A doppelgänger for top-drawer modern Châteauneuf, the 2018 The Steading from Torbreck is an immaculate Barossa GSM with quite disarming purity. The nose explodes with blueberry, strawberry, liquorice, Turkish delight, lavender and baking spices, a scent which feels luxurious - like stepping into a five star hotel. The palate is extremely supple, sweet like fruit cake on entry but gradually develops in umami, with some smoked bacon and dried cherry. The tannins are almost imperceptible, as is the alcohol - it checks in at 15% but is deftly handled and there’s no sense of heat whatsoever. This isn’t what I was expecting from this wine, a wine I have fond memories of serving to guests in the restaurant I worked in almost ten years ago. It was a perfect match for braised short rib of beef with Port beef jus, which needed a sweeter style of red (I had considered Bordeaux for this evening). This wine was superb, a pleasant surprise and I’m delighted to have bought this year’s release by the case.
A doppelgänger for top-drawer modern Châteauneuf, the 2018 The Steading from Torbreck is an immaculate Barossa GSM with quite disarming purity. The nose explodes with blueberry, strawberry, liquorice, Turkish delight, lavender and baking spices, a scent which feels luxurious - like stepping into a five star hotel. The palate is extremely supple, sweet like fruit cake on entry but gradually develops in umami, with some smoked bacon and dried cherry. The tannins are almost imperceptible, as is the alcohol - it checks in at 15% but is deftly handled and there’s no sense of heat whatsoever. This isn’t what I was expecting from this wine, a wine I have fond memories of serving to guests in the restaurant I worked in almost ten years ago. It was a perfect match for braised short rib of beef with Port beef jus, which needed a sweeter style of red (I had considered Bordeaux for this evening). This wine was superb, a pleasant surprise and I’m delighted to have bought this year’s release by the case.
Jun 25th, 2023
Barossa Valley, Barossa, South Australia, Australia
