97/100 Points | Huon Hooke.

'Impressively deep, dark red/purple colour, with a bouquet of dried herbs, chaff, straw and black fruits. Viognier is not obvious as it is in the Descendant. It’s full-bodied and powerful, with abundant sandy tannins and some toasted-nutty oak influences. Coal-dust, graphite, earthy Western Barossa nuances are strongly evident. Dense, concentrated and compact, with a nicely complete, resolved structure and impressive elegance considering the hot year. Excellent wine.'

The 2014 Torbreck RunRig Shiraz is a highly-regarded wine, praised by leading critics for its power, concentration, and long-term aging potential. While reviews are typically for the standard 750mL bottle, the qualities described apply to the 6000mL Imperial bottle as well, which will age even more gracefully due to the larger volume.

Here is a summary of the most prominent professional reviews for the 2014 vintage:

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW)

Score: 97+ Points

This is one of the highest scores for the vintage. Lisa Perrotti-Brown describes the wine as "deep garnet-purple colored" and opening "with a bang." She notes "intense fruits of the forest and blackberry preserve" along with complex savory notes like sandalwood, cardamom, and Indian spices. She praises the wine as "full-bodied, rich, concentrated and oh, so satisfying," concluding that it "ticks all the great Barossa Shiraz boxes and then some." The "+" sign indicates that she believes the wine has the potential to improve further with age.

Vinous (Josh Raynolds)

Score: 95 Points

Josh Raynolds highlights the wine's youthful and powerful character. His review notes "powerful, mineral-accented blackberry, boysenberry and floral oil aromas" with hints of cola, licorice, and woodsmoke. He finds the palate to be "sweet and impressively concentrated," with a "jolt of zesty minerality." He commends the wine for being both "rich yet energetic," with a finish that has "superb clarity and dusty tannins."

James Suckling

Score: 94 Points

James Suckling's review describes the wine as having a nose with "lots of grilled meat, spice, hints flower petal and bark." He finds the wine to be "full body, velvety and rich" with a "very pretty and delicious finish." His tasting note emphasizes its immediate appeal and flavor complexity.

General Consensus

The reviews collectively characterize the 2014 Torbreck RunRig as a powerful, concentrated, and layered wine. Critics consistently mention:

• Aromatics: Intense dark fruits (blackberry, cherry), savory spice notes (licorice, clove, cardamom), and hints of dark chocolate and coffee.

• Palate: Full-bodied and rich, with a silky texture and impressive concentration.

• Aging Potential: The wine is noted as being quite primary at the time of review and is recommended for long-term cellaring, with drinking windows often extending for 15-20 years or more.

The 6000mL Imperial format is particularly well-suited for long-term aging, as the larger volume allows the wine to mature more slowly and develop greater complexity over decades.

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The Vintage

A blend of 98% Shiraz and 2% Viognier made just prior to bottling, the latest RunRig vintage is a complete masterpiece. It kicks off with elegant notes of pencil shavings accenting blueberries and blackberries on the nose, then shows incredible, palate-staining intensity of fruit in the mouth. It’s full-bodied, plush and velvety without being unstructured and manages to be fruit-forward yet savoury on the long-lasting finish, where it picks up hints of mocha and black olives.