Glaetzer Eye of Ra Barossa Valley Shiraz 2018  £250.00

Glaetzer Eye of Ra Barossa Valley Shiraz

The Eye of Ra is an ultra-premium Shiraz that reflects Ben Glaetzer’s aspiration to make the perfect wine. A wine with astounding power and complexity countered by exemplary elegance.

In Egyptian mythology, The Eye of Ra was the powerful feminine counterpart to the sun god Ra. The Eye’s forceful protective deeds were celebrated alongside its nurturing life-giving gifts to Egypt.

The symbol depicts the sun surrounded by protective cobras and wings.

The Eye of Ra represented a polarity of the extreme force of the sun’s heat countered by the sun’s nurturing gaze. Similarly, Ben Glaetzer developed The Eye of Ra Shiraz which features incredible depth and power countered by exemplary elegance and restraint leading to amazing evolution in the bottle and glass.

The Eye of Rã 2018 Shiraz reflects Ben Glaetzer’s aspiration to create the perfect wine that is the epitome of Barossa Shiraz.

VARIETY: 100% Shiraz

VINEYARDS : Extraordinary fruit was sourced from selected vines from four outstanding vineyards from the renowned Ebenezer sub-district at the northern tip of the Barossa Valley. The fruit was hand-harvested from low-yielding vines aged up to 110 years old predominantly in deep sandy soils of a red brown texture known as contrast soils.

VINTAGE CONDITIONS: Rainfall well below average for spring and summer was coupled with warm temperatures. Healthy vine canopies assisted even ripening and flavour development. Calm Indian summer conditions in early March were perfect for vintage. The result was exceptional quality featuring intense depth of colour, astounding aromatic purity and brightness on the palate.

VINIFICATION: The parcels were fermented separately in small open fermenters and gently hand-plunged 3 times daily. During fermentation, the temperature was kept very cool below 18 degrees Celsius to enhance the fresh aromatic profile without over-extraction. The wine was then matured for 16 months in 100% new French oak hogsheads with natural malolactic fermentation continuing in oak during maturation. The fine-grained French hogsheads were of the highest quality with tannin profiles selected to best express the flavours of the individual parcels.

TASTING NOTES

COLOUR: Inky, opaque purple with red accents.

AROMA: Expressive and forceful, the development will reveal delicious herbs that accent a core of dark berry fruit.

PALATE: Polished tannins balance the dominant fruit. Black berries are layered over red, with mocha, liquorice and fresh-cut cedar.

CELLARING: Cellaring in the bottle will lead to increased complexity and even greater enjoyment.

REVIEWS

The 2018 The Eye of Ra Shiraz is wildly aromatic: blood plum, pastrami, cracked peppercorns, clove bud, mountain herbs (alpine mint?), boysenberry, blackberry (actually, every black berry you can name), dark chocolate, squid ink, blueberry, resin and char. In the mouth, the wine is velvety and concentrated, …A galaxy of complexity exists in this glass. It shows the 2018 vintage off to its best effect: ripe, dense, concentrated, fresh and beguiling. Super good. 98 points Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate, 7th Apr 2023. …

The volume of fruit is staggering, but its delivery is incredibly measured and even, and this is the trick. Rã is not a monster wine but a monstrously long wine. …While this icon wine has an iconic flavour, I must urge you to seek it out. Imagine all of Ben’s experience and skill in just one bottle – Rã is it. (Drink now – 2040) 19.5+/20 Matthew Jukes, 15th February 2023, UK www.matthewjukes.com