Torzi Matthews Schist Rock Eden Valley Shiraz 2013

Wines like this make you reassess just what can be achieved for $20.

This is a new label for Dom Torzi’s Schist Shiraz but the same price. Again sourced from a rocky, schisty vineyard at Mt McKenzie in the Eden Valley, again the second label wine for Dom Torzi’s more fancied Frost Dodger (though sans dried fruit).

What makes this compelling is the texture – it has that slick, smoothness of carefully barrel aged modern Shiraz, but through the back end it picks up grunt and some of that trademark ‘wine gum’ black/purple Eden Valley density. The tannins are real, the savoury back end an excellent fullstop, with none of the heat of  other 2013 Barossan reds.

I had this in a group of $20-$30 Shiraz and it shone. Maybe a little simple, yet such impressive wine for the dollars. If it had a Henschke label it would be double the price…

Details: 14.5%, Screwcap, $20
Source: Sample, tasted Jan ’15
Drink: 2015-2022
Score: 18.1/20, 93/100
Would I buy it? If I wanted a sub $20, genuine Shiraz this would be it.
Buy online: Torzi Matthews website