Glimpses into Glaetzer Wines

Glaetzer wines is a renowned name in Barossa valley. Initiated by Colin Glaetzer, this wine label is now a product of pride in Australia. It shall be noted that Barossa valley is a famous and one of the oldest wine regions of Australia. This is one wine region which has given many famous wine labels in Australia. Wines of Glaetzer brand come from the vineyard which is located in the warmer northern part of this region. This sub region is called by the name of Ebenezer. Ebenezer is characterized by topography which comprises of well drained sandy loam soils over limestone stone. These conditions are ideal for the growth of Shiraz wines. Another key point to note is that the vineyard from where the fruit is sourced is at least 80-100 years old. The fruit is not derived from the grafted vines but from the original plantings which are one of the oldest of the region. It is also a fact that the fruit of the region is low-yielding. Typically, one acre of land area growing vines here produces 0.5 to 1 tonnes of fruit which is, otherwise, 2.5 to 3 tonnes in a acre in young vines.

With such careful selection of vineyard and wine region, Glaetzer wines have been able to develop into a top brand in Australia. Top Glaetzer wines are: Amon-Ra, which is a Shiraz variety; Anaperenna, that is a Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon blend; Bishop, which is also a Shiraz; and, Wallace, which is a Shiraz and Grenache blend. The previous years famed wines from this label were  and Ebenezer wines which were made by the patriarch- Colin Glaetzer. Colin, and later on his son Ben, were awarded with the title of Barons of Barossa for their work in wine industry and cultural promotion. Ben was also awarded as Qantas Young Winemaker of the Year.

Wolf Blass Wines – 60 years of Awards Winning Streak

If you really wonder what an innovative young winery can achieve, one of the few examples one could take lessons from is the Wolf Blass wines. In its relatively short period of existence as compared with some of the highly popular and established brands of wines, it has gone places in terms of international recognition it has attained over these 60 odd years.

The wines business was established in Australia in 1966 by an entrepreneur named Wolfgang Franz Otto Blass who was born in Germany in 1934. He moved to Australia in 1961 from Europe. Before moving to Australia, he learnt wine-making in France and wine-blending in London and then moved to Barossa Valley in Australia in 1961. A mere 5 years later, he established the Wolf Blass Wines as a brand. Glaetzer, of the Glaetzer wines fame, was the wine-maker behind the many accolades which Wolf Blass won both nationally and internationally.

In 1973, Wolf Blass made the first Wolf Blass Black Label which won the Jimmy Watson Trophy consecutively for three years in 1974, 1975 and 1976, and then again in 1999. With this initiation, there was no limit for its growth and the exports followed soon after. For a man who carried only GBP 400 when he landed in Australia, he founded Wolf Blass International after 12 years and made it into a public listed company in 1984. In 1996, Wolf Blass wines Australia merged with Mildara Wines, which in turn was taken over by Fosters for $560 million. In all these years since its inception the winery has won over 8500 awards.

The award-winning streak continues till now. More recently, it has won the InterVin International Award and the International Wine Challenge award in 2016. It has won the International Wine Challenge in 2008 and 2013 as well.

The Exquisite Range of Glaetzer Wines

In 1888, the Glaetzers left Germany in search of a new home aboard Habsburg, a Nord-Deutscher Lloyd streamer. After travelling by sea for about seven weeks, they finally reached their destination – Port Adelaide. They laid down their roots in Nurioopta, a small country town in Barossa Valley. The Glaetzer family is said to spawn some of the first viticulturists in Australia’s Clare Valley as well as Barossa Valley regions. More than a century later, winemaker Colin Glaetzer fulfilled his desire to establish his own wine brand. He founded Glaetzer Wines, a family owned boutique winery which is now associated with producing premium quality Barossa Valley wines. Currently, Colin’s son Ben operates the wine estate, taking its name and reputation to new heights.

Glaetzer Wines manufactures four signature wines – Amon-Ra, Anaperenna, Bishop and Wallace, all of which could be some of the best Australian wines.

Amon-Ra

This beautifully crafted red wine is created using 100% dry grown Shiraz grapes. Fruit for this wine is sourced from the Ebenezer sub-region of Barossa Valley. It is subjected to fermentation in open-top fermenters, hand plunged thrice every day and matured on lees to retain the rich fruit characteristics. This wine shows a deep purple hue, with a lavish bouquet giving off blackcurrant, chocolate and dried spice aromas. The full-weighted palate is an interesting fusion of black fruit, graphite and charcoal notes that balance out the savoury tannins. After careful cellaring for a few years, Amon-Ra Shiraz is a delight to consume.

Anaperenna

Anaperenna is a delightful mix of two of the most loved red wine grapes – Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Both these grapes are imported from Barossa Valley’s Ebenezer region. Carefully handpicked and fermented in open-top fermenters, the fruit is hand plunged three times a day and subjected to maturation on lees. The final product is an exquisite Shiraz Cabernet blend which shows an opaque purple colour. Fragrances of cassis, blueberry and coffee bean flow from the nose, depicting a surprising depth to the wine. The palate is full of fine grained tannins that complement the dark cherry flavours and cedar spiced nuances. A wonderful red blend, this wine has a long term cellaring potential.

Bishop

Glaetzer Wines’ Bishop range is produced using premium quality Shiraz grapes from the Ebenezer sub-region at the northern tip of the revered Barossa Valley region. Ebenezer experiences above average winter rains and warm spring temperatures, which helps in the growth of delicate and juicy grapes. These grapes are subjected to fermentation in open-top fermenters, followed by extended maceration to aid in development of supple tannins. The wine is of a deep purple colour, with its bouquet exhibiting aromas of cloves, violets, dark chocolate and mulberry. The pure and rich palate is full of dark fruit and ripe plum flavours that mix well with the firm and savoury tannins to provide an incredible depth and length.

Wallace

Fruit for this exquisite Shiraz Grenache wine blend is sourced from Barossa Valley’s Ebenezer sub-region. As old vine Grenache grapes do not benefit from oak aging, oak maturation for Grenache grapes is minimized. Shiraz grapes are matured for about 16 months in a combination of French and American oak hogsheads. The result is a deep garnet hued wine with bright purple highlights. The bouquet gives off appealing fragrances of raspberry, plum and lavender while the rich palate structure features black fruit flavours combined with nuances of pepper and blackcurrant. This wine is enjoyable both young and cellared.