The 2014 RunRig is youthful and fresh, and the oak sits atop the fruit at this stage, with a coffee-ground note that is introduced to the dark berries and spice. This is a wine that should be kept for some more time, should elegance be a character you like, as the wine seems to merge seamlessly in this direction given the time to do so. 2014 was a cooler year, and the alcohol on the label is slightly higher than the analysis reveals. 15.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork. The Torbreck vertical here was the reason for traveling to Barossa during this week, and so it was with great anticipation that I embarked upon a full vertical of the RunRig—the Shiraz-Viognier wine. While there, I was also able to taste the Les Amis and the Hillside Grenaches, in keeping with the broader context of Grenache here. The notes for the Runrig wines speak for themselves; but suffice to say, the winemaking team spans a litany of great producers, starting with Dave Powell, the founder (established 1994), and ending with current winemaker Ian Hongell and his long-serving team of winemakers and viticultural team led by Nigel Blieschke. On-hand the day of this tasting were the current analyses for the wines, and where the numbers were relevant, they have been included in the notes. Suffice to say, the alcohols vary widely over time, as do the expressions of the wines in each vintage. My favorites were the early wines for their charm and their deliciousness, however this is undoubtedly aided and abetted by their age, which had worn down any edges and had rendered them elegant. I have no doubt that this is where the young wines will go in time, but if you have any old bottles of RunRig, I'd advise drinking a bottle—not out of necessity, as they have plenty of time left in them, but because they are lovely wines to drink. Drink 2026 - 2049.
Source: Robert Parker.