There’s premium wines, and then there’s premium wines.
Torbreck, one of Australia’s most prestigious vineyards, sits firmly in the latter.
The wine producer’s flagship bottles are worth a pretty penny, making them some of Australia’s most valuable vinos.
There’s a reason investors across the world are clamouring to get their hands on Torbreck vintages!
Let’s dive into the story, the wines, and why they’ve become a must-have for serious wine collectors.
The history of Torbreck
Today, Torbreck is one of the world’s most accomplished and high-quality vineyards.
But it wasn’t an easy journey to get there.
The company was founded in 1994 by Scotsman David Powell. In an interesting career transition, Powell started off life as a lumberjack, before he moved into the winemaking business.
Powell’s goal was to create premium reds from historic vines, reviving neglected vineyards that stretched back as far as 150 years.
Part of his financial strategy was share-farming – where he harvested grapes from farms owned by others, in exchange for a portion of Torbreck’s profits.
Powell’s vineyard made waves in the Aussie scene thanks to the rich, delicate vintages he consistently produced.
Caption: The Powell family has thrown their lives behind Torbreck, creating some of Australia’s best reds thanks to their wine-making skills. Photo credit: Callum Powell
However, operations hit a snag in 2002 as Powell ran out of money due to a messy divorce. Determined not to give up, the Scotsman sold the business to Aussie Jack Cowin (for AU $6.5m), while staying on as chief winemaker. Cowin then sold it back a few years later, for a tidy profit.
Ever since, Powell and co have thrown their full weight behind creating some of Australia’s most investible wines, while committing to eco-friendly and sustainable practices.
Torbreck wines
Torbreck wines are heaven for Shiraz lovers.
They produce some of Australia’s most collectible (and valuable) bottles – but also offer some entry-level vinos for newcomers to the wine investing game.
RunRig
There’s one term often used to describe Torbreck’s “RunRig” that you never really expect to hear with wine…muscular.
But one sip of the “RunRig” and you’ll see why – it’s a tour de force (feat of strength) and was the wine that really put Torbreck on the map.
The “RunRig” is a Shiraz blend, with 5% of Viognier grapes in each bottle adding a floral, aromatic depth to the full-bodied wine.
The Laird
Torbreck’s “The Laird” might be the peak of Barossa Valley reds.
The varietal wine is crafted from 70-year-old Shiraz vines and has collected 100-point reviews from critics for fun.
Tasting notes include black plum, dark chocolate and “velvety tannins.”
There aren’t many other Aussie wines that excite the tastebuds (and wallets!) of investors like “The Laird”.
The Steading
“The Steading” is Torbreck’s homage to the Rhone wine region, comprising a blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro grapes.
This offering isn’t quite as prestigious as Torbreck’s other blue-chip assets, but has still secured a spot as a “classified” (aka second growth) on Langton’s ranking system.
This places the affordable wine in the top 100 Aussie vinos – making it a terrific addition to anybody’s cellar.
Key vintages
The transition into the 2020s presented remarkable growing seasons for the Barossa Valley – and some of Torbreck’s key vintages herald from these years. This is a great opportunity for investors, as it means some of Torbreck’s best bottles still have decades of maturity left.
- 2019 has been lauded as one of South Australia’s most magnificent growing seasons, and Torbreck didn’t miss out. The year’s “RunRig” snapped up an impressive 96 points from James Halliday’s wine companion, while James Suckling placed it in the top 35 Australian wines of 2022.
- 2021 vintages are only just starting to hit secondary markets, but critics have already showered Torbreck’s offerings with praise. 2021’s “RunRig” amassed an impressive score of 98 from Robert Parker, while receiving a perfect 20/20 from Matthew Jukes. Jukes describes its power bluntly: “2021 RunRig will make you turn your head while you gawp in disbelief.”
- Other top-tier vintages include 2016, 2013 and 2007.
Why collectors love Torbreck wines
Torbreck wines are as blue-chip as blue-chip wines get, with some of the most prestigious offerings fetching close to AU $1,000 on the market. This makes them a staple of any serious collector’s portfolio – Torbreck Shirazs are to the wine market what Apple is to the stock market.
Like all premium reds, Torbreck vinos are designed to age gracefully, with most critics suggesting their top vintages will only improve over two decades of maturation.
Better yet, Torbreck’s flagship “RunRig” is considered by Langton’s as a “first growth” (First Classified), making it one of Australia’s top 21 labels. And, aside from Penfolds Grange and Henscke Hill of Grace, it’s the only other Aussie wine to be placed among the best 68 wines in the world on Liv-ex recreation of the prestigious 1855 classification.
Interestingly, a look among some retailers found that vintages from the 2017-21 “RunRig” era were more expensive than some of their older, rarer counterparts – speaking to the immense quality of Torbreck’s newer vintages.
Caption: 2017’s RunRig has been a consistent performer, growing handsomely over the past 24 months. Source: WineSearcher
Torbreck’s most valuable label, “The Laird”, has demonstrated impressive growth since it burst onto the scene two decades ago.
New bottles of The Laird tend to retail around AU $6-700 – with wine-searcher’s average market price for the 2019 vintage starting at AU $703.
This price, sourced from earlier in 2024, was quickly proven to be far too cheap for a wine of this quality. A quick glance at current retailers shows a bottle retailing for over AU $950, an incredible 35% 12-month increase.
Even the cheapest listing we could find – AU $850 – is still an eye-catching 20% increase.
As more bottles hit the market, this price explosion might cool off – but it’s a perfect example of the impact rarity will have on “The Laird” over time.
It’s already a struggle to find pre-2015 bottles for under AU $1,000, and it seems only a matter of time until the impressive 2019, 2020 and 2021 vintages follow suit.
Summary
A lot of time, companies try to spruik their products by saying “this won’t break the bank.”
So let’s be clear – buying some of Torbreck’s premium wines might, in fact, break the bank.
But when it comes to investing, buying blue-chip assets comes with a level of safety and high demand that other bottles simply cannot match.
Think of it this way: buying less-known labels as “investments” is like gambling on a penny stock. Buying top-tier Torbreck wines is like buying one of the top ten companies on the stock market.
And even then, some of Torbreck’s critically acclaimed bottles can be found for around AU $50.
There’s something for everybody with Torbreck – cheers to that!
