Torbreck The Gask, Eden Valley

Description

Torbreck The Gask is made from 100% Shiraz sourced from higher altitude, old vine vineyards of the Eden Valley sub-region of the Barossa Valley.

Torbreck Vintners was founded in 1994 by David Powell, who had a vision of producing high-quality, handcrafted wines that showcased the unique terroir of the Barossa Valley, and is located at Marananga on the western ridge of the Barossa Valley. The roots go back to 1992 when Powell, who was then working at Rockford, began to discover and clean up a few sections of dry-grown old vines, so that he could buy the fruit for his own wine. The first wine made under the Torbreck label was during the 1995 vintage, with the finished wines released in 1997. Torbreck was acquired by Pete Knight in 2008 and the senior winemaker is currently Ian Hongell. Torbreck Vintners is particularly well-known for its red wines, which are mainly made from traditional Rhône grape varieties, such as Shiraz (Syrah), Grenache, and Mataro (Mourvèdre).

As mentioned aboved, the 100% Shiraz grapes for Torbreck The Gask are sourced from elevated  Eden Valley sites of old vine Shiraz. These speical sites produce small, intense berries that demonstrate great intensity of flavour without sacrificing balance and poise. It retains the cooler edge and tighter structure that make the great wines from Eden Valley famous. The wine is matured for 18 months in second fill French oak barriques, completing a slow malolactic fermentation in barrel.

From Torbreck, “Soft and elegant this wine possesses aromas of blue fruits such as mulberry and blue berries, with lifted wild mint. In the background, there is spice and subtle eucalypt notes. The generous palate displays notes of freshly crushed blackberry and graphite, giving way to a tightly wound tannin profile. Aged in seasoned French oak barriques this is a wine to appreciate now but will also benefit from 10-15 years in the cellar.”

As with some of the other Torbreck Wines (Struie, Steading, Bothie et al.), this wine’s name has a Scottish derivation. It is named after The Gask Ridge, a series of an early series of fortifications built by the Romans in Scotland which is located close to the Highland Line near the Torbreck Forest.