Gnadenfrei Vineyard
Gnadenfrei Vineyard
(Image credit: Gnadenfrei Vineyard)

Australia's Torbreck Vintners has secured long-term grape supplies for one of its top wines after buying Gnadenfrei vineyard in Barossa Valley.

Image: Torbreck Vintners

Marananga-based Gnadenfrei has 2.8ha of south-east facing vines planted and was founded in 1958 with one of the original Barossa Shiraz clones. The average size of a Barossa vineyard is 17.7ha.

The deal is a sign of Torbreck proprietor Pete Kight‘s long-term commitment to his Barossa Valley wine business, following the somewhat acrimonious departure of Torbreck’s founder and winemaker, Dave Powell, in September last year.

‘The purchase is significant not just as a highly-prized asset, but equally as a strategic move that helps us secure our long-term ambitions,’ said Torbreck’s chief winemaker, Craig Isbel.

Torbreck’s recently appointed general manager, Peter Perrin, said the Gnadenfrei purchase was a great opportunity. He declined to put a price tag on the deal, adding, ‘the vendor does not wish the price to be disclosed, so we are respecting their wishes’.

An 18-litre bottle of The Laird 2006 was this week on sale at the UK’s Hedonism retailer for nearly £20,000.

Written by Chris Mercer

Chris Mercer
Chris Mercer

Chris Mercer is a Bristol-based freelance editor and journalist who spent nearly four years as digital editor of Decanter.com, having previously been Decanter’s news editor across online and print.

He has written about, and reported on, the wine and food sectors for more than 10 years for both consumer and trade media.

Chris first became interested in the wine world while living in Languedoc-Roussillon after completing a journalism Masters in the UK. These days, his love of wine commonly tests his budgeting skills.

Beyond wine, Chris also has an MSc in food policy and has a particular interest in sustainability issues. He has also been a food judge at the UK’s Great Taste Awards.