Ben Glaetzer Eye of Ra Shiraz 2016

Product Information: The Eye of Ra Shiraz journey began when winemaker, Ben Glaetzer was tasting fruit out in the Barossa Valley Ebenezer vineyards during the amazing 2016 vintage. Inspired by the quality of individual vines across a small number of chosen vineyards he set about picking fruit to create the perfect wine that is the epitome of Barossa Shiraz. The wine then progressed through vinification exceeding the highest levels of my expectations. This wine offers a bouquet of radiant intensity with masses of wild herbs, spiced plum and a cornucopia of blackberry and cedar scents. The palate is just as compelling, also rich and generous yet elegantly structured. The Eye of Ra 2016 Shiraz was sourced from selected vines from four outstanding vineyards out of the famed 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 predominantly in deep sandy soils of a red brown texture known as contrast soils. The parcels were fermented separately in small open fermenters and gently hand plunged 3 times daily. During fermentation the temperature was kept very cool (sub 18˚C) 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. In Egyptian mythology, The Eye of Ra was the powerful feminine counterpart to the sun god Ra and was also personified by a number of Egyptian goddesses. The Eye of Ra gifted renewal, life giving power and the annual Nile floodwaters that restored fertility to Egypt. These caring actions were celebrated along with The Eye’s forceful protective deeds. The symbol depicts the sun surrounded by two 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 that features incredible depth and power countered by exemplary elegance and restraint leading to amazing evolution in the bottle and glass. Maker: The Glaetzer family has a deep rooted viticultural history in the Barossa Valley, dating back to 1888. After 30 years of winemaking, Colin Glaetzer established the family winery to create limited quantities of super premium Barossa Valley red wines. Today Colin’s son Ben makes unique and elegant wines which are regarded as classics and unmistakably Barossan. All fruit for Glaetzer Wines is taken from a small sub district of the Northern Barossa Valley called Ebenezer which produces exceptional fruit from very old vines (30-130 years). The softness and elegance of Ebenezer fruit coupled with Ben Glaetzer’s winemaking style results in generous wines with great depth of flavour that are also elegant, multilayered and finely balanced. All fruit for Glaetzer Wines is taken from the small sub-region of the northern Barossa Valley, called Ebenezer. The ancient dry-grown vineyards in the renowned Ebenezer district are an important part of Australia’s winemaking heritage and a living link to traditional Barossa viticulture. Exceptional fruit comes from a loyal group of third and fourth generation Barossa grape growers, the backbone of Glaetzer wines. Most plants are trained to a standard single vine, with permanent arm, rod and spur. But the most exceptional fruit is sourced from 80-110 year old, non-grafted bush vines which are extremely low yielding. The oldest vines bear only 0.5 to 1 tonne per acre. Younger vines produce 2.5 to 3 tonnes per acre. Most of the vineyards are dry-grown (non-irrigated) but some of the newer vines (propagated from original plantings) have supplementary drip irrigation to combat stress in drought years. The very old vines require minimal attention. Their deep root structure means they are self-sufficient and can adapt to climatic extremes. The climate and soils of the Barossa Valley vary markedly from north to south. The warmer Ebenezer district has low rainfall and relative humidity which results in full, intensely-coloured wines. The softness, elegance and approachability of Ebenezer fruit has become the hallmark of the Glaetzer ‘house style’. Ebenezer has a unique soil profile. The well-drained sandy clay loam over a solid limestone pan is perfect for growing Shiraz. The soil is ‘mean’ and encourages deep roots which helps produce hugely concentrated wines of great character. Vineyard: The Eye of Ra 2016 Shiraz was sourced from selected vines from four outstanding vineyards out of the famed 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