Torbeck Wines

Reviews

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

2009 Deep garnet purple-colored, the 2009 Woodcutter’s Shiraz is intensely scented of ripe cherry, kirsch and blackberry preserve with some floral notes and nuances of jasmine tea and spice box. Full bodied, concentrated and crisp in the mouth, it has a medium level of fine tannins to texture the flesh, finishing long.  Lisa Perrotti-Brown eRobertParker.com
Drink: 2010 - 2017+  | Date Tasted: Oct 2010		 89
2008 Very deep garnet-purple color and pronounced warm black cherry and blueberry aromas with a peppery undercurrent, plus some mocha and a suggestion of violets. Medium-high acid and medium-firm finely grained tannins support the generous, full bodied fruit and, though the overall effect is quite rich, this is an effortlessly harmonious wine with a good long finish. Lisa Perrotti-Brown eRobertParker.com
Drink: 2009 - 2017 | Date Tasted: Oct 2010		 89
2007 Production of the 2007 Woodcutter’s Shiraz was greatly impacted by the drought conditions in Barossa. Yields for this bottling were under two tons per acre and only 11,000 cases were made; down from 27,000 in 2006. The wine was aged in large oak foudres for one year. Purple-colored it reveals aromas of earth, spice, and blueberry in a straightforward, full-flavored style. It will make pleasant drinking over the next five 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 - 2014 | Date Tasted: Feb 09		 89
2006 The 2006 Woodcutter’s Shiraz was sourced from six sub-regions of the Barossa. The wine was aged for 12 months in large, neutral French oak and was bottled unfined and unfiltered. Purple-colored, it has an attractive array of pepper, spicy blackberry, black cherry, and blueberry muffin aromas. Full-bodied and opulent on the palate, the wine delivers gobs of meaty, full-flavored blue and black fruits to accompany its forward, easy-going personality. Drink this incredible value over the next 4-6 years. 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.”
Drink: 2007 - 2013 | Date Tasted: Oct 07		 92
2005 An outrageous value, there are 25,000 cases of the 2005 Woodcutter’s Shiraz. A 100% Shiraz from 10-20-year old vines, aged 12 months in old foudres, this fabulous effort may be the finest inexpensive Shiraz David Powell has yet produced. Blackberry, raspberry, cherry, licorice, and peppery aromas soar from the glass of this full-bodied, opulent, voluptuously-textured wine. Boasting superb purity, length, and intensity, this beauty simply over-delivers, radically changing one’s opinion on what can be purchased for a mere $20 a bottle. It should drink well for 7-8 years.
Drink: 2006 - 2014 | Date Tasted: Oct 06		 93
2004 The 2004 Woodcutters Shiraz is a 20,000-case cuvee aged completely in old wood. Pure blackberry liqueur intermixed with hints of charcoal, tar, and pepper jump from the glass of this soft, velvety-textured, opulent, fruit-filled Shiraz. Amazingly complex for its price, this lusty, appealing, hedonist’s dream is worth buying by the case. Drink it over the next 4-5 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 - 2010 | Date Tasted: Oct 05		 91
2003 The 2003 Woodcutters Shiraz is a 9,000-case cuvee of sexy juice. Powell fashions this striking cuvee from some of Barossa’s younger Shiraz vineyards. It is aged 12 months in old wood foudres prior to being bottled unfined and unfiltered. While meant to be consumed early in life, it does not sacrifice any flavor intensity or power. With a deep ruby/purple color, gorgeous plum, black cherry, raspberry, and cassis-scented aromas as well as flavors, low acidity, medium to full body, good opulence, and no hard edges, it is about as sexy a Shiraz as one can buy for $20. Drink it over the next 2-3 years.
Drink: 2004 - 2007 | Date Tasted: Oct 04		 92
2002 A 100% Shiraz cuvee aged in wood foudres and bottled without filtration, the sumptuous 2002 Woodcutters Red (10,000 cases produced) is unquestionably one of the world’s greatest red wine values. A dense saturated purple color is followed by sumptuous aromas of blackberry liqueur, licorice, and a hint of chocolate. It is full-bodied with opulent flavors, low acidity, and a textured, long finish. Drink this stunning effort over the next 2-3 years.
Drink: 2003 - 2006 | Date Tasted: Aug 03		 92
2001 The 2001 Woodcutters Red is a blend of primarily young vine Shiraz (92%) and the rest Grenache and Mourvedre, all from conservative crop yields of two and a half tons of fruit per acre. The wine spends 12 months in neutral wood prior to bottling. The deep ruby/purple color is followed by a sweet nose of blackberry and cherry fruit, full body, glorious purity and exuberance, and a lusty, heady finish. Readers will be thrilled to know there are 6,200 cases of this cuvee. Buy it by the case and enjoy it over the next 4-5 years.
Drink: 2002 - 2007 | Date Tasted: Oct 02		 90
1999 The 1999 Woodcutters Red (2,300 cases) is an outstanding, reasonably priced effort from David Powell. Sweet, pure, ripe, full-bodied, rich, decadent, chewy, and fat, it is a thrill to drink. This wine not only makes for compelling drinking, but it is also a huge amount of fun, and isn't that what it's all about? If I had to give an award to Australia's finest winemaker in 2001, it would be hard not to consider David Powell.
Date Tasted: Jun 01		 90