The 2006 The Steading is the same cepage as the Juveniles but aged for two years in neutral hogsheads (300-liter barrels) and is David Powell’s spot-on take on Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Dark ruby/purple in color, it offers an alluring perfume of garrigue, damp earth, clove, kirsch, and black raspberry. Slightly austere now, it will profit from 2-3 years of additional cellaring and drink well through 2018. Torbreck, under the leadership of owner/winemaker David Powell, remains a Barossa Valley benchmark as well as one of the world’s leading wine estates. The only cloud on the horizon concerns the winery’s ramped up production during a period of economic hard times. There are three white wines in the Torbreck portfolio. Importer: Jon Elkins, The Australian Wine Connection, Carlsbad, CA; www.torbreck.com

Meaty, gamy flavors course through the dark berry and cherry fruit in this ripe, medium-weight red. Has plenty of personality, but not everyone will like it. Grenache, Mataro and Shiraz. Drink now through 2014. 3,500 cases made, 1,700 cases imported.??–HS??Region: Australia / Barossa / Barossa Valley Select to Add

The 60% Grenache shows in this wine’s red-berry aromas and flavors, while the 20% Mourvedre imparts a slightly horsey, leathery note. It’s full-bodied and lushly textured, it just doesn’t seem quite as harmonious at this stage as some earlier vintages. ——J.C.(10/1/2010)—— 89