Torbreck "The Struie" Barossa Shiraz 2006
Torbreck founder David Powell was born and raised in Adelaide, South Australia. His father was a chartered accountant and like it or not, Dave soon found himself on a similar career path. However, while immersed in the study of Economics at Adelaide University, an uncle introduced him to wine and young Dave realized that grapes could be more intriguing than numbers. He began spending more and more of his spare time in the Barossa Valley and during the winters, he availed himself of the opportunity to venture overseas to work harvests in both California and Italy.
He travelled throughout the famous wine regions of Europe and even spent time in Scotland as a lumberjack (he named the winery 'Torbreck' after a Scottish forest where he worked).
Lacking deep pockets (but inspired nonetheless), he set about approaching local landowners concerning their neglected properties. Dave nurtured these old, lifeless and overgrown vineyards back to health in his spare time. Bringing this old practice of share farming back to the Barossa subsequently secured for him a regular supply of fruit from the best Shiraz, Grenache, and Mataro vineyards, including a few hectares of what are thought to be among the oldest grapevines on the planet. In return for his “sweat equity”, Powell’s efforts were rewarded with a few parcels of dry grown fruit, and he turned these “wages” into the first bottles of Torbreck.
It can be said that the Torbreck portfolio offers the best of both worlds, old and new. David Powell is a passionate believer in the Barossa Valley and its viticultural heritage. His approach to grapegrowing and winemaking melds the region’s terroir with its traditional winemaking practises. In so doing he has achieved a style that fuses his love for the Barossa with his admiration for the Northern and Southern Rhône valleys.