2021 Torbreck The Struie Shiraz

A blend of Barossa Valley (57%) and Eden Valley (43%) fruit, the Barossa Valley contributes plushness and concentration whilst the Eden Valley component brings elegance and structure to the blend. The average age of vines is 50 years old and maturation takes place in a mixture of new (20%) and seasoned French oak for a period of 18 months.

Flamboyantly rich and lavish yet beautifully sculptured.

Impenetrable inky black heart with a very deep black dark red hue. Soaring dark plum, black cherry and liquorice aromatics waft through the nostrils trailed by notions of toasty vanillin cedar, blackberry, earthy fennel, hints of dark chocolate and blackpepper. Flamboyantly rich and lavish the large scaled palate is saturated with a tidal wave of succulent blackberry, liquorice and black cherry fruits. A robust tannin structure provides the framework yet remains well hidden due to the sheer volume and intensity of fruit. Scorched earth, vanillin cedar, subtle black olive and blackpepper characters lurk in the background. Magnificent power with vibrant yet integrated acidity adding further definition to this wines muscular chassis. Concludes exceptionally long, peppery and opulent yet beautifully sculptured. Quite possibly the best Struie yet.
Cellar 6-8 years.
Alc. 15%

Other Reviews….
The 2021 The Struie is 100% Shiraz from both the Barossa (57%) and the Eden Valley (43%), and it matured for 18 months in French oak (20% new). The proportion of Eden Valley inclusion is usually around 25%, but in 2019, it was down to 10% due to the very low yields. So, this 2021 Struie is blue-fruited on the nose, with blueberry, licorice, black tea, crushed rocks, summer raspberry, layers of campfire embers and clove. It might be that in many of the tasting notes from 2021, that the wines outperform previous vintages. This is because the cool season was long, so great ripeness was achieved, without the stress or impact of heat events and disease. It's a lovely, lovely year that has made wines with freshness and intensity. The tannins through the finish here are savory and fine and black. Drink 2023-2043.
96 points
Erin Larkin – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate

My mind went into orbit when I tasted this wine. Tasting like a magical concoction of 4-parts Serralunga d’Alba and 1-part Bonnes-Mares (Morey-side), this wine’s 43% Eden Valley Shiraz component makes it the most energetic, challenging, and utterly mesmerising vintage I can remember. I have always been a Struie fan, but it often sits down in the pack alongside some of the more powerful Shirazes, so one has to look deep into the portfolio to truly appreciate its charms. In 2021, while it is not a bigger wine, it is undoubtedly more intense and aeons longer on the finish, so I can see it standing shoulder to shoulder with its more fêted siblings for years to come. Drink 2024 – 2035.
19+/20
Matthew Jukes