Torbreck The Struie 2018
- Rich, full-bodied
- Barossa Valley
Torbreck’s relentless quest to be seen as a pillar of pure Australian wine production is on display on each of their wines. And the Struie is a staple. A 25% selection of fruit in this cuvee from their supremely impressive portfolio of wines hales from a single vineyard in Eden valley and provides a graceful lift of perfumed aromatics bound to get those taste buds dancing. This vintage saw a lower yield with more concentrated, high quality grapes which does not go unnoticed. Couple that with 20 months in French oak barrels (15% of which is new) and you’ve a core of power surrounded by a lashing of finesse. From vines of at least 40 years of age, the Struie remains as consistent as ever and this is a bottle you can certainly show off to wine aficionados world wide. Let it collect some dust under your stairs for ultimate enjoyment.
Profile
Reviews
Huon Hooke
“Very deep, bright, bold purple/red colour, with a slightly subdued but spicy aroma which also carries some of the graphite of the Barossa floor. The wine is full-bodied and ample, big and bold, with abundant soft tannins and lovely balance. A big but elegant wine whose texture is finely-grained, not coarse. Such generosity, allied to such elegance. (25% Eden Valley).”
It’s cool, we get it, you want to know absolutely everything about this wine. Well here you go, go nuts.
Specs
- Region
- Barossa Valley
- Vintage
- 2018
- Cellaring
- 2035
- Preservatives
- Sulphites
- Alcohol by Vol.
- 15.0%
- Closure
- Cork
- Bottle Vol
- 750mL
- Blend Info
- 100% Shiraz
- Serving Temp.
- 16.0°C
Tasting
From the producer
The Struie is a wonderfully aromatic and deeply concentrated wine produced from the harmonious combination of both regions, delivering layers of dark chocolate characters and defining structure. Nuances of plum, blackberries, violets and hidden spice characters all further enhance the natural elegance and tension of the fruit quality. The Struie will certainly age tremendously well over the next decade.
Winemaking
Viticulture
It is a high-altitude area of between 400 and 500 metres, compared with the Barossa Valley’s elevation of 200 to 300 metres. This higher altitude and 1 to 2 weeks later ripening pattern results in more distinctive varietal flavour characteristics, lower pH and higher acidities. While the Eden Valley region is most associated with the white wine variety, Riesling, it also produces elegant, tautly structured Shiraz which is highly prized by winemakers. This Torbreck Shiraz cuvée is a skilful blend of fruit from a 40 year old Eden Valley Shiraz vineyard and an 80 year old Barossa Shiraz vineyard – a marriage of elegance and intensity.
Crafting
20 months in new (15%) and seasoned French oak.
Producer
Torbreck
Founded by Dave Powell in 1994 and effectively taking Barossa to the world, Torbreck are considered an upstart, a revolutionary and a pin-up for Australian wine. With some of the most expensive, voluptuous and downright massive reds on the planet, they were bound to be divisive, but also bound to impress. They don’t go for mass market appeal, they go for their target market – those who love such wines. Every wine from Torbreck is special, sourced from special vineyards and made with careful attention and no shying away from their vision. We can’t say that there hasn’t been turmoil and controversy along the journey, but the wines speak for themselves, free from such human issues. And they speak loudly.
Region
Barossa Valley
'Barossa Valley'. This is Australia's key wine brand overseas, in the US especially. It's our riposte to 'Champagne', 'Scotch' and 'Barolo'. My mind conjures these images, in this order: Shiraz, Penfolds wine, Maggie Beer condiments. All of which can GET - IN - MY - BELLY! But there is so much more to the Barossa than first glance. There are fringe (and not so fringe) winemakers actively working to classify the valley's subregions, and this is a very worthy cause. From Moppa to Seppeltsfield to Marananga there's a lot of variation, and the styles produced can vary immensely. This is the next step in the vision of this region (which, let's face it, is a baby in the scheme of things), as it gets acquainted with its strengths, weaknesses and future opportunities.It's a region that's not sorry to produce the big, fruit-driven wine styles that make it so popular. So drink to the future of the Barossa, because it's as bright as any other region on the world stage.