Glaetzer Overview

2005 Glaetzer Amon-Ra Shiraz A deep black liqueur layered with dark berries, smoke, tar, anise oil, ground coffee, cedar spice and leather. Brooding, powerful, sumptuous and armed with tannins that carry the finish with great length. Excellent now or in the next 15 years. Rate: 97pts Price: $90 Drink: 2007-2022+ 2006 Glaetzer Amon-Ra Shiraz A closed nose, not giving away much at all! Deep and dark ruby and black fruits, floral notes, white pepper and spice. Tannins big yet unobtrusive – but the best is yet to come undone. There is a spine of finesse about this wine, quite a different beast to the 2005 yet still in the same fashion. Will score higher in the future. Rate: 93+pts Drink: 2010-2025+ Price: $90 And the winner is.... 2005. Could be the extra year of bottle age just letting the wine give away a little bit more, but still in my view the 2006 is one to be drunk as an older wine whereas the 2005 is relatively accessible now. As an overall view of the Glaetzer wines, I think the 2006 Anaperrena and the 05 Amon-Ra are neck to neck. They're different wines but of equal calibre. I tasted the 2005 Godolphin aswell last week (didn't make notes) and it's an excellent wine but just a notch below the 05 Amon and 06 Ana for me. Would love to revisit these in 5 years..

Amon-Ra... 2005 and 2006

Excited to say that I cracked these open tonight and will be posting notes soon... both excellent wines...

it was really good to try these side by side, as you can see the difference a vintage can make... made in the same style, similar wines.. but still different!

2006 Glaetzer Anaperrena Shiraz Cabernet

A big nose, blackberry and dark plum fruits, aniseed, smoke and clove spice.

Equally huge on the palate with deep brooding dark berry fruits, liquorice, tar, espresso and it finishes with an array of exotic lingering spices and finely grained tannins. The palate is dominated by French oak but there is some creamy vanillins coming through as well. Luscious and mouthfilling, excellent fruit concentration without heading into jammy territory, and with magnificent length. The wine can be drunk now with much pleasure, but in my opinion will really start singing with about 24 more months of bottle age and then for ten years from thereafter.

Rate: 97pts

Alc: 14.5%

Price: $50

Drink: 2009-2019

2003 Lake Breeze Bernoota Shiraz Cabernet

60% shiraz and 40% cabernet from Langhorne Creek. Full bodied, sumptuous and creamy this wine really fills the mouth. Loads of blackberry fruit, mocha, vanilla and some cabernet eucalypt spice to finish. Another wine that could be drunk over the next 3-5 years but for my tastes it is drinking now.

Rate: 91pts

Price: $20

Drink: 2007-2010

2006 Terra Felix Shiraz Viogner

Sweet and luscious red cherry and plum fruits, apricot jam, spice and red licquorice. This wine is dangerously easy to drink! Soft tannins and acid but all harmoniously balanced. I like it.

Rate: 90pts

Price: $15

Drink: 2007-2009

2005 D’arenberg D’arrys Original Shiraz Grenache

50% Shiraz and 50% Grenache. Dark plums, pepper, dilute black coffee, dried herbs and some spice elements I can’t quite put my finger on. Medium bodied with loose tannins and subtle but slightly bitter oak on the finish.

Rate: 88pts

Price: $17

Drink: 2007-2009

2002 Peter Lehmann Eight Songs Shiraz

Deep plum and blackberries, dark chocolate, red earth, dusty pepper and cinnamon and seasoned French oak. A full bodied, very Barossan shiraz which is starting come of age and show real ripeness. Would easily last another 7 years, but I like it how it is now.

Rate: 93pts

Price: $40

Drink: 2007-2012

1996 Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz

Blackberries, blackcurrants, plums and berry liqueur, dark creamy chocolate, musk, sweet clove, ground coffee, aniseed, vanillin essence and some new wet leather. Fragrant, complex, awesomely concentrated and layered with fine seamless tannins. All components in perfect balance and with an incredible and persistent finish. This is truly a magnificent wine.

