Torbreck, Descendant, Barossa Valley

Dark purple ruby in glass. Certainly tertiary aged leathers, dusted cocoa, savoury wood spices, but no signs of flagging. Bright, balanced, youthful and vibrant, blue and black fruit. Silky lacy tannins, lifted acid structure. Blooming in glass 30-45 min in... What a delight, none of that heavy chuggy stuff, instead elegant and lifted, effortless. Drinking possibly at peak, considering the past 3 bottles. Autumn and late fruits, light ash and graphite. Paired beautifully with a wagyu ribeye dusted with kerala …

2002 vintage

started drinking 10 minutes after decanting. Definitely woodsy on the nose, showing very nice fruit in the air while decanting. It's amazing that the tannins were still there on the back end after more than 20 years. The nose showed blueberries and the grape skin. Very fragrant about 45 minutes in.

2002 vintage

Beautiful, integrated Barossa Shiraz. Gorgeous nose, mostly resolved tannins, and a lifted (for the idiom) finish. You can hold a bit longer, though it’s a treat right now.

2002 vintage

Deep purplish red with clearing meniscus. Bouquet of ripe vanilla, black cherry and damson jam and a hint of cinnamon. Palate is full and rich with black cherry, liquorice and soft velvety tannins. A massively extracted fruit bomb with incredibly long finish.

2002 vintage

(Beef Stew w Jeff, DY, Kenneth) [Parallel alongside 2002 Dead Arm] Dark leafy leather and incense. Lifted, elegant power, violet florals and exotic spice. Some lacy filigree. Fine supple velvets.

2002 vintage

Well rounded. has settled in for its last years of peak drinking. Integrated, smooth and black fruited

2002 vintage

Light red color. Mellow nose with light licorice notes. Round and ripe. Medium to long finish. Excellent wine but at the end of development. Drink up.

2002 vintage

Rich dark fruit, not showing any signs of decline. Nice match with rack of lamb.

2002 vintage

Nose of raspberry and tar. Dark Fruit with chocolate on the finish. Very well-balanced with soft mouth feel

2002 vintage

Amazing concentration, complexity and depth- a standout performance for this "second wine." Can easily go toe to toe with the best French Cote Rotie in terms of complexity and somebarnyard funk, yet also a rich palate with gobs of dark fruits and florals. This is just in the prime of its drinking window with everything in balance- acidity, sweetness, primary and secondary aromatics intermingling.

2002 vintage

Had over two nights. Blackberry, mint, meat. Good structure of tannin and acid. Tea aroma after a while.

2002 vintage

Wow, what a Syrah! This was simply divine and is drinking very well right now. Definitely not a fruit bomb, has a lot of minerality, touch of herbs, and seems very true terroir driven wine. SImply stunning!

2002 vintage

Got two of these in last month's Last Bottle frenzy and popped one of them to try. Cork was falling apart mush like it had been stored upright or in high heat/low humidity, and lacking a Durand I ended up with half the cork in the bottle, along with a lot of tartar and sediment (not to mention floating cork pieces). I was skeptical to say the least, but I double decanted and gave it a whirl. Wow, what a …

2002 vintage

Terroir-istes International - Australia-Barossa & McLaren Vale 2002 Shiraz (Groot Constantia) : (Blind Tasting): A deep black-red wine with a complex bouquet showing dried earth, wood smoke, oak spice, and ripe black fruit with a hint of red fruit. The palate is full, broad, and rich, showing plenty of dark fruit with tertiary elements and a recurring menthol note. With a warm and richly textured profile, reminiscent of peppermint crisp, the mid-palate shows toasted oak flavours intermingling with coffee, lavender, …

2002 vintage

Pre-National Day 2015 (Pine Close) : Pop and poured. Drank over 2+ hours. Appearance is clear, deep intensity, purplish ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of strawberry and raspberry jam, licorice, peppery spice, chocolate liquer. Developing. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol, smooth integrated medium+ tannins, full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with flavours of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, licorice, pepper spice, chocolate liquer. Long finish. Very good quality. Clearly a Barossa Shiraz, but with lots …

2002 vintage

Clear dark garnet color. Wonderful bouquet of mixed black, blue and red fruit, charcoal, earth, anise. Similar on the palate, rich and generous, full body.

2002 vintage

Open and served. A year since we tried it last fromt his batch and called it "a Cote Rotie that pumps Iron" and rated it 91. This time it was a lot more "relaxed" and prurer ont he fruit and we a are glad to see it age very nicely and had no stewed or raisiny fruit. Quite open on the nose with ripe red fruit, light spicy, herby and at times floral. Ont he palate it maintains the richeness …

2002 vintage

Balance is the hallmark of this wine. The tannins are perfectly integrated and it sings on the palate for 40+ seconds. Licorice, saddle leather, pepper and dark fruits are represented well, and the Viognier in the blend adds something special -- a round texture and mouthfeel with a punch of clove. This wine is drinking beautifully

2002 vintage

Dark in colour, deep and glowing. Sweet fruit, red cherries and berries, sweet and rich. Flowery notes as well. A hint of honey adds to the impression of sweetness, good freshness and decent length. Powerful and broad. Drinking nicely, excellent, big but not overdone. Drink now - 2018. 93-94

2002 vintage

(Easter@theChans) inky, leafy nose, with complex perfumery pong, late autumn leaves, ash, white pepper, smallgoods, soft spices. Elegant and alluring. Mid-bodied palate, mildly sweet with more meatiness, dark violets, milk chocolate, charcoal and mossy forest floor. Silky tannins, which take some time in glass to bloom and grow. Effortlessly balanced and nuanced, this bottle is drinking possibly at peak. Elegant finish, with elegant light tar and graphite sweetness.

2002 vintage

wow so great

2002 vintage

Cote rotie blend, but cote rotie that pumps iron. Needs food and went nicely with a lamb tagine. Full on dark in colour. On the nose spicy, ripe fruit, lots of extract and the oak is well assimilated. 14.5% alc, but does not show and is well in tune with the ripe lush fruit. Interesting wine, textbook Aussie Shiraz. 91 and drinks well now

2002 vintage

Dark red/garnet. Nose of vanilla, bouillon, spice and stewed apricot (those viognier skins have a life of their own!). Palate quite savoury - quite different from when this was a fruit-forward baby. Beefy, spicy palate with some woody flavours. Good, without being exceptional. Long finish. Will drink my last two bottles in fairly short oder I think.

2002 vintage

(Chens@BengHiang) Dark garnet in glass, with a beautiful purple rim. Expressive, intense nose of dark berries, cracked black peppers and dark old leather, along with sweet tobacco notes. Beautifully balanced, with some moss and forest floor evident with time in the glass. Sweet berries on the taste, softly structured acidity, with tight, linear tannins which evaporate to deliver transparent clarity, ending with light smoke, savory pepper, dusting of cocoa and toasted nuts, in a sustained, ringing finish. Drinking very well …

2002 vintage

I last had this about 3 years ago when I thought it was extremely tannic. This time around it was already quite soft and although I had it decanted, I think this can be popped and poured. Fabulous, sweet, ripe berry nose. Round and meaty. Surprisingly easy to drink. I would start drinking this up if I had any more. Probably at peak now.

2002 vintage

Are you sure?

Torbreck, Descendant, Barossa Valley

Vintages

No vintages

Community Reviews