Bishop, Glaetzer Wines

Wine Type: Red

Grape(s): 100% Shiraz

Country: Australia

Region: Barossa Valley

Organic: No

Vegan: No

ABV: 14.5%

Winery: The first Glaetzers settled in the Barossa Valley in 1888 after emigrating from Brandenburg, Germany. The family left Germany on board the Nord-Deutscher