Vintage
2018
ABV
15%
AUD$ FOB / 9L Case
Above $200.00
Wine Type
Red
Wine Style
Still
Wine Description
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.
Accolades
Nicks Wine Merchants
2018 Amon-Ra, 98 Points
A magnificent inky black heart is accompanied by an equally deep dark purple black hue. Wafting out of the glass are potent aromatics of dark plum, blackberry and liquorice with some ripe blueberry notes also present. Vanillin cedar, dark chocolate, fennel and spicy pepper notes then chime in. Texturally dense and opulent, decadently rich dark plum, blackberry, luscious black cherry and liquorice fruits are delivered with enormous power to the point where they completely saturate the palate. The undercard is comprised of spicy vanillin cedar, more blueberry fruits, subtle dark chocolate, earthy fennel characters and pepper. Robust yet velvet like tannins and good freshness bring a sturdy structure to the table. Superb depth with a long lavish yet polished conclusion.
Published at www.nicks.com.au Nicks Wine Merchants, August 2020, Australia
Robert Parker Wine Advocate
2018 Amon-Ra, 98 Points
Certainly one of the best vintages of young Amon Ra I’ve ever tasted, the 2018 Amon Ra Shiraz is a stupendous effort. From old vines in the Ebenezer section of the northern Barossa, it starts off with a whirlwind of mocha, blackberry and dried spices, then actually gets more red-fruited as it sits in the glass. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated without being jammy or overdone, the wine finishes long and savory, framed by dusty tannins and mouthwatering black olives. Winemaker Ben Glaetzer compares 2018 to 2004 (which continues to drink well). Expect the 2018 to drink well young, but easily age through 2035, perhaps longer.
Joe Czerwinski, 2020 Wine Advocate Review, 1st August 2020, USA www.robertparker.com
Huon Hooke, The Real Review
2018 Amon-Ra, 96 Points
Deep, dense, glass staining purple/red colour, with a rich dark chocolate and graphite bouquet which is ripe and oak-infused - but not 'oaky'. The palate is also very rich and ripely fruit-sweet, lush and very lovely. A sumptuous wine that will age long-term but also gives great pleasure now.
Huon Hooke, The Real Review, July 2020, Australia www.therealreview.com
James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion
2018 Amon-Ra, 95 Points - Gold
From vines 50-130yo in Ebenezer yielding 2t/ha, open-fermented, hand plunged three times daily, matured for 16 months in new hogsheads (5% American). Full-bodied to the point where it’s difficult to give any guidance for cellaring time.
Published in James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2021 Edition, 1st August 2020, Australia www.winecompanion.com.au
Winepilot, Australia
2018 Amon-Ra, 96 Points
A first pull of the cork and the room fills with the kinetic aromas of dark chocolate, ground coffee, mint and crushed blue flowers – this is before you’ve poured a glass. The spice runs in streams. There’s cracked pepper of course, but also nutmeg, cinnamon and ground cloves along with something more middle-eastern – za’atar perhaps. Fruit is glistening, pristine and ripe -blueberry, blackberry, plum and cherry. Tannins are polished and lacy but regimental, there’s a stride down the tongue that doesn’t dominate the palate and allows for that freshness to co-mingle. If opening now I’d recommend drinking it over a couple of days – all that lovely coffee and chocolate will melt down and harmonize in the mouth. Bottled without filtration.
Morgan Dunn, published in Winepilot, August 2020
Ralph Kyte-Powell, The Real Review
2018 Amon-Ra, 95 Points
Impenetrable blackish-purple in the glass, its nose offers complex mix of dark fruits, spices, dark cocoa, earth and new leather. A thread of fumey alcohol doesn’t mar it. It’s intense in the mouth, with crushed berry, spicy and chocolatey flavours, and the ripe tannins are an object lesson in how to achieve exact balance without toughening the palate. It’s still closed up and a bit unyielding, but a few bottles put away for a decade or more should be a great investment for winters yet to come.
Ralph Kyte-Powell, The Real Review, June
Winemaker's Bio
The irrepressible Ben Glaetzer is the driving force behind Glaetzer Wines. Ben graduated in winemaking from Adelaide University in South Australia after working at Barossa Valley Estate during school and university holidays.
After travelling extensively throughout many of the worlds wine regions, Ben returned to the Barossa and joined the family company. Ben's ability to blend traditional winemaking techniques with a modern flair is reflected in the style of wines under the Glaetzer label. He makes unique, elegant wines with minimal intervention, which are regarded as classics and unmistakably Barossan.
Along with the numerous trophies and awards for his wines, Ben's winemaking honours include:
Qantas Young Winemaker of the Year
Robert M. Parker Jnr Wine Personality of the Year
New World Winemaker of the Year in Behind the Label (UK)
"Baron of the Barossa" for his contribution to the cultural fabric of the Barossa Valley.
