Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
98% Shiraz, 2% Viognier. Tasted as part of a superb line-up of new releases from Torbreck, the 2018 Run Rig stood out as a true highlight. A beautiful nose hitting all the notes – black cherry, graphite minerality, floral, fresh herbs, dark cocoa, sweet spice and lifted citric perfume. The palate is dense and concentrated – structured but silky and glossy, and lifting into a beautiful freshness that fans out on the finish. Made from ancient vines across six vineyards (planted 1885-1901 including pre-Phylloxera Hermitage clones) this shows what this old vine material can deliver in Barossa in terms of elegance and grace. There is no doubt that this will develop beautifully in the cellar for decades
Critic scores
Average Score
Huon Hooke, The Real Review
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2018 RunRig is perfectly eloquent of the 2018 vintage. It was warm and dry, and the reds produced both in Barossa and Eden Valleys were of very high quality. Here, the 2018 could be stylistically compared to 2016, however the 2018 offers tremendous chisel and definition of both the tannins and the nuanced fruit profile. This is a brilliantly polished and sleek wine that, while approachable and ready for drinking now, offers none of the gracious complexity that it will no doubt develop with patient cellaring. Should you wish to see the potential of this wine, plan to open a bottle in 2040. Should you feel impatient, opening a bottle now will suffice—it is very good today. 15% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.
98% Shiraz, 2% Viognier. Fifth favourite in a comparative tasting of five 2018 Syrahs. Tasted blind. So evolved that it almost smells oxidised (perhaps a specific bottle phenomenon?). On the palate it was very sweet. Long, spicy and satisfying – much better than the nose - on the palate. Liquorice notes. (JR)
98% Shiraz, 2% Viognier from six different unirrigated vineyards in Lyndoch, Rowland Flat, Moppa, Ebenezer, Light Pass and Greenock with an average age of 30 years. Picked as early as 20 February and as late as 13 April. This is presumably made in fair quantity nowadays. Aged on lees for all of 30 months in French barriques (50% new) with malo completed in barrel. Dark blackish crimson. Very intense, almost elixir-like on the nose. Another super-smooth wine – it practically massages the palate. Though it looks as though preserving tannin is lurking there below the mulberry fruit. On the finish there's a real and interesting battle between freshness and heat! Great depth and potential to this wine, which is not yet ready – unlike most of Torbreck's 2018s. (JR)