Torbreck The Laird Shiraz 2013 1.5L

In Scottish terminology, ‘The Laird’ refers to the Lord of the Manor. This single vineyard Shiraz comes from an old vineyard in Marananga, planted 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.

2013 will be remembered in the Barossa as the driest, earliest and quickest vintage in memory. Spring rainfall was well below average and variable weather saw a number of hot days above 35°C in both October and November, 2012. This was followed by a heat wave of temperatures over 33°C from 12-18 February, 2013, reducing yields and forcing baumés up. Almost all vineyards were picked by the end of March, 2013. Although a small yielding vintage, quality and fruit intensity was excellent.

Intoxicating aromas of intense rich dark fruits fill the bouquet, with dark chocolate, spices and meat providing a savoury edge. The palate possesses a rich liqueur like concentration, with flavours of liquorice, ripe blackberries, dark plums and black cherries, evolving into a dark chocolate and mocha finish with a touch of smoked meatiness and spice. Held together with a tight tannin profile and generous oak, the 2013 shows all the opulence and elegance of previous Laird’s, but with a complexity, precision and prominence that will make sure it ages gracefully for the next 20 years or more.TORBRECK VINTNERS