2019 Torbreck The Forebear Barossa Valley, Australia

The story begins in 1849, when Samuel Springbett established the ‘Hillside’ estate on the southern edge of the Barossa Valley, near Lyndoch. By 1850, a small Shiraz vineyard was planted, marking the start of a winemaking legacy that has spanned generations and brought together multiple families. The Forebear is named in honor of those who came before our ancestors, whose custodianship, vision and values protected and preserved these heritage vines.  This single vineyard Shiraz is a testament to ancient soils and the sustainable viticultural practices of generations of Barossa farmers.   Medium to full weight with lifted red fruit aromatics, balanced by the nuanced influence of restrained French barrique maturation. A timeless addition to any collection, this Shiraz promises to gracefully evolve and captivate for many years to come. ‍The Forebear embodies this remarkable legacy, offering a timeless connection to the Barossa’s rich winemaking heritage. A wine that pays homage to its forebears and their vision for grape growing and dry farming from the 19th century.

The vineyard’s Shiraz vines trace their origins to an ancient heritage clone brought from Europe before the discovery of Phylloxera. These ancestor vines, planted over 170 years ago, thrive in unique soils of sand atop deep loam and red clay, producing fruit of exceptional character and complexity. The Forebear is made from the original 12 rows of these ancient Shiraz vines.Torbreck’s chief winemaker, Ian Hongell, and viticulturist, Nigel Blieschke, have championed this project since 2014, believing the vineyard holds a significant place in Torbreck’s portfolio of single-site wines.

The winemaking process honors the land's past custodians, involving hand-harvesting, gentle processing, 24 months of aging in French barriques, followed by an additional three years of bottle maturation before release, ensuring The Forebear stands as a testament to the vineyard’s heritage and the Barossa’s winemaking tradition.

VINTAGE The growing season was defined by a continuously warm to hot summer with no effective rainfall, wind and hail at flowering, and followed with three major frosts - resulting in an earlier and much smaller harvest than average.  These tough conditions produced smaller clusters of intensely dark berries with thick fleshy skins contrasted against brown mature stalks. Whilst yields were down, once these vineyards were fermenting in our cellar the concentration of color, tannin and aroma of the 2019 vintage was revealed.

TASTING 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 savory 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.

International Critic Ratings

97/100 Decanter Magazine

97/100 James Suckling