Rate: 97+pts

Price: $100+

Drink: 2007-2017

2006 Taylors Shiraz Malbec

A vintage cellars exclusive wine. Big dark plum and boysenberry fruit, licquorice strap and dusty coal, cedar and strong vanilla. A strong core of extact and tannins and lots of tart acid on the palate. The malbec makes its present known and all the better for it. Should start to drink well in about two years and continue on for at least another five.

Rate: 92pts

Price: $15

Drink: 2009-2015

2006 Glaetzer Wallace Shiraz Grenache

Blackcherries, plum, spicy aniseed and some light nutmeg and pepper spice. Medium to full bodied with small but firm tannins and a little dash of tart acidity. Though drinking now, I think it needs another year or a slightly long decant.

*Note: I enjoyed this wine more after being opened and left in the fridge for 3 days.

Rate: 88pts

Price: $20

Drink: 2007-2010

2006 Glaetzer The Bishop Shiraz

Big black plums, blackberries, dark chocolate, coarse cinnamon and vanilla essence crystals.

The palate is dark and is brooding with heaps of blackberry liqueur and other dark fruits, much of which is still locked beneath the wines' young tannic sheath. Chunky chocolate, spicy cloves and a good dollop of mocha/vanilla cream smeared on top aswell. Big tannins, this one will last at least 7-10 years and won’t be showing what its made of until at least 2009-2010. Big, dark, Barossa style.

Rate: 93pts

Price:$25

Drink: 2009-2018+

Grant Burge 150th Anniversary Range

Vintage Cellars are promoting these wines at the moment for $19.99 a bottle.. within the range is a Shiraz, Shiraz Cabernet and a GSM blend. All from 2004 and from Barossa. I was about to buy one of each to try but when I got there, they were already open for tasting!

I will post brief notes on what I thought of them and won’t give ratings. Having said that they would probably average just under 90 points.. with a drinking window of about now to 2010.

2004 Grant Burge 150^th Anniversary Shiraz

Plenty of plum and berry fruits, light coffee and a touch of cinnamon. Lighter than I expected for an 04 Barossa shiraz, but still good drinking.

2004 Grant Burge 150^th Anniversary Shiraz Cabernet

A slightly deeper profile than the straight shiraz, and cabernet unmistakably present. Light blackberries and plum fruit up front with some medium bodied tannins and a whisker of eucalypt on the finish.

2004 Grant Burge 150^th Anniversary GSM

Lighter bodied than others within the range, but probably the most balanced. Lots of cherries and plum fruit, medium savoury tannins and a touch of spice. Better than a lot of “blockbuster” Barossa GSM styles that I’ve had.

Overall they are all sound wines. The shiraz is probably my favourite – but there are better ones out there for the price.

2005 D'arenberg The Footbolt Shiraz

Plums, black cherries and spicy, cedary oak. Quite spicy and savoury on the palate but with plenty of plum and dark berry fruits to complement. Fresh acidity and some taut, grippy tannins to finish. A little raw at the moment, should be interesting to see re-visit in a years time.

Rate: 89pts

Price: $15

Alcohol: 14.5%

Drink: 2008-2011

2005 Metala Shiraz Cabernet

A spicy nose, plummy fruit, blackberries, white pepper and dried herbs. Quite a sour palate upon opening with young plums up front and a eucalypt finish. With more time it showed more blackberry and liquorice with a slight green pepper finish.

Showing quite good length of finish for a wine in this price bracket, but a bit raw at the moment and needs another year or two in the bottle.

Rate: 88pts

Price: $14

Alcohol: 14.5%

Drink: 2008-2012

2004 Vasse Felix Heytesbury Cabernet

A very fragrant wine – exuding blackberries, smoke, fresh tobacco and some subdued mint. On the palate it is big, dark and brooding, loaded with blackberry liqueur, black olives, cedar wood and spice. Full bodied, multi layered and with a firm backbone of tannin – this wine will go the distance.

