Torbreck Hillside Grenache 2016

Professional Ratings

• 93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  Bright cherry and raspberry fruit marks the nose of Torbreck's 2016 Hillside Vineyard Grenache. The oak signature is modest, with fruit and dried spices (cinnamon, allspice and clove) taking the lead in this full-bodied but delicate, nimble wine. The tannins have a silky feel, lingering on the finish, where they add savory nuance.
• 93 Wine Enthusiast

  From a small block of bush vines planted in 1949, this Grenache is ultrapolished while also being hugely characterful. It leads with a nose of brambly fruit and orange peel, garrigue-like herbs and spices, citrus blossoms and sandalwood. The fruit on the palate is tangy (the citrus note on display) and wound tightly with fine talc-like tannins and buoyed by bright acidity. This is drinking nicely now but could cellar until 2027.

• 92 James Suckling
  A very bold, fleshy and plum-driven grenache from 1949 plantings near Lyndoch in the south of the Barossa Valley. There’s attractive depth and freshness that match up with the sturdy tannins. Drink or hold.
• 90 Wine Spectator
  Plenty of bass notes to this rich, savory example, showing loam, mineral and fresh mushroom accents that mingle with a dense blackberry and cassis core. Spice and tobacco details linger on the finish, with the tannins firming up. Drink now through 2028.
• 90 Wine & Spirits

  This grows on the west-facing slopes of a vineyard in Lyndoch, a property Torbreck purchased in 2002, then set out to renovate the vines. The concentration of the fruit off the old vines comes across in shades of black olive and black mushroom, taking this strawberry-scented grenache in a dark direction. It’s potently extracted, the satin texture and honeyed fruit saturating a long, tarry finish.