Glaetzer Amon Ra Barossa Valley Shiraz 2017  £56.25

Glaetzer Amon Ra Barossa Valley Shiraz 2017

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 the 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 created Amon-Ra Shiraz to appeal to all these six senses.

Exceptional old vine fruit was sourced from the famed Ebenezer sub district at the northern tip of the Barossa Valley. Vine age 50—130 years old. Yield 2 tonnes per hectare.

A wet winter and spring coupled with cooler than average spring temperatures resulted in slower yet balanced canopy development and healthy flowering and fruit set. A mild summer with regular rainfall events followed allowing the fruit to be in no rush to mature, perfect for consistent ripening. Harvest commenced a few weeks later than in recent years. The 2017 wines are of excellent quality exhibiting purity and lift with firm tannins and exceptional length.

This wine is fermented in 1 and 2-tonne open fermenters, hand plunged 3 times daily. Matured for 16 months in 100% new oak hogshead barrels (95% French and 5% American) and matured on lees to maintain fruit profile and animation. Bottled unfiltered to ensure minimal intervention with the wine’s natural characteristics.

In the glass this wine is deep, brooding black. On the nose, there is a distinct essence of black cherry, dark plums and spice. This transfers delightfully onto the palate with a mouth-coating richness with restraint and admirable poise. Multi-layered flavours of dark chocolate and dried spice with bright fruits and great palate length. This is a wine that will develop beautifully with long term cellaring over the decades.