2022 Torbreck The Descendant estate spotlight
Torbreck's own film of RunRig, the wine whose cuttings planted this Marananga vineyard in 1994.
The market on this bottle
Wine-Searcher tracks this 2022 Torbreck The Descendant, Barossa Valley, Australia across the open market. Their published U.S. low is $92.51 and the average is $111.02. Our slash is $90.00.
Barossa Shiraz with Viognier
2022 Torbreck The Descendant, Barossa Valley, Australia
The Descendant is Torbreck Shiraz from Marananga, planted with cuttings taken from RunRig.
The Descendant is Torbreck's Marananga Shiraz, co-fermented with Viognier, raised in barrels that previously held RunRig. Wine Advocate and James Suckling both scored the 2022 a 97. The bottle is $90.
RunRig's cuttings, then RunRig's barrels
Pete and Terri Kight own Torbreck, and Ian Hongell is general manager and chief winemaker. The 2022 is 92 percent Shiraz and 8 percent Viognier. The Viognier was pressed for RunRig, then co-fermented here, and the wine spent 20 months in second-fill French barriques that had already held RunRig.
Matthew Jukes scored the 2022 RunRig 97 and wrote that Descendant finished ahead of it. If the wine from those cuttings finished ahead of RunRig, why are you still treating this as the second bottle?
The house
Pete and Terri Kight own Torbreck, and Ian Hongell is general manager and chief winemaker.
The blend
The 2022 is 92 percent Shiraz and 8 percent Viognier, co-fermented after the Viognier was pressed for RunRig.
The barrels
It spent 20 months in second-fill French barriques that had previously been used for RunRig.
The scores
Erin Larkin scored it 97 for Wine Advocate, James Suckling scored it 97, Halliday scored it 96, and Gabrielle Poy scored it 97 for The Real Review.
97, 97, 96, and another 97
Erin Larkin scored the 2022 a 97 for Wine Advocate in April 2025. James Suckling scored it 97. Halliday scored it 96. Gabrielle Poy scored it 97 for The Real Review.
The fruit was picked on April 6, 2022. Alcohol is 15 percent, pH 3.60, acidity 5.80, the closure is natural cork, and the estate cellars the wine for 12 to 15 years.
The RunRig barrels, then the Shiraz
You are tasting Shiraz that fermented with the Viognier left after the RunRig press, then slept 20 months in second-fill French barriques that had held RunRig.
The 2022 is $90. Twelve bottles ship free in the lower 48. Hawaii and Alaska are quoted on their own.
Shiraz with the Viognier that was pressed for RunRig and then co-fermented in this wine.
The frame is 92 percent Shiraz, with 8 percent Viognier in the ferment.
Second-fill French barriques that previously held RunRig.
Pressed for RunRig, then fermented here
The 2022 was co-fermented after the Viognier was pressed for RunRig, then raised in barrels RunRig had already used.
The vineyard was established in 1993 and planted in 1994 in Marananga with cuttings from RunRig. The blend is 92 percent Shiraz and 8 percent Viognier.
The Viognier was pressed for RunRig first. What remained was co-fermented with the Shiraz, and the wine then spent 20 months in second-fill French barriques previously used for RunRig. Picking day was April 6, 2022.
Alcohol is 15 percent, pH is 3.60, and acidity is 5.80. The closure is natural cork. The estate cellars the wine for 12 to 15 years.
A vineyard planted from RunRig
Descendant is RunRig's offspring in the literal sense: the cuttings, the press, then the old barrels.
Pete and Terri Kight own Torbreck. Ian Hongell is general manager and chief winemaker.
The Descendant vineyard was established in 1993 and planted in 1994 with cuttings from RunRig, in Marananga.
The Viognier in the 2022 was pressed for RunRig before it was co-fermented here, and the barrels were second-fill French barriques that had already held RunRig.
Lamb shoulder from the oven, eggplant beside it
A Marananga Shiraz co-fermented with Viognier wants a slow-roasted shoulder, then roasted eggplant on the second plate.
Two plates. A slow-roasted lamb shoulder for the Shiraz, and roasted eggplant for the Viognier that went into the ferment.
This Shiraz can take a short decant.
Slow-roasted shoulder of lamb
A rosemary, mint, and anchovy marinade goes on a whole shoulder, then the meat roasts for about five hours on thick slices of onion.
Why it works: Slow-roasted lamb shoulder is the dinner this Shiraz can sit with, fat against the frame of the wine.
View Recipe for Slow-roasted shoulder of lamb (opens in a new tab)Roasted eggplant
Eggplant halves roast cut side down until the cut face is browned and the center is soft.
Why it works: Roasted eggplant is the second plate, for the Viognier that was co-fermented with the Shiraz.
View Recipe for Roasted eggplant (opens in a new tab)Open the Descendant
Wine Advocate and James Suckling both scored the 2022 a 97. The bottle is $90.
Put the 2022 on the table with slow-roasted lamb shoulder.
