HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION

97

Dave Brookes
WINE COMPANION

RunRig 2023

Another stone-cold classic wine in the annals of contemporary Barossan wine. It's a blend of 99/1% shiraz/viognier and it is again in fine fettle. Deep crimson in the glass with enticing characters of blackberry, blood plum and black cherry framed by an array of dark spice, vanillin oak, star anise, dark chocolate, roast and hanging meats, violets and turned earth. Deeply resonant in its fruit profile, with long-chain, granitic tannins that suffuse through the rich black fruits like the raining code in The Matrix. Those tannins! Chalky and toothsome with a kinetic elasticity to their form and a snappy black plum-skin acidity that drives the wine forward. Mucho cellaring potential here.

96

Dave Brookes
WINE COMPANION

Descendant 2023

A co-fermented Barossa Valley blend of 96/4% shiraz/viognier. There's a leading apricot kernel note to the proceedings before the plush doris plum, dark cherry and blueberry fruits flex their muscles and flow through. There's hints of sandalwood, clove, baking spices, dried citrus rind, roasting and dried meats, wildflowers and warm earth. Silky and fruit pure with abundant energy and a lovely tension between fruit and acidity, the finish drawn out with silty, toothsome tannins and an enchanting sense of harmony.

96

Dave Brookes
WINE COMPANION

Les Amis 2023

One of the endearing things about the old-time growers in the Barossa is they pronounce grenache like this 'green-ash'. I love that. I also love this wine. Wonderfully pure dark and red plum, raspberry and cranberry fruit tones with a veil of exotic spice, pomegranate, citrus blossom, tamarind, gingerbread, dried citrus rinds, charcuterie, a wisp of blood orange and distant flowering herbs and crushed stone. There's space and light there, but there's also a depth and latent power without sacrificing detail and line. Structure, too, with a fine chalky grip, a sapid mineral line and a flair of blood orange on the exit. Super!

95

Dave Brookes
WINE COMPANION

The Factor 2023

The '23 Factor is an earthy, graphitey offering with rich blood plum, blackberry and black cherry fruits, hints of dark spice, roasting meats, dark chocolate, cedar, pastis and pressed wildflowers. There's a density and depth to the fruit, with a bright black cherry-skin acidity, tight, silty tannins and a rich, black-fruited wash in the finish that draws out impressively. No problem popping this in the cellar for an extended period of time.

95

Dave Brookes
WINE COMPANION

The Gask 2024

Eden Valley shiraz, magenta-splashed crimson, with bright damson plum, blueberry and black cherry fruits, hints of baking spices, licorice, sage, graphite, crushed stone, almond blossom, dried meats and sandalwood. Plush and opulent with a gentle slide of nutty oak and olive tapenade in a silken travel across the palate. Lovely energy and chalky structure here, too, the fruit and spice dark and pure on the finish.

95

Dave Brookes
WINE COMPANION

The Pict 2023

Mataro is a bit of an unsung hero in the Barossa, and there is one thing for sure, Torbreck do a 100% straight mataro very well indeed. Richly proportioned dark plum and blackberry fruits, hints of clove, violets, Chinese five-spice, cardamom, Southern barbecue, shoyu, licorice, dried and hanging game meats, some blossomy high tones and wet earth. Deep and meaty on the palate with chalky tannin grip, a whoosh of garrigue, hanging hare and a dark, earthen form to the way the fruit makes its way across the palate. It's a variety that I love, that's for sure.

94

Dave Brookes
WINE COMPANION

Cuvée Juveniles 2024

Cuvee Juveniles is an iconic name in modern Barossan wine, named after the famous Parisian wine bar, and I know it was a gateway drug for me early in my wine career. This year sees a blend of 48% grenache, 31% mataro, 10% carignan, 6% counoise and 5% shiraz, and it's still a crunchy, juicy, easy-drinking style of wine that hits all the right buttons. Raspberry, red plum, cranberry and red apple-skin notes with layers of exotic spice, Chinese barbecue joint, citrus blossom, crushed rock and rose petals. Yeah!

