Torbreck was founded in 1994 by winemaker David Powell, who had previously worked at Rockford Wines and developed a passion for the region’s old vineyards. While working in the Barossa, Powell discovered neglected parcels of ancient, dry-grown vines and began restoring them to health. Because he lacked the money to buy vineyards outright, he used a “share-farming” arrangement that allowed him to manage vineyards and receive a portion of the grapes for winemaking. The first wine produced under the Torbreck label was the 1995 RunRig, which was released in 1997 and quickly gained international attention after receiving strong reviews from wine critics. The winery was named after a forest in Scotland where Powell had once worked as a lumberjack.