G'day to all my mates back in the Valley. I'm having an amazing journey through the South Australian Wine regions and learning a lot about their fantastic wines.

I'm writing you today (its Thursday 8:30Am here) from the town Port Willunga in the McLaren Vale wine region. This is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen, with picturesque vineyards and amazing beaches.

Before arriving in McLaren Vale, I spent there days in Barossa Valley and was fortunate to spend an afternoon at Torbrek cellars for an outstanding tasting of 16 wines. Torbrek is named after a forest in Scotland, as their original owner was a Scot.

Here are a few highlights:

2015 Woodcutter's Semillon

Produced from 80-year-old vines originating from a Madeira clone. Its an orange-ish colored grape that produces an aromatic and fresh wine full of citrus notes and great acidity.

2016 Barossa Valley Viognier

Silky mouthfeel with superior freshness driven by minerality. Orchard and stone fruit flavors of white peach and apricot.

2015 Cuvee Juveniles

A delightful blend of 51% Grenache, 33% Mataro and 16% Shiraz. Wine is un-oaked with raspberry, light cherry and good aromatics.

2015 Woodcutter's Shiraz

Concentrated and dense red / black fruits that dance across the palate. The moderate spice notes are well integrated in the finish.

There were several other premium wines I tasted that were fantastic including the 2015 Grower's Cut, 2014 The Factor Shiraz and 2013 Runrig. These wines have limited availability in the US (if any), but definitely worth investigating if you can get your hands on them.

Thanks to everyone at Torbreck for a fantastic visit and I look forward to working with you when I return to the states.

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