"Medium deep garnet with a touch of brick color, the 2001 The Steading is meaty, ripe and rich with really complex aromas of menthol, potpourri, sandalwood, some tobacco and leather. It is a touch sweaty on the palate but not unpleasantly so, and is followed with rich and full flavors, medium levels of grainy tannins, and a long and earthy finish. It is mature now and ready to drink." 93 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown (February 2013)
"The 2001 The Steading is an ageworthy effort. Made from the same blend as the Juveniles, but aged 18 months in old French and American hogsheads (300 liter barrels), it exhibits a deep plum/garnet color in addition to a big, spice-driven nose of cinnamon, pepper, soy, damp earth, dried herbs, and red as well as black fruits. Ripe, full-bodied, and complex, it is a French-styled red that should drink well for a decade." 92 points, Robert Parker Jr (August 2003)
Ripe and distinctive, a generous mouthful of peppery blackberry, wild raspberry, mossy, mushroomy flavors all in wild profusion. It all lasts beautifully on the finish. An exciting wine with real personality. Grenache, Mataro (Mourvèdre) and Shiraz.
91 points, Wine Spectator (Harvey Steiman)
Colonel William Light, the South Australian colony’s Surveyor-General, named the Barossa in 1837 after the site of an English victory over the French in the Spanish Peninsular War. In the mid-1800’s Silesian and English immigrants settled in the area. The Barossa itself comprises two distinct sub-regions: Eden Valley and the warmer Barossa Valley floor at 270m.The Barossa Valley enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate characterised by hot dry summers and relatively low rainfall. Cool sea breezes from the Gulf of St Vincent modify the temperature, however hot northerly winds can occasionally dominate creating considerable vine stress. Many older established vineyards are dry-grown, but supplementary irrigation is also extensively used. The valley is comprised of rich brown soils and alluvial sands. A long history of uninterrupted viticulture in the area means the Barossa valley is home to Australia’s largest concentration of old-vine Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre with many over 100 years old. Although most famous for Shiraz, the Barossa can also produce fragrant and deliciously fruity Grenache blends and beautifully rich, chocolatey Cabernet Sauvignons.
David Powell, a former lumberjack turned winemaker, established Torbreck in 1994. Since then, the tiny winery operation has grown exponentially, buoyed by the success of its highly opulent and perfumed wines. Torbreck sources fruit from a myriad of dry grown low-yielding vineyards located on the western ridge of the Barossa Valley and as far south as the Jacob’s Creek area. These include established century-old vineyards. It either share-farms or has full vineyard management control, ensuring optimum fruit quality, ripeness and flavour development. The wines are batch vinified in open fermenters and vinification incorporates a palette of winemaking options including pre-fermentation cold soak, extended maceration, partial whole bunch fermentation, warm and cooler ferment regimes and regular pumping over.
