Glaetzer Amon Ra Barossa Shiraz

"This Amon-Ra Shiraz is complete, in a word. The purple and red berries in the mouth are fresh and supple, the flow of flavour across the tongue feels unbroken and svelte, and the aftertaste is padded by chewy, pliable tannins. This is a real pleasure, and not just now—it will be later, too." Erin Larkin

• Winery: Glaetzer
• Varietal: Shiraz 
  
• Region: Barossa Valley, Australia 
  
• Vintage: 2021
  
• Alcohol: 15% 
  
• Volume: 750ml 
  
• Closure: Cork
• Food match: Lamb roast, beef, game meat, pork & pepperoni; tuna & salmon; pizza; BBQ & heavy red sauces; bleu-veined cheeses

Amon-Ra Shiraz is an iconic wine that epitomises Ben Glaetzer’s passion to create wines that are full flavoured, multi layered and intense but still elegant, stylish and finely balanced. In Egyptian mythology, Amon-Ra is considered to be the king of all gods. The temple of Amon-Ra was believed to be the first temple to ever plant a monoculture vineyard to produce wine for the citizens of the temple. The eye on front of the label is the all-seeing eye of Horus or wedjat ("whole one") - a powerful Egyptian symbol of protection. It is represented as a figure with six parts, corresponding to what Egyptians regarded as the six senses; touch, taste, hearing, sight, smell and thought. Ben Glaetzer created Amon-Ra Shiraz to appeal to all these six senses.

Ben Glaetzer makes unique, elegant wines with minimal intervention, which are regarded as classics and unmistakably Barossa. His ability to blend traditional winemaking techniques with a modern flair is reflected in the style of all wines under the Glaetzer label. All fruit for Glaetzer Wines is taken from the small sub-region of the northern Barossa Valley, called Ebenezer. The ancient dry-grown vineyards in the renowned Ebenezer district are an important part of Australia’s winemaking heritage and a living link to traditional Barossa viticulture. Exceptional fruit from a loyal group of third and fourth generation Barossa grape growers is the backbone of Glaetzer wines. The most exceptional fruit is sourced from 80-110 year old, non-grafted bush vines which are extremely low yielding. The very old vines require minimal attention. Their deep root structure means they are self-sufficient and can adapt to climatic extremes. Ebenezer has a unique soil profile. The well-drained sandy clay loam over a solid limestone pan is perfect for growing Shiraz. The soil is 'mean' and encourages deep roots which helps produce hugely concentrated wines of great character.

THE GLAETZER FAMILY

The first Glaetzers settled in the Barossa Valley in 1888 after emigrating from Brandenburg, Germany. The family left Germany on board the Nord-Deutscher Lloyd steamer “Habsburg” and took seven weeks to reach their final destination of Port Adelaide. From here they settled in a country town called Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley where they started their new life in Australia. The family were some of the earliest recorded viticulturalists in the Barossa Valley and Clare Valley.

Over a century later, winemaking patriarch Colin Glaetzer established Glaetzer Wines, a boutique family owned winery producing premium Barossa Valley wines. Today Colin’s son Ben carries on the wine making traditions at Glaetzer Wines. Indeed it was the birth of Glaetzer Wines that signalled a new era for Colin’s family which boasts more than its fair share of winemakers. 

• 97/100 Points - Erin Larkin, Parker's Wine Advocate (2021 vintage)
• 97/100 Points - Ray Jordan (2021 vintage)
• 96/100 Points - Dave Brookes, James Halliday Wine Companion (2021 vintage)
• 96/100 Points - Joe Czerwinski, Parker's Wine Advocate (2016 vintage)
• 95/100 Points - James Halliday, Halliday's Australian Wine Companion (2016 vintage)
• 95/100 Points - Josh Raynolds, Vinous (2016 vintage)
• 95/100 Points - Gourmet Traveller (2016 vintage)
• 19/20 Points - Matthew Juke (2016 vintage)
• 94/100 Points - The Wine Front (2016 vintage)
• 93/100 Points - CellarTracker (2016 vintage)
• 92/100 Points - Wine Enthusiast (2016 vintage)
• 95/100 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (2015 vintage)
• 93/100 Points - Wine Spectator (2015 vintage)
• 93/100 Points - CellarTracker (2015 vintage)