2022 Torbreck Hillside Grenache, Barossa Valley

Deep and rich ruby hue. Mulberry, raspberry and dried rosemary aromas. Medium weight with a deep intensity of blue and black fruits at its core. Chocolate and dried herb notes show now, built around a solid frame of sandy tannins that allow it to express its freshness but also drive it very long. A wonderful wine now but will improve further in the cellar. Drink 2025–2038

95 points The Real Review (Stuart Knox, February 2025)

Grenache sourced from the 1949-planted Hillside vineyard in Lyndoch. Bright crimson in the glass with aromas of red cherry, doris plum and stone fruits. Hints of star anise, ginger cake, cola, fennel, quince paste, dried citrus rind, light amaro herbs and clover blossom. The texture and fruit flow here are spot on. Supple and graceful, silty tannins slide in and make their presence felt on the plummy finish.

94 points Halliday Wine Companion (Dave Brookes, June 2025)

The 2022 Hillside Vineyard Grenache is perfectly representative of the 2022 vintage. It is plush and attractive, appealing and open and offers consummate balance between its component parts: tannins, acidity and fruit notes are all performing in harmony, delivering a wine of freshness and beauty. This wine is the most recent release of this cuvée and marks the youngest wine in this vertical from 2016–2022. This has miles to go before it sleeps, but I daresay it will have all been consumed before the 2021 reaches the end of the clearing of its path. Drink 2025-2052

94+ points Robert Parker (Erin Larkin, September 2025)

This single vineyard Grenache comes from the most southerly owned Torbreck vineyard in the Barossa Valley,. The Hillside Vineyard located just north of the township of Lyndoch on gentle westerly facing high slopes. The soil composition comprises of mostly dark red clay scattered with shale, quartzite and ironstone. The dry grown bush vines planted in 1949 are low yielding and consistently produce outstanding fruit. 

The 2022 vintage was characterised by above average winter rains, leading to full canopies and healthy vines for the harvest. A severe hailstorm across some parts of the Valley in late October resulted in lower than average yields. The summer was remarkably mild with very few days above 30 degrees. Slow ripening in the cooler conditions made for a gentle and drawn-out vintage season, resulting in wines with higher natural acidity, rich colours and fine tannins. The wines from 2022 will reward those patient enough to cellar them.

From a cooler harvest, lifted aromas of damson plum, red currant, cranberry and red cherry lift from the glass. Intermingling the red fruits is secondary notes of beef jerky, wild shitake mushrooms, clove and white pepper. The palate has an abundance of red fruits and velvety texture complimenting spice notes with soft elongated tannins and cleansing acidity.

The winery recommends cellaring for up to 8-10 years. Serve at a cool room temperature (16 degrees).