The Laird

The Forebear is named in honour of those who came before, our ancestors, whose custodianship, vision and values protected and preserved these heritage vines. This single vineyard Shiraz is a testament to ancient soils and the sustainable viticultural practices of generations of Barossa farmers. Medium to full weight with lifted red fruit aromatics, balanced by the nuanced influence of restrained French barrique maturation. A timeless addition to any collection, this Shiraz promises to gracefully evolve and captivate for many years to come. Torbreck is the name of a forest near Inverness, Scotland and you’ll find more than a passing nod to the Celts in our wine naming conventions. 

The Factor pays homage to the Barossa’s unique point of difference – great old Shiraz vineyards and the growers who painstakingly tend and nurture them each year. Many of these vineyards were planted in the 19th century and because of South Australia’s far-sighted quarantine policy, were not affected by the phylloxera outbreak that ravaged the vineyards of the world in the 1880s. They survive on their own roots more than a century later as clonal time capsules. The reputation of the Barossa as the pre-eminent red wine growing region of Australia rests firmly on wines such as this. Torbreck is the name of a forest near Inverness, Scotland and you’ll find more than a passing nod to the Celts in our wine naming conventions. The manager on a highland estate is referred to as The Factor.

This single vineyard, located next to our winery block on Roennfeldt Road, was planted in 1994 with cuttings taken from our RunRig grower vineyards – some of the oldest genetic vine material in Australia. When Torbreck co-fermented this “descendant” Shiraz with Viognier, it was a first in the Barossa – now we have been joined by many others, a testament to the success of this Rhone blend. Shiraz is crushed straight on top of Viognier, which has been lightly pressed for RunRig, and the blend of fruit is then co-fermented. Maturation over 18 months is in barrels that have previously been used for RunRig. The deep red clay soils in this vineyard produces fruit that has a glorious perfume, a savoury flavour and a satin-like texture.