Points - Joe Czerwinski, The Wine Advocate (March 2019)
2012 Torbreck ‘The Factor’ Shiraz (Museum-Release) Magnum
The fragrance and poise of the 2012 Factor shiraz are exciting. This is arguably the best they've made with fine, complex spices and tar. Some toasty oak asserts itself but doesn't dominate and there's a tarry, black-fruit element with some graphite. This has richness and balance. Super-concentrated blackberries and sweetly spiced plum-fruit flavors combine with fine tannins. Very dense, super fresh, muscular, lithe, sturdy and assertive. This has all the makings of a modern Barossa classic. Drink in 2020.
96 Points - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (Jan 26, 2015)
Medium garnet colored, the 2012 The Factor has a nose of baked cherries, blackberry preserves and prunes with spice box and incense nuances. The palate is dense and rich with dried berries and fruit compote flavors accented with baking spices and framed by grainy tannins, finishing long and surprisingly gentle.
95 Points - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate (June 2015)