I’m a hypocrite. I go on all the time about how I love balance and elegance; I sing the praises of low alcohol, lightweight reds. And then I come across a couple of big, 15% alcohol Barossa reds that I find really delicious. I think it is because Ben Glaetzer can do big but still get definition and balance in his reds.

Ben Glaetzer Anaperenna 2010 Barossa Valley
15.1% alcohol. Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon. Beautifully packaged. Powerful, rich, intense and spicy with well defined sweet blackberry and blackcurrant fruit. Massive concentration: this is richly textured and intense, combining power but also nice freshness, with good acidity and firm tannins. Fantastic aromatics and lovely purity of fruit – this is how to do the blockbuster style. 94/100

Ben Glaetzer Bishop Barossa Valley Shiraz 2010
15.1% alcohol. The backbone of this wine is dry grown Shiraz vineyards in the Ebenezer district of the Barossa, and it’s aged in French and American oak. Very deep coloured, with a sweet nose of spicy blackberry fruit with some cherry freshness and sweet vanilla oak. Rich, spicy and bold on the palate with well defined fruit. It’s rich yet well balanced with nice spicy oak well integrated with the deep fruit. Great example of its style, retaining balance. 92/100

UK agent: Enotria wine

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