Rate: 95pts

Price: $70

Alcohol: 14.5%

Drink: 2010-2017

2004 Cape Mentelle Shiraz

2004 Cape Mentelle Shiraz

Ripe dark red plums, black cherry and tomato characters. Quite a fragrant and intense nose showing some nice white pepper character typical of cool climate shiraz.

Tight on the palate, with balanced fruit and savoury elements and finishes with finely grained tannins and fresh acidity. Elegant and restrained and a fine example of MR shiraz.

Rate: 94pts

Price: $30

Alcohol: 14.5%

Drink: 2007-2012

2004 Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon

2004 Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon

An excellent varietal. This is cabernet and nothing else. Cassis, capsicum, cedar, tobacco – its all there. Medium to full bodied with firm tannins, it finishes with good length and a fair grip. Quite a bit of greenish elements within the wine at the moment but still pleasant, and should develop well. However it must be said that this wine needs a long decant to be enjoyed now.

Rate: 91pts

Price: $35

Alcohol: 14.5%

Drink: 2009-2014

2004 Peter Lehmann Stockwell Rd Shiraz

Dark fruits, plum, aniseed and cracked black pepper. Medium to full bodied, showed some bitterness upon opening which phased out after more time in the glass. Quite an elegant wine with a spicy finish and medium to firm tannins.

Rate: 93pts

Price: $40 (Restaurant)

Alcohol: 14%

Drink: 2008-2014

2004 Elderton Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon

Deep blackberry fruit, tobacco, olive and finishes with a some slightly bitter chocolate and touch of mint. A good full bodied cabernet, with medium tannins and good length.

Rate: 91pts

Price: $30

Alcohol: 14.5%

Drink: 2008-2011+

2004 Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz

A huge wine, loaded with black and blueberry fruit, thick black liquorice, cloves, five star anise and finely crushed peppercorns. Full bodied, muscular, promising complexity and with a lingering finish full of long spicy tannins and solid American oak. One for the cellar!

Rate: 95pts
Price: $55
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink: 2010-2015

2005 West Cape Howe Tempranillo

Jube-like raspberry fruit, aniseed and medium tannins. With a bit more air exposure a slightly darker berry character emerges and finishes with a nice grip. A lovely, easy drinking medium bodied wine that would go great with a wide range of food.

Rate: 91pts
Price: $25
Alcohol:
Drink: 2007-2010+

2005 West Cape Howe Shiraz

A medium bodied, cool climate shiraz with quite vibrant, fleshy texture. Excellent berry and plum fruits, subtle spice and soft tannins to close.

Rate: 90pts
Price: $17
Alcohol:
Drink: 2007-2010+

2004 Vasse Felix Shiraz

Plenty of rich, sweet berries on the palate and just a touch of jam. Cloves, aniseed and vanillin essence are also welcome partners in the mix. Pretty full bodied and with lots of savoury and spice nuances running through it like most good Margaret River shiraz.

Rate: 93pts
Price: $35
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink: 2007-2012

2005 Penfolds Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz

Blueberry and blackberry fruit, white pepper, aniseed and spice. Pretty firm tannins at this point and finishes slightly tart with a dark strap of liquorice. Another year in the bottle should open this one up nicely and you can count on that.

Rate: 90pts
Price: $25
Alcohol: 14%
Drink: 2008-2015

2004 Peter Lehmann The Futures Shiraz

An vibrant mix of blackberry, dark chocolate, cinnamon and vanilla. A big, round and powerful wine with intense flavours and a polished texture. It finishes with creamy vanilla oak, fine tannins and excellent length.

Rate: 95pts
Price: $35
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink: 2007-2012+

2005 Grant Burge Filsell Shiraz

Blackcurrants, plum, spicy black pepper and a bit of VA coming through on the nose.
Similar on the palate with black fruits, plums, pepper, creamy vanilla oak and quite a steely savoury finish. A good example of Barossa shiraz at a reasonable price.

Rate: 91pts
Price: $30
Alcohol: 15%
Drink: 2009-2019+

2005 Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Ridge Quartet

A classic Bordeaux blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, petit verdot and malbec (So actually it is a quintet). Quite a spicy nose, and there is unmistakably cabernet presence – cassis, blackcurrants, mint and a bit of dark chocolate. On the palate similar with bold black fruits, sweet plums, chocolate and finishing on a rather cedary note.

Rate: 91pts
Price: $22
Alcohol: 15.0%
Drink: 2007-2012

2004 D’arenberg The Footbolt Shiraz

Big concentration of brambly blackberries, boysenberries and blackcurrants. It has a really nice deep slick of liquorice and spice notes running through the midpalate, and also a pleasant grainy texture complementing the subtle vanilla oak finish.

Rate: 91pts
Price: $20
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink: 2007-2010

2001 Houghton Jack Mann Cabernet Sauvignon

A complex nose of blackberries, cigar box, leather, wet earth and five star anise.
This follows right through to the palate – offering plenty of cassis, liquorice, mocha, and tobacco. Some grainy cocoa-like tannins close the wine nicely with a lovely, luxurious, velvety texture.
Drinking (very) well now, but with many years ahead.

Rate: 95pts
Price: $100
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink: 2007-2013+

2005 Leasingham Bin 56 Cabernet Malbec

2005 Leasingham Bin 56 Cabernet Malbec

Aromas of cassis, menthol, cedar and slightly sappy oak. Similar on the palate, with some blackberry fruit, tobacco leaf and rather coarse chewy tannins to close.The wine is a bit raw at this stage and should improve with a couple years. Still however, a disappointing release under this label.

Rate: 87pts
Price: $23
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink: 2009-2012+

2005 Leasingham Bin61 Shiraz

Plums, chocolate, cracked pepper and some vanilla oak. Medium bodied and quite well structured. The wine itself is not bad, but it is slightly boring and lacks character and concentration. I’ve had other vintages of this wine – 1995, 2002 and 2003 and to my memory all those were wines of more character. A bit of a corporate coca-cola wine with this release I think.

Rate: 90pts
Price: $23
Alcohol: 13.5%
Drink: 2008-2014

2004 Arimia Zinfandel

Yay... more Margaret River producers are having a shot at this grape. Cape Mentelle do it well.. but it is also very well priced (in their favour..).

Aromas of brandied raisins, dried fig, sweet oak and white pepper.

Huge on the palate, thick, jammy, rich and spicy dried fruit characters providing good flavour saturation before finishing warm (15.6% alcohol!) with liquorice and oak. A complex wine with a multitude of flavours enmeshed together powerfully. I love it!

Rate: 92pts

Cost: $25

Alcohol: 15.6%

Drink: 2007-2010+

Gramps Shiraz 2004

Needs some time in the decanter/glass before it struts it stuff.
Aromas of blackberries, coffee and vanilla oak.
On the palate it is big and meaty, with dark berry flavours followed by a smoky, leathery mid palate texture and finishing with a good dose of oak and some grainy tannins. A wine with plenty of stuffing.

Rate: 91pts
Alcohol: 14.5%(?)
Cost: $15
Drink: 2007-2012

2005 De Bortoli Yarra Valley Shiraz Viogner

Aromas of dark plum, sweet red berries and black pepper.
On the palate it shows up a bit darker, with blackberry, liquorice, roast meats and quite peppery but fine finish.
This wine is excellently structured, with oak, tannins and acidity in balance.

Rate: 92pts
Price: $35
Alc: 14.0%
Drink: 2007-2012

2005 Balnaves Coonawarra Shiraz

A gorgeous nose – showing blackberries, ripe plum, liquorice and vanillin oak.
On the palate, medium bodied with ripe currants, dark cherry and plum flavours followed by some grippy tannins and taut acidity. Quite a stylish and silky wine, with many years to promise.

Rate: 93pts
Price: $25
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink: 2008-2013+

2000 Peel Estate Shiraz

Quite a complex nose, with aromas of dark red berries, leather, spicy clove, cinnamon and nutmeg. Similar on the palate, medium to full fruit density complemented by lots of dusty cigar box, tobacco and cinnamon oak. There is a lot going on with this wine, but somehow this bottle wasn’t quite as good as other Peels I’ve had.

Rate: 91pts
Price: $38
Alcohol:
Drink: 2007-2010+

Voyager Estate Cabernet Merlot 2003

Strong blackcurrant and cassis fruit up front, with tobacco, cedar and olive notes filling out the mid palate nicely before finely grained tannins kick in for a long and dry finish. All components superbly integrated and in fine balance, a wine that drinks beautifully now but will improve for another decade or more. (the kind of wine I like!)

Rate: 95pts
Price: $45
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink: 2007-2017+

2002 Peter Lehmann Mudflat Shiraz Muscadelle

Rich black fruit, dark plum and spicy raisin. A delicious wine with a rounded mouthfeel and rich texture, finishing slightly sweet with a hint of dried apricot. 15% ABV not noticeable at all, a testament to the fruit density present in this wine.

Rate: 92pts
Price: $25
Alcohol: 15%
Drink: 2007-2012

2004 Peter Lehmann Barossa Shiraz

Black fruits, spice and dark chocolate – classic Barossa.
Finishes a little warm for me, I think 1% less alcohol would do this wine well in terms of balance. However, it is good to see honest regional expression at the mid-low price bracket, and a year or two in the bottle will see improvement in this wine.

Rate: 89pts
Price: $15-20
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink: 2008-2014

2004 Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon

Blackberry, mulberry and raspberry effortlessly glides into your mouth along with nuances of chocolate, cedar and tobacco oak. Beneath it all lies a frame of fine grained tannins which consolidates on the finish. A deliciously smooth and mouth filling wine.

Rate: 93pts
Price: $35
Alcohol:
Drink: 2007-2012

2006 Torzi Matthews Schist Rock Shiraz

This wine got “best red wine bargain” of the year according to Campbell Matthew’s Big Red Album book, and its hard not to disagree. A delicious mix of dark plum, berries, milk chocolate, light cinnamon and a whisper of creamy vanillin oak which seamlessly makes it way onto the palate. Probably one of the most easily drinkable wines I’ve ever had, but its anything but boring!

Rate: 92pts
Price: $17
Alc: 14%
Drink: 2007-2009

2005 Bremerton Selkirk Shiraz

Generous black fruits, milk chocolate and vanillin oak with soft to medium mid palate tannins. Rich in flavour and well textured – it is simply delicious drinking.
Drinking now but will see some improvement over the next 12-18 months in the bottle.

Rate: 92pts
Price: $25
Alc: 14.5%

2005 Pillar Box Red

A fruit driven style, with loads of blackberry and plum flavours on the palate.
A simple no-nonsense wine that puts fruit above everything. Rather simple, but enjoyable to drink. Just drink, don’t think!
Slightly less alcohol would have probably added a point onto this wine, but it delivers in spades at this price point.

Rate: 89pts
Price: $11
Alc: 15%

2003 Bremeton Tamblyn Cabernet Shiraz Malbec Merlot

Simple, forward and soft. Blackberry/cassis fruit up front with light tobacco oak nuances lingering in the background. Lacks intensity – but a good red wine for people who don’t usually drink red wine.

Rate: 87-88pts
Price: $18
Alc: 14.5%

2004 Kangarilla Road Zinfandel

2004 Kangarilla Road McLaren Vale Zinfandel

Good varietal – plenty of spicy raisin/fruit cake, prunes and red berries with some soft tannins in the background.

A bit of heat on the finish but the fruit matches up reasonably well.
Lighter than other zinfandels I've tried but still offers plenty. A decent, honest varietal and a good starting point (price wise too) if you're looking to try the grape.

Rate: 89pts
Price: $16-20
Alc: 16%
Drink: 2007-2009
Source: Vintage Cellars

Welcome!

Welcome all...

the aims of this website is to hopefully be of help to those of you out there looking for a good drop of vino..

Michael