By Marie-Antoinette Issa.
South Australian winery Torbreck is bringing the Barossa to Sydney this Spring with a one-day-only lunch that mixes six courses, eight wines and a chance to hear directly from the winemaker.
On Tuesday, September 9, The Dry Dock Public House & Dining Room in Balmain hosts the Torbreck Single Vineyard Series Wine Lunch, an afternoon that spotlights both seasonal food and some of the region’s most sought-after bottles.
For cork connoisseurs, Torbreck needs little introduction. The Barossa-based house is known for wines built from old vines and a philosophy that puts character ahead of fashion. Winemaker Scott McDonald will be on hand for the afternoon, not only to pour, but to talk through the vintages, the vineyards and the way these bottles hold the Barossa landscape in each glass.
The format is simple: six courses created by Head Chef Ben Sitton, each matched with one or more Torbreck wines. It begins with a nod to Provence - a pissaladiere, the classic flatbread topped with caramelised onion and anchovy. A crisp salad of watercress, apple and radish cuts through the richness and the 2024 Steading Blanc brings floral lift and a mineral edge.
From there, strozzapreti arrives with duck ragu, slow-cooked until the meat falls into the sauce, finished with orange gremolata. Two Grenaches are poured side by side. The 2022 Harris shows bright fruit and spice, while the 2016 Hillside Vineyard Grenache brings darker tones, dried herbs and the savoury edge that comes with age. Tasting them together shows just how much time can shift a grape’s voice.
The main course leans into richness. Rangers Valley Wagyu sirloin is served with galette pomme de terre, cipollini onions and a deep sauce Bordelaise, DD fries and a leaf salad round out the table. Two Shiraz join the dish - the 2023 Gask from Eden Valley, perfumed and structured, and the 2022 Grower’s Cut, plush and fruit-driven. Both wines hold their own against the beef, each showing a different side of the variety.
Cheese softens the pace. A board of Quicke’s Cheddar and Epoisses is paired with quince paste, muscatels and buttermilk lavash. The 2017 Descendant Museum Release Shiraz Viognier accompanies it, a wine that blends depth with a lifted floral note. Aged in the Torbreck cellars, it’s the kind of bottle not often seen outside of the Barossa.
Dessert stays simple yet indulgent. Valrhona chocolate honey truffles arrive with NV The Bothie, a fortified Muscat that brings sweetness, spice and enough freshness to balance the richness of the chocolate. It’s a neat way to end four hours of food and wine.
The event runs from 12.30 pm to 4.30 pm in The Dry Dock’s dining room. Tickets are $250 pp, covering the full menu and wine pairings, with additional drinks available on the day.
Bookings are based on table size, so groups are encouraged to secure their spots early. Spaces are limited, so clear the calendar, call a few friends and settle in for an afternoon where the Barossa meets Balmain, one pour at a time.
