David Powell, unquestionably one of the world’s finest wine producers, has an uncanny ability to discover old vine Barossa vineyards, and then secure long term contracts for their fruit. It is amazing that such high quality sources have not already been plucked by Australia’s giant wine corporations. Torbreck’s wines continue to get better and better, combining the old vine ripe fruit of Barossa with a European sensitivity to elegance and balance. The finest wines in this portfolio are pricy, but David Powell delivers some remarkable reds and whites at prices that are more than fair for the quality in the bottle. Robert Parker
If there is a Barossa-based winery that has done more than any other to inspire Australian winemakers to push the edge of the technical envelope to create deeply fruited, spicy and savoury red wines that reflect both a regional heritage and the will to explore the complexity associated with the reds of the Rhône Valley, that winery is this winery. Torbreck, whose first vintage was only in 1996, has since engendered a healthy raft of competitors. Australian wine is the winner, since the virtually unheard-of unwooded blend of grenache, shiraz and mataro (aka the Juveniles) and its oaked variant (The Steading) are now a popular part of our wine culture, which has historically been far too narrow. Jeremy Oliver