94

Dave Brookes
WINE COMPANION

The Steading 2024

The '24 release sees a blend of 57% grenache, 33% shiraz and 10% mataro, and that strong vintage shows through in the wine's purity and long stretch of flavour. It's all blueberry, boysenberry and juicy plum with layers of exotic and ginger spice, charcuterie, citrus blossom, warm earth and raspberry licorice. There's energy to burn, a chalky tannin grip and pure, harmonious red and dark fruits, all pulling in the same direction; nothing sticks out, just flat-out great drinking.

94

Dave Brookes
WINE COMPANION

The Struie 2024

A deeply fruited shiraz, 70% Barossa Valley and 30% Eden Valley. An impenetrable magenta/crimson hue. Plush aromas of blackberry, black cherry and blood plum fruits cut with hints of baking spices, bay leaf, dark chocolate, clove, mace, crushed rock and blackforest cake. It's a strong vintage. The fruit is deep, glossy and darkly spiced, with fine-grained tannins and black cherry-skin acidity, and there's a distinct earthen aspect to the lengthy finish.

94

Dave Brookes
WINE COMPANION

Hillside Vineyard Grenache 2023

Sourced from the Hillside vineyard grenache block in Lyndoch, planted in '49 and matured in 2400L French oak foudre for 18 months. Bright mid-crimson with aromas of damson plum, red cherry and cranberry. Hints of star anise, ginger cake, quince paste, citrus blossom, some distant sarsaparilla and turned earth. Mid-weighted with pure, supple fruit, a slide of dried citrus rind, super-powdery tannins and a minerally line of acidity. An excellent release from a strong vintage.

93

Dave Brookes
WINE COMPANION

Harris Grenache 2024

A Marananga-born grenache from the Harris vineyard in the western Barossa. Lifted, fragrant and fruit-pure, with a seam of raspberry, cranberry and red cherry fruits leading the way forward. Hints of exotic spice, cola, subtle flowering herbs, citrus blossom and dried meats all joining the party. There's a lovely sense of spaciousness and tension to the '24. That fruit is super attractive, the spice is layered, and there's a sense of febrile purpose to the travel, with a swing of briny acidity at the back end. Super drinking.

93

Dave Brookes
WINE COMPANION

Hillside Vineyard Shiraz Roussanne 2024

A blend of 92/8% shiraz/roussanne, co-fermented from the epic Hillside vineyard in Lyndoch. Deep magenta with aromas of blueberry, doris plum and boysenberry, hints of Medina spice, a sprig of mint, cocoa nibs, pan juices, charcuterie and graphite. Lovely pure, dark and blue berry fruits with a fine, powdery tannin grip, bright acidity and a thick swell of spiced blue fruits on the exit.

91

Dave Brookes
WINE COMPANION

Woodcutter's Semillon 2025

Pale with a flash of green and bright characters of lemon, lime and grapefruit, hints of white flowers, lemon zest, almond paste, crushed stone, clover blossom, cut fennel and a wisp of melon. Crisp and refreshing with a light texture, a touch of estey pineapple coming in on the palate, and a briny acid line that gets the saliva going.

93

Dave Brookes
WINE COMPANION

Woodcutter's Shiraz 2024

A blend of shiraz from a number of Torbreck's younger vineyards across the Barossa. Bright magenta/crimson, showing juicy satsuma plum, blackberry and black cherry fruits with a liberal splash of blueberry. Hints of citrus blossom, five-spice, fruit-and-nut chocolate, charcuterie, a sprinkle of white pepper and olive tapenade. The solid '24 vintage presents excellent fruit purity and flow. Supple and full bodied. Cracking value to be had here.

HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION | 2027

97

RunRig 2023

96

Descendant 2023

96

Les Amis 2023

95

The Factor 2023

95

The Gask 2024

95

The Pict 2023

94

Cuvée Juveniles 2024

94

The Steading 2024

94

The Struie 2024

94

Hillside Vineyard Grenache 2023

93

Harris Grenache 2024

93

Hillside Vineyard Shiraz Roussanne 2024

91

Woodcutter's Semillon 2025

93

Woodcutter's Shiraz 2024