2023 Torbreck RunRig Shiraz Viognier, Barossa Valley

I have written many times about being the first person in the UK to buy this wine and list it on my Bibendum Restaurant wine list back in the ‘90s.  That relationship has carried on unbroken to this day, and every time I taste RunRig, my heart takes a leap.  In 2023, this is yet another super-serious and stunningly deep wine.  The perfume is elevated, the palate is dense and regal, and the finish is initially ostentatious, then, at once, becomes contemplative and sage-like.  Very dry, fine and hard, this is a classic example of a powerful wine that will drink well in its youth and then follow the two-decade RunRig mantra without missing a beat.  I went back to my empty glass an hour later, and it was still utterly incredible.  I would give it a higher score if I could, but 2023 RunRig will have to live with another perfect twenty.

20/20 Matthew Jukes, June 2026

Deep crimson. Classical black cherry, meaty, praline, vanilla marzipan aromas with panforte, herb notes. Concentrated and supple with black cherry pastille, panforte, apricot flavours, chocolaty textures and balanced vanilla, mocha notes. Chocolaty firm with apricotty, stone fruit notes at the finish. Lovely pure acid line and aniseed notes give freshness, and lengthens the palate. Western side of Barossa – superb old vine material. Average age 120 years old. Drink to 2045.

98 points Andrew Caillard and Jeni Port for The Vintage Journal, August 2026

Another stone-cold classic wine in the annals of contemporary Barossan wine. It's a blend of 99/1% shiraz/viognier and it is again in fine fettle. Deep crimson in the glass with enticing characters of blackberry, blood plum and black cherry framed by an array of dark spice, vanillin oak, star anise, dark chocolate, roast and hanging meats, violets and turned earth. Deeply resonant in its fruit profile, with long-chain, granitic tannins that suffuse through the rich black fruits like the raining code in The Matrix. Those tannins! Chalky and toothsome with a kinetic elasticity to their form and a snappy black plum-skin acidity that drives the wine forward. Mucho cellaring potential here. Drink to 2056.

97 points Dave Brookes for Halliday Wine Companion, August 2026

The 2023 RunRig came from a cool, wet and late season, and the wine tastes so clearly both like RunRig and like 2023. It is savory and dense, powerful and concentrated, and the 1% Viognier (added, not co-fermented) contributes a gentle sway of flowers and dried apricots to the mix. This is a wonderful wine, one that ages with grace and ease. Last year, I did a vertical of the RunRig back to the first vintage, 1996, and the wine revealed itself to be sensitive to vintage variation yet true to its regional sourcing and identity. The fruit for this wine comes from six old-vine vineyards in the Barossa, each chosen for its textural, structural and flavor attributes. Drink to 2043.

97 points Erin Larkin for The Wine Advocate, April 2026

This is luscious and fine with black cherry and blackberry fruit, showing amazing texture, and a spicy framing to the fruit. It’s still quite primary with lovely fruit and a nice grainy structure.

96 points Jamie Goode for Wine Anorak, May 2026

Torbreck RunRig Shiraz Viognier from the Barossa Valley is one of Australia’s most revered and collectible red wines, often described as the “Grange of the modern era.” It’s a majestic blend of old-vine Shiraz with a touch of Viognier, inspired by the great Côte-Rôties of the Northern Rhône but unmistakably Barossan in power and soul. Created by Torbreck founder David Powell and now crafted by winemaker Ian Hongell, RunRig represents the pinnacle of Torbreck’s philosophy: celebrating ancient Barossa vineyards and Rhône-style craftsmanship with remarkable precision and depth.

The Shiraz for RunRig comes from some of the oldest dry-grown vineyards in the Barossa Valley, many planted between 1858 and 1901. These ancient vines are scattered across six subregions, including Marananga, Moppa, Greenock, Seppeltsfield, Gomersal and Ebenezer, each contributing its own nuance. The Viognier component (typically 2 to 3 percent) is co-fermented to lift the aromatics and bring textural polish. Fermentation takes place in small open-top fermenters with hand plunging, and the wine is matured for 30 months in a combination of new and seasoned French oak barriques from top coopers like Dargaud & Jaeglé. Every detail of its vinification speaks to Torbreck’s focus on craft and longevity.

RunRig is built for the long haul, capable of ageing gracefully for 20 years or more. When young, it pairs magnificently with roasted venison, chargrilled ribeye, braised lamb shanks or truffled mushroom dishes. As it matures, it becomes a contemplative wine, one to savour slowly with fine company or on its own beside a crackling fire.