2009 Australia

In contrast to Bin 707, Bin 169 is the expression of the fruit and terroir from one single region, Coonawarra, perhaps the region more closely associated with Cabernet Sauvignon in Australia than any other. Matured for 14 months in new French oak, contemporary style showing both regionality and maturation of Cabernet Sauvignon in fine grained French oak.

An alternative expression of Shiraz, and an intriguing contrast to Grange. And unusual amongst top quality Australian red wines as it is made without the use of new oak. A distinctive style, St Henri is rich and plush when young, gaining soft, earthy, mocha-like characters as it ages. It is matured in old, 1460 litre vats that allow the wine to develop whilst imparting little, if any oak character.

The Struie is a blend of 44 year old Eden Valley Shiraz vines and 80 year old Barossa Shiraz, the former giving lift and acidity, the latter richness and weight.
(Joss Fowler, BBR Fine Wine)

2009 proved to be a stunning vintage for Torbreck and this RunRig promises to be one of the best we have ever made. The growing season was ideal during flowering and fruit set and some shatter in the shiraz restricted yields in some of our key blocks. A heat wave in late January and early February was followed by perfectly mild and dry conditions, allowing the vines to recover and the fruit to ripen slowly. Through this period we were patient allowing us to pick our old vine RunRig parcels when they were flawlessly ripe.

These factors culminated in the development of some incredible aromatics in the wine, so much so that we decided the Shiraz in 2009 did not require its usual addition of Viognier. The tannin structure is beautiful and the wine flows effortlessly from wonderful perfume to a lithe, dense and complex palate. This wine will prove to be one of the truly great RunRigs.
(Torbreck Vintners)

The name Woodcutter’s stems from David Powell’s several years spent working the Scottish Highlands as a lumberjack in the Torbreck forest. This wine reflects the up & coming Shiraz vineyards of the Barossa, rather than the battle hardened old vines which make up the core of the other cuvees.

The nose is full of ripe Cassis and Blueberry, a hint of pencil shavings and szechuan pepper lies underneath.  The palate is medium plus bodied , a finer and more classically structured Grange with great composition and poise.  The mid palate is full of bramble fruit which leads gently into a finish of finely grained, integrated and savoury tannins and a cooling menthol acidity.
Stuart Rae, Private Account Manager