2018 Torbreck 'The Factor' Shiraz

From old vines—some well over a century—in two subregions of northwestern Barossa, this has all the classic Torbreck red hallmarks. With a nose you could drive straight into, it's a bottomless well of plump plum, blackberry, mocha, black olive and bay leaf, with cedar base notes. The mouthfeel is luscious with concentrated fruit and powerful, well-placed tannins. There's some alcohol heat here and a sheen of high gloss oak, too, but like a well-tailored suit or a timeless black dress, it has decades of shelf life and will always be in fashion. Drink over the next 20 years.

A pristine nose of ripe and intense blackberries, blueberries and redcurrants, as well as some sanguine, rust-like notes. This is an excellent edition of The Factor. I like the power and focus this wine delivers and, in 2018, it is a wine of great length and presence. Abundant ripe blackberries bathe the palate. Try from 2025.