Wine Advisor
Glaetzer, Amon Ra Shiraz 2018
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
Certainly one of the best vintages of young Amon Ra I've ever tasted, the 2018 Amon Ra Shiraz is a stupendous effort. From old vines in the Ebenezer section of the northern Barossa, it starts off with a whirlwind of mocha, blackberry and dried spices, then actually gets more red-fruited as it sits in the glass. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated without being jammy or overdone, the wine finishes long and savory, framed by dusty tannins and mouthwatering black olives. Winemaker Ben Glaetzer compares 2018 to 2004 (which continues to drink well). Expect the 2018 to drink well young, but easily age through 2035, perhaps longer.
About the Producer
The Glaezter family emigrated from Germany in 1888 and became some of the first recorded winegrowers to settle in the Barossa Valley, Colin Glaetzer established the Glaezter Wine Company about a century later, focusing on producing fine wines, and his son Ben runs the winery today. The philosophy is to use the best quality grapes to produce wines that best reflect the character of the Barossa Valley appellation. Barossa is famous for its ancient vines, from which the fruit is harvested without irrigation, and whose roots reach dozens (sometimes hundreds!) of metres deep to find underground water far below the surface. The yields from these vines are naturally very low and the fruit produced is very concentrated. Château Glazeau received a super five star rating from the James Halliday-hosted Australia Wine Companion in 2012. Glazeau's focus on making only four wines from old vine grapes in the Barossa Valley has resulted in excellent quality wines each year and very small yields.
