{"product_id":"torbreck-the-laird-shiraz-2019-barossa-valley-australia-dm-98-wa-96-ws-96-js-96","title":"Torbreck \"The Laird\" Shiraz 2019 (Barossa Valley, Australia) - [DM 98] [WA 96+] [WS 96] [JS 96]","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen rare opportunities arise, we need to capture, nurture and develop them so that their potential is fulfilled. So when Torbreck was given the opportunity to work with one of the most famous vineyards in the Barossa Valley, it became almost inevitable that the resulting wine would be truly remarkable.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2003, Torbreck growers and fourth generation descendants of the Seppelt family, Malcolm and Joylene Seppelt, asked our winemakers to create for them a small batch of Shiraz from their old Gnadenfrei vineyard in the sub-region of Marananga.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Vineyard:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlanted in 1958, the five acre vineyard is traditionally dry grown and comes from an original Barossa clonal source. South facing, on the eastern side of a ridge separating the Seppeltsfield and Marananga appellations, these aged vines have been meticulously hand tended, traditionally farmed and pruned by a grower with a lifetime’s experience on Western Barossa soils of very dark, heavy clay loam over red friable clay. The resulting low yields of small, concentrated Shiraz berries make the vineyard the envy of all winemakers in the Barossa.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe looked longingly at the wine when it was returned to the Seppelts, knowing that it was the best we had ever made. In 2005 we convinced the Seppelts to sell Torbreck the fruit and The Laird was born. In 2013 Torbreck purchased the Gnadenfrei vineyard, securing The Laird’s reputation as one of the world’s great single vineyard Shiraz wines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Barrels:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe oak selected for the maturation of this wine is considered to be some of the finest barriques in the world - Dominique Laurent’s ‘Magic Casks’. Dominique Laurent is an extraordinary individual and a truly great winemaker in his own right. He was so frustrated by the sales-driven and mass-production methods of the larger cooperages in France that he decided to make his own barrels. He left nothing to chance when developing his cooperage, selecting a site that was very high in wind and rain on the côte at the edge of La Forêt de Citeaux. The coopers he selected to craft his barrels had deep ties to artisanal barrel production, proud and driven by traditional techniques. The oak was personally harvested from Forêt de Tronçais in Allier and more specifically from the original area of this forest that was known to produce the finest oak. The oak trunks were split by hand and then again hand split into staves, producing staves that are almost twice as thick as traditional machine split staves. These were then aged for 48 to 54 months at a location that is already more exposed and weathered than the average maturation site. After this aging, the staves were hand-made into barrels. As part of this process, they were heated over three differing flames for several hours. This again is much longer than the standard process; however it does not result in a heavy toast because of the remarkable density of the wood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest \u0026amp; Winemaking:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Gnadenfrei vineyard is handpicked in two separate parcels a few days apart depending on vintage conditions. It is immediately taken to the winery where the fruit is gently de-stemmed into wooden \u0026amp; concrete open top fermenters. It is then carefully nurtured for 6-7 days on skins with pumpovers occurring twice daily, varying in duration and intensity. When primary fermentation is almost complete, the wine is drained from the skins and the must is gently basket pressed for 8 hours. The wine remains in a stainless steel tank until primary fermentation is completed. It is then run directly into new French barriques coopered by Dominique Laurent where they spend 36 months under temperature controlled conditions. Once the oak and the wine have melded perfectly the wine is blended and bottled without the use of filtration or fining. Finally it is matured in the bottle for a further 24 months before release. The Laird is a wine born from perfectionists following the highest possible standards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVARIETAL\u003c\/strong\u003e: 100% Shiraz\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVINEYARD\u003c\/strong\u003e: Gnadenfrei Vineyard (planted in 1958) in Marananga, a sub-region of the Barossa Valley.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003epH\u003c\/strong\u003e: 3.61\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcidity\u003c\/strong\u003e: 6.41g\/L\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlcohol\u003c\/strong\u003e: 15.5% Alc\/Vol\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eRatings \u0026amp; Reviews\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e98 Points - Decanter Magazine:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\"Potent and precise, the densely layered taffeta tannins sheathe and support brooding crème-de-mûre and dark compote fruit, yet there is a blossom fragrance and enticing savoury detail, with earthy loam, black truffle, cep powder and gunmetal, together with chocolate, nutmeg and toasty oak. Beautifully controlled, with the energy, muscle and persistence to go long distance. Hails from the Laird vineyard (previously called Gnadenfrei) in Marananga, planted in 1958. (Drink between 2027-2045)\" - Sarah Ahmed (Apr 2024)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e96+ Points - Wine Advocate:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\"The 2019 The Laird is savory, earthy and dense, a true Darth Vader wine in every sense: black, firm, gently rasping, authoritative and powerful. On the nose, the wine leads with resin and kicked black dirt, pipe tobacco, charred sandalwood, blackberries and blood plum. On the palate, the wine is laden with black peppercorns and black olive brine, lashings of charcoal, black tea and every other manner of black thing (clove, arnica, salted licorice and balsamic poached strawberries). It is an eloquent product of the dry 2019 season (300 or so days without effective rain!), and ultimately, it is this that makes the wine great—its ability to express the year and the vineyard with such expressiveness is thrilling. Actually, going back to the wine now, it is opening up (it was poured straight from bottle without decanting) and becoming more fleshy, defined by Satsuma plum and mulberry and detailed aromatically. This wine will evolve gracefully over the years. 15.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork and wax.\" - Erin Larkin (Apr 2024)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e96 Points - Wine Spectator:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A powerful, dense and dark mix of huckleberry, blackberry and salted black licorice notes leaps out of the glass, with accents of bittersweet chocolate, palo santo, black pepper and black walnut liqueur. For all its depth and darkness, the tannins are polished and velvety, and the concentration brings promise for a long life in the cellar. Shiraz. Drink now through 2042. 200 cases made, 8 cases imported.\" - MaryAnn Worobiec (Dec 2024)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e96 Points - James Suckling:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A warm, low-yielding vintage. Sourced from vineyards dating from the 1960s, prone to cooling afternoon breezes that facilitate a long hang-time and supple tannins. Violet, clove and cardamon notes. A complex potpourri of spices confers savoriness to the blue and black fruit. The oak is toasty but well placed to corral and compress the fruit rather than overwhelm it. Drinkable now, but best from 2028.\" (Feb 2024)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BREAKTHRU","offers":[{"title":"750 ml","offer_id":53237362360685,"sku":null,"price":799.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0481\/8940\/7391\/files\/e53de1ee-9d71-4feb-9215-294321474d25.png?v=1757468328","url":"https:\/\/artisan.wine\/products\/torbreck-the-laird-shiraz-2019-barossa-valley-australia-dm-98-wa-96-ws-96-js-96","provider":"Artisan W\u0026S","version":"1.0","type":"link"}