19.5/20 - Matthew Jukes Torbreck The Factor Shiraz pays homage to the Barossa Valley’s historic old vines and the dedicated growers who tend them. Made from grapes grown on historic vineyard sites throughout the Barossa, including Krondorf, Rowland Flat, Greenock and Marananga. Standing as a benchmark expression of power, elegance, and balance, the newly released 2023 vintage of Torbreck The Factor Shiraz is already drawing plenty of high acclaim, including a glowing review from UK-based Matthew Jukes. Matured for two years in French oak barriques, this opens with brooding aromas of satsuma plum, blackberry compote, dark cocoa, and a hint of black tea. The palate is luxuriously dense, offering a voluptuous, mouth-filling texture enveloped in fine, mouth-coating tannins. Rich layers of ripe dark fruit, espresso grounds, and subtle earthiness linger into an exceptionally long, polished finish built to cellar for decades. "The Factor commands respect, and with two years in 40% new French barriques, this is the super-posh wine in the Torbreck armoury. In 2023, the fruit is astonishingly luxurious, and it appears on the palate silently like a massive, black, stealthy and relentless submarine. Nautilus-like with extraordinary texture, acres of cacao and crates of spices and peppers, there is even a twist of Turkish bazaar here, which lightens the menacing mood. This is yet another staggeringly complete wine, with epic presence in the glass. 19.5/20"- Matthew Jukes, matthewjukes.com. "96 Points. The 2023 The Factor is a celebration of old-vine vineyards in the Barossa Valley, and this sourcing philosophy is clear in this wine. The Barossa is capable of great density, power, intensity and focus, and this wine here shows all of these things. The cool, wet and late season that was 2023 has yielded a wine of saturated red fruit flavor and freshness. I like it so much. 15.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork."- Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate.
