Bringing to life a hidden wine mecca is thirsty work!
We were nearing the completion of our eclectic space; having just curated the last few antiquities that were to call our rotating bookcase home, and stocked the last nooks of our stone-floored, brick-walled wine cellar with the best national and international wines we could get our hands on. After a hard slog, it was only natural that the owner of our magical space, in the presence of our wine-fanatic Venue Manager and the State Manager of one of Australia’s most notable vintners, set up for a well-earned wine down; he pulls out three heavy leather chairs, polishes off three of the most impressive sized wine glasses in the venue’s arsenal, and cracks open a vintage bottle of aromatic Grenache.
Wine enthusiasts don’t get far beyond their first sip before diving into intense conversation about winemaking. Half way through this first glass of deliciousness sparked our most notable discussion yet. Wines, made by wineries, for specific venues; signature wines for unique spaces. Brilliant, right? The conversation went on, lead by Greg McGill, State Manager of Torbreck Vintners from the Barossa Valley, about the exploratory experience that surrounds curating the perfect wine, that captures a venue and will bear their name on a customised label.
For some unique venues across Australia and beyond, gone are the days of ‘house wine’ as we know it. Like us, they believe that capturing the essence of a venue with a customised blend of aromatic notes provides a next level experience for customers visiting their venues. An opportunity to stimulate the senses beyond expectation is an exciting prospect.
A year on from this wine fuelled conversation, in the early months of 2018, we’re sitting in the exact same place, with an equally enthusiastic group of wine lovers, cracking open one of our first release bottles, labelled Torbreck Baedeker Shiraz.
Today, this wine is only available from Baedeker by the glass, using the Coravin System, and by magnum bottle (is there any other size?!). With the 2014 allocation almost exhausted, there are still a limited number of magnums available before the balance are stored in our cellar for future release. The 2015 Baedeker Shiraz will launch later this year.
Over the years, Torbreck has collaborated with venues, creating wine specifically for them, some notable examples being Juveniles Wine Bar in Paris, Kyloe in Edinburgh and Les Amis. The prospect of collaborating with Torbreck to create our very own wine was truly privileged, and to make it something extra special, it was agreed that our wine would only be available in magnum format.
Torbreck is most well known for its flagship wines The Laird and Run Rig, both big uniquely Barossan Shiraz’ (the latter with just a touch of Viognier). With a number of wines inspired by classic Rhone blends, the varietals include Roussanne, Marsanne, Shiraz, Grenache and Mataro.
