Torbreck The Forebear 2019

Chief Winemaker, Ian Hongell, explains "we chose the name 'The Forebear' to honour the pioneering spirit of the Springbetts and other pioneering families and their role in establishing the Barossa as of the great wine growing regions of the world. This wine is our tribute to those who came before us." The vines are from an ancient Heritage clone originally brought from Europe as cuttings and planted before the discovery of Phylloxera. These ancestor vines (125+ years old) are embedded in soils of sand over deep loam and red clay. The Forebear is crafted from the original 12 rows of ancient Shiraz vines planted by the Springbett family (1849) which represent an irreplaceable link to the early history of the Barossa as a viticultural treasure from the first generation of European settlers. They are Torbreck’s oldest collection of vines from any single plot. The cooler evening breezes that flow through the southern end of the Barossa produce an elegant style of Shiraz that is regarded for its distinctive aromatic, lifted floral notes and red fruit flavours, across a medium weight line intertwined with subtle rounded tannins. The core of red berry fruit and texture derived from these very old and gnarly vines produce an unmistakable degree of finesse and complexity that was calling out to bottled as a single site expression, and a reflection of place. Torbreck chief winemaker Ian Hongell and viticulturist Nigel Blieschke, who have driven this project since 2014, were firm in their belief that this vineyard had a rightful place in Torbreck’s pursuit of single-site wines of significance and pedigree.

Shiraz comes from the Hillside Vineyard, planted c.1850. It undergoes 24 months in new French oak barriques (Troncais). Deep crimson with brilliant hue. A wine of poise and nobility from some of the world’s oldest living Shiraz vines. A complex nose of mostly red berry fruits such as red currant, red cherry and cassis fill the bouquet, complimented by savoury notes of wild thyme, garrigue, graphite, and sandalwood. The palate carries a wonderful textural mouthfeel with enveloping soft, round tannins and cleansing acidity that balance the wines modern Barossa elegance with the power of the harvest from extremely low yielding vines. A wine that pays homage to its forebears and their vision for grape growing and dry farming from the 19th century. Enjoy from 2026 and cellar to 2050+.