Glaetzer Bishop Shiraz 2018

Drink now or cellar for up to 13 years. No need to decant before serving.

The Glaetzer family first arrived in the Barossa Valley in 1888 after leaving their native Brandenberg in Germany to make a new home for themselves in Australia. Here they became some of the first recorded grape growers in Barossa and the Clare Valley. This tradition was continued by Colin Glaetzer who founded his own winery in 1995. Colin’s son, Ben, also followed in his family’s footsteps and in 2004 he was awarded Qantas Young Winemaker of the Year.

Today Ben is winemaker at Glaetzer which specialises in producing exceptional Barossa wines in tiny batches. The family is currently experimenting with 35 grape varieties, but the king of Barossa remains Shiraz. This distinguished bottling bears the family name of Colin’s wife and showcases an elegant take on this powerful variety. Grapes are sourced from 30-120 year old vines in the cooler Ebenezer sub-region of Barossa with a long maceration to extract plenty of colour and tannins.

The young wine is then aged in new and used French oak barrels for 16 months before bottling. Rich cassis, dark cherry and dried fruit notes define the nose while the first sip reveals a luscious full body, ripe tannins and well-rounded texture with a very long spiced finish. A great wine to keep in the cellar for another decade or so, although it can also be enjoyed now with hearty red meat dishes.