Winemaker Notes
The 2008 Steading will continue to unfold with time in the cellar & shall provide those with the patience great enjoyment for many years to come.
60% Grenache, 20% Shiraz, 20% Mataro
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Spicy and fruity with hints of coffee and nutmeg character. Full and very balanced with round tannins and a flavorful finish. Beautiful wine from a hot year and showing excellent balance. Drink or hold. Made from Grenache (60%), Shiraz (20%) and Mataro (20%).
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Wine Enthusiast
The blend is 60% Grenache, 20% Shiraz and 20% Mataro (Mourvèdre), and in this heatwave vintage, the result is a full-bodied, supple wine that epitomizes the Torbreck style. It's wildly complex, ranging from meaty notes of Worcestershire sauce and marinated London broil to cedar, mint and raspberry. The finish is long and silky. Drink now–2020.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Blended of Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro, the 2008 The Steading gives a deep garnet color and aromas of warm mulberries and dried plums with an undercurrent of spice box, sandalwood and kirsch. Very full and generous in the mouth with a good amount of enlivening acidity, it is displaying mature, dried berry and spice flavors textured with a medium level of velvety tannins and finishing long. Drinking now, it should remain good to 2016+.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Historically and presently the most important wine-producing region of Australia, the Barossa Valley is set in the Barossa zone of South Australia, where more than half of the country’s wine is made. Because the climate is very hot and dry, vineyard managers work diligently to ensure grapes reach the perfect levels of phenolic ripeness.
The intense heat is ideal for plush, bold reds, particularly Shiraz on its own or Rhône Blends. Often Shiraz and Cabernet partner up for plump and powerful reds.
While much less prevalent, light-skinned varieties such as Riesling, Viognier or Semillon produce vibrant Barossa Valley whites.
Most of Australia’s largest wine producers are based here and Shiraz plantings date back as far as the 1850s or before. Many of them are dry farmed and bush trained, still offering less than one ton per acre of inky, intense, purple juice.