Torbreck 2006 Woodcuttter's Shiraz
The Nitty Gritty:
- Vintage: 2006
- Varietal: Shiraz
- Winery: Torbreck
- Region: Barossa Valley
- Country: Australia
- Price: About $18
- Rating: 90/100
- Tags: Shiraz
The Barossa Valley is one of the major wine-producing regions in Southeastern Australia, mostly known for producing quality Shiraz. Summer in Barossa can be extraordinarily hot, which makes for a juicy, concentrated wine.
Torbreck was founded in the early ‘90s by Dave Powell, who discovered and subsequently nursed back to health a section of old vines. By the mid-90’s, Powell had three tons of crushed grapes and a name for his winery: Torbreck, a forest in Scotland where he once worked as a lumberjack.
The 2006 Woodcutter’s Shiraz scored 92 points from Robert Parker and is the perfect hearty wine to pair with heartier holiday cuisines. This wine is well-suited to a decanter, as, fresh out of the bottle, the nose is heavily alcoholic and difficult to discern; however, upon closer inspection, the wine yields wonderful complexity, with a rich berry upfront and a peppery finish. This is also rather sediment-heavy for so young a wine, but again, nothing a little easy decanting work can’t take care of.
In the words of Powell: Slàinte mhath!
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By Lauren McNally
Lauren B. McNally is a New York City-based writer who spends her days on Madison Avenue and her evenings in Spain, France, Italy, South America, and beyond. She originally hails from Maine and graduated from Bowdoin College, spending time abroad at the University of Cambridge in the UK. Lauren passed The Court of Master Sommeliers’ Level I exam in August and will sit for her Certified Sommelier Exam in early 2010.
About The Humble Gourmand
The Humble Gourmand is published the first Friday of each month, edited by Alison L. McConnell, a Washington, D.C.-based journalist and writer. It is designed to offer straightforward lessons and advice to aspiring cooks, oenophiles, and all other eaters and drinkers.
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