Torbreck Wine Dinner With Winemaker Dave Powell 9/19

Wednesday, September 19 2012 7:00pm Start Share: Facebook Twitter

Tickets

General Admission
$95.00

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Join us for a very special evening with the irrepressible Dave Powell, owner and winemaker at Torbreck.

Always entertaining, Dave’s last visit to City Winery was one of our most memorable wine events ever (don’t get him started on the branding story!). Dave is bringing an awesome lineup of wines, including some back vintages as well as magnums of his ultra-luxury Run Rig 2005, rated 98+ points by the Wine Advocate.

Seating is limited and this promises to be a popular event so don’t wait!

“Torbreck, under the leadership of owner/winemaker David Powell, remains a Barossa Valley benchmark as well as one of the world’s leading wine estates.” – Jay Miller, The Wine Advocate

TORBRECK WINES with Wine Advocate ratings (see below for WA reviews):

Woodcutter’s Semillon 2009

Roussanne-Marsanne-Viognier 2009 – 90 pts

The Steading 2007 – 91 pts

Les Amis 2009 – 98+ pts

The Pict 2004 – from magnum – 95+ pts

Woodcutter’s Shiraz 2010 – 91 pts

The Factor 2005 – 97 pts

Run Rig 2005 – from magnum – 98+ pts

The Bothie 2011

MENU:

1st course: Vichyssoise with crab

2nd course: Crispy duck breast, toasted faro risotto, huckleberry sauce

3rd course: Petit Filet au Poivre, parsnip-fingerling puree

4th course: Selection of Murray’s cave-aged cheese

WINE ADVOCATE REVIEWS:

1st Flight

Woodcutters Semillon 09 – It displays an excellent nose of wax, lanolin, mineral, and melon that jumps from the glass. Smooth textured, concentrated, vibrant, and savory, this well-balanced effort will drink well for another 3-4 years.

Roussanne/Marsanne/Viognier 09 – Blended of 55% Roussanne, 35% Marsanne and 10% Viognier, Torbreck’s 2009 offers a lovely peachy, floral nose with notes of frangipani, tropical fruit salad, guava and green mango plus a whiff of honey. Medium to full-bodied with a nice silky texture, good mid-palate and medium-high acid, the finish is long and yeasty. 90 pts.

2nd Flight

The Steading 07 (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre) – The 2007 Steading is the same blend as the Juveniles bottling but aged for 2 years in old oak. Reminiscent of a quality Chateauneuf-du-Pape, this purple-colored wine emits aromas of Asian spices, lavender, garrigue, black cherry, and kirsch. Dense, sweet, and concentrated, it has excellent grip, succulent flavors, and a lengthy, fruit-filled finish. 91 pts.

Les Amis 09 (Grenache) – Deep garnet colored with a hint of purple, the 2009 Les Amis displays wonderfully fragrant aromas of raspberry preserves, warm red currants and mulberries with nuances of potpourri, mandarin peel and oolong tea. Opulently fruited, rich, full and seductive in the mouth, the voluptuous fruit is well structured with crisp acid and a medium to firm level of velvety tannins, finishing long with layer after layer of berry and spice flavors. 98+ pts.

The Pict 04 (Mourvedre) – A new offering, the 2004 The Pict, is a 220-case cuvee of 100% Mourvedre that tips the scales at 13.2% alcohol. Reminiscent of a 1998 Domaine Tempier Cuvee Speciale (a great vintage for that estate), it boasts an inky/blue/purple color, phenomenally intense blueberry and blackberry fruit characteristics, and hints of black truffles as well as fresh mushrooms. Deep and full-bodied, with superb fruit and the right amount of sweet tannin (a rarity for Mourvedre), this beauty should evolve slowly, and drink well for 15 or more years. 95+ pts.

3rd Flight

Woodcutters Shiraz 10 – Very deep purple-black colored, the 2010 Woodcutters Shiraz is a little reduced to begin, giving way to youthful aromas of black fruits, blueberry and blackberry preserves with underlying cassis, chocolate, nut and licorice hints. Full and rich, this mouth-filling wine is well supported by medium to firm velvety tannins and lively acid, lending texture and freshness through the long finish. 91 pts.

The Factor 05 (Shiraz) – Opaque purple-colored, it delivers an expressive bouquet of pepper, smoke, espresso roast, blackberry, blueberry, and licorice. Full-bodied and voluptuous on the palate, nuances of saddle leather and mineral emerge to complement the layers of spicy blue and black fruits. The wine is beautifully integrated with enough well-concealed tannin to keep this wine evolving for a decade. The pure finish lingers for 60+ seconds to complete the experience of a totally hedonistic turn-on. 97 pts.

Run Rig 05 (Shiraz) – Opaque purple/black in color, it has a kinky, exotic bouquet of fresh road tar, smoke, lavender, black pepper, game, blueberry, and black raspberry. Full-bodied and opulent on the palate, the wine is dense, packed, and unevolved. It will continue to open up over the next 10-12 years and drink well through 2040 in the style of a Chapoutier Hermitage. If it develops as I think it will, it will be a candidate for perfection down the road. 98+ pts.

Cheese course

The Bothie 11 (Muscat dessert wine) – The 2011 The Bothie has an intensely aromatic / grapey nose with notes of honeysuckle, poached pears and nutmeg. Very sweet, crisp, silken textured and full bodied, it is nicely balanced with a long pure finish. Drink it now while it’s this fresh and vibrant.

ABOUT DAVE POWELL & TORBRECK:

Torbreck founder David Powell was born and raised in Adelaide, South Australia. His father was an accountant and like it or not, Dave soon found himself on a similar career path. 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 time in the Barossa Valley and during the winters ventured 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.

Finding work at Rockford in the Barossa Valley, he became steeped in the traditional culture of the region and in the early 1990s the idea of owning his own winery began to take shape. David was saddened by the mid-1980s government sponsored ‘Vine Pull’ scheme but became convinced that a market existed for old vine wines influenced by the classic Rhône styles. Lacking deep pockets, he set about approaching local landowners concerning their neglected properties. Dave nurtured these old, lifeless and overgrown vineyards back to health. Bringing the 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 into the first bottles of Torbreck.

Torbreck continues to follow the path of sourcing the best fruit possible from its own vineyards and those of selected growers in the region. 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 practices. 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.