Torbeck Wines

Reviews

  • The Wine Companion
  • Stephen Tanzer
  • The Wine Advocate
  • Wine Spectator Online
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Woodcutter's Semillon - The Wine Advocate (Robert Parker)

2010 The 2010 Woodcutter’s Semillon gives a good intensity of lemon peel and lime leaf aromas with some notes of orange blossom and fresh straw coming through with air. The medium bodied palate has a pleasant citrusy character and great freshness.
Drink: 2011 - 2013 | Date Tasted: Oct 10		 90
2008 The current collection includes three white wines beginning with the 2008 Woodcutter’s Semillon. It displays an excellent nose of wax,lanolin, mineral, and melon that jumps from the glass. Smooth textured, concentrated, vibrant, and savory, this well-balanced effort will drink well for another 3-4 years. 90
2007
Fifty percent of the 2007 Woodcutter’s Semillon was raised in stainless steel and 50% in neutral oak. It offers up an enticing nose of mineral, candle wax, melon, and citrus. Creamy textured, balanced, and lengthy, this tasty effort should be drunk over the next two years.
Torbreck, under the leadership of owner/winemaker David Powell, remains a Barossa Valley benchmark as well as one of the world’s leading wine estates.
Drink: 2009 - 2011 | Date Tasted: Feb 09
90
2006 The white wines begin with the 2006 Woodcutter’s Semillon which is 100% varietal from 90-year-old vines. Half of the wine was barrel-fermented and spent 10 months in old oak. The other half was tank fermented. It offers a perfume of candle wax, citrus and honeysuckle leading to a full-bodied, concentrated wine with lively acidity, outstanding depth, and gobs of ripe grapefruit and melon flavors. This tasty Semillon could evolve a bit but why delay gratification? Torbreck, under the leadership of owner/winemaker David Powell, remains a Barossa Valley benchmark as well as one of the world’s greatest wine estates. The top cuvees are limited production and expensive but there are also some outstanding values in the portfolio. With regard to the current vintages for the Barossa red wines, David Powell states "2004 is more savory while 2005 has more purity and definition. 2004 is more classic, 2005 will take longer to come around."
Date Tasted: Oct 07		 90
2005 There are 3,000 cases of the 2005 Woodcutter’s Semillon, which offers lovely waxy, honeyed, buttery notes along with a crisp, citrus oil-like character. This elegant, medium to full-bodied, intense white is aged completely in tank and neutral wood, and bottled to preserve its freshness. It should drink well for 2-3 years, perhaps longer.
Drink: 2006 - 2009 | Date Tasted: Oct 06		 89
2004 The 2004 Woodcutters Semillon is a 4,500-case cuvee aged completely in neutral wood that saw partial malolactic. It is a zesty, vibrant white revealing notes of waxy honeyed oranges and citrus, medium to full body, and a delightfully fresh, lively personality. This is an exciting effort to drink over the next several years. David Powell, unquestionably one of the world’s finest wine producers, has an uncanny ability to discover old vine Barossa vineyards, and then secure long term contracts for their fruit. It is amazing that such high quality sources have not already been plucked by Australia’s giant wine corporations. Torbreck’s wines continue to get better and better, combining the old vine ripe fruit of Barossa with a European sensitivity to elegance and balance. The finest wines in this portfolio are pricy, but David Powell delivers some remarkable reds and whites at prices that are more than fair for the quality in the bottle.
Drink: 2005 - 2008 | Date Tasted: Oct 05		 90
2003 The 4,500-case 2003 Woodcutters Semillon, aged 50% in old French oak on its lees and 50% in tank (25% of the cuvee goes through malolactic), is a gorgeously aromatic white offering wonderful honeyed citrus, almond, and flower aromas. Exuberant, medium-bodied, and richly fruity, it is as pretty as Semillon can get, and will drink beautifully with many different cuisines. While it will undoubtedly age well, I would opt for drinking it over the next 1-2 years. I may have underrated this offering given its marvelous personality.
Drink: 2004 - 2006 | Date Tasted: Oct 04		 89
2002 For value, a gorgeous 100% Semillon aged in equal parts neutral wood and tank, the 2002 Woodcutters White, is a wonderful waxy, honeyed citrus Semillon possessing loads of body as well as deliciously pure floral fruit, good acidity, and a surprisingly long finish. This full-throttle dry white begs to be drunk over the next several years, although I suspect some of my Australian readers will age it much longer.
Drink: 2003 - 2006 | Date Tasted: Aug 03		 88
2001 The 2001 Woodcutters White (a 300-case, 100% Semillon cuvee) is fermented in equal parts barrel and tank. It exhibits abundant amounts of citrusy lemon/lime-like notes, outstanding texture, and a luscious perfume. This is a great value. Enjoy it over the next 1-2 years.
Drink: 2002 - 2004 | Date Tasted: Oct 02		 87