The RunRig is gone. Sorry, but that’s expected.

(But then again, though rarely, we’ve been wrong before if you want to doublecheck the Store here, hint, hint.)

HOWEVAH, we’re back with a MUCH, much more affordable entry into Torbreck’s Shiraz-soaked vinous wonderland.

DOUBLE 92 points, and a 93 as well!

The best part… you can get it (while it lasts) for UNDER $30! And pop ‘em to pace yourselves with all that RunRig you (hopefully) snagged as an investment.

And while RunRig might be a “shiraz-soaker” akin to a Côte-Rôtie, The Steading takes a page from the Châteauneuf-du-Pape playbook. It blends a grip of Grenache (53%) with 28% Shiraz and 19% Mataro (Mourvèdre in Aussie.) The result is a mouth-coating, but super fresh (aged in large, neutral oak foudres) wine you can drink with gusto on a Tuesday night with pizza. Or Wednesday after yoga. Or Sunday with football. You pick.

Sourced from vines that survived the worldwide Phylloxera outbreak in the 1880s, and still exist to this day. These weathered, old vines have been nurtured by Torbreck and show the true character of the famed gnarly Barossa vines. The Steading combines 45 (gulp!) sources of fruit, some from 150-year-old vineyards, some from their estate sites, and other noteworthy growers. Everything is vinified separately to check the character and then blended with discretion.

Endowed with deep red fruit that dominates up front, it shows pomegranate, red currant, black cherry mixing with star anise, violets, and savory spices. 2018 was a great vintage in the Barossa Valley, and this wine shows out with tons of purity and class. Will easily last another 5-10 years. At this price get a case and you can drink one or two each year and track the development.

If you’re like us, you don’t drink a lot of Aussie wine - but if you do, better make it Torbreck (or Henschke or Penfolds.) And if you can get them anywhere near this price best move quick! Make it happen!

93 Points – Antonio Galloni’s Vinous

“Opaque ruby. Lush, dark berry and fruitcake scents are complemented by suggestions of candied flowers and backing spices. Sappy and focused on entry and then fleshier in the mid-palate, offering ripe blackberry, cherry and allspice flavors and a hint of cola. Closes very long and smooth, with slowly building tannins lending gentle grip. Drink 2024-2032.”

92 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

“Ripe, round and supple, Torbreck’s 2018 The Steading is foudre aged, so the oak signature is minimal. Mixed cherries and berries abound, mixing in hints of caramel, plus more savory notes of dried herbs, espresso and black olives. Medium to full-bodied, it’s soft and easy to drink, but it has enough concentration to drink well for several more years. Drink 2021-2026.”

92 Points – Wine Enthusiast

“This blend colors neatly within Torbreck’s lines of polish, ripeness and class. Plush plum and raspberry fruit are layered with notes of baking spice, flowers, warm stones and iodine. The fruit glides over the tongue while savory, herbal elements linger on the finish. It’s a harmonious wine to last until 2028 at least.”