A new wine from Domenic Torzi and Tracy Matthews and it’s a belter. Equal parts Grenache and Mataro sourced from 110 year-old Moppa vines in the north-west of the Barossa Valley. As indicated by the name the vineyard is owned by Domenico Martino, an Italian immigrant from Campania. Torzi’s been tending it for the last ten years and he shows the site a great deal of respect with this unfettered, uncluttered and expressive blend.
Initially it’s lithe bordering on ripped but it puts on some flesh in the glass. Fresh plums and cherries mingle with blue flowers and ironstone. Sweet, earthen spices. Pure, defined aromas. A predominately savoury flavour profile with precise delivery and extended length via linear, long-strand tannins. Sophisticated architecture. Oak is a minor player, contributing to the texture but never obstructing the fruit. There’s a joie de vivre about the whole affair which is just impossible to deny. Longevity is pretty much assured. 94+ Excellent
Region: Barossa Valley
Alcohol: 14.2%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: $35
Tasted: May 2013
Hi Jeremy, what do you mean by ‘ripped’ please?
Hey Josh – it’s just slang for cut or really defined. A zero body-fat sort of reference to muscle and flesh.
Got it, thanks
Looking forward to this. Great note.
Thanks Mike. Will be keen to read your thoughts. Fruit used to go to Torbreck, just for the record. Had to enquire after posting the note. Quality of grapes seemed so good.
Ahh right on. ‘Fruit to Torbreck’ could be anything though – big volume there these days! Though I assume age of vineyard plus Dom selective sourcing means quality, rather than just ‘going to Torbreck’ as a qualifier of higher standard fruit.
I make no assumptions. Just wanted to know where the fruit was going cos it impressed me
To clarify matters further – Domenic never sold fruit from this vineyard to Torbreck himself. He did take over the lease of the vineyard from Torbreck. Up until the 2012 vintage he onsold all as bulk wine to small producers, a practice that continues although he now maintains a “wee bit” for himself now that the site is producing consistent yields from 500kg an acre to 2000kg an acre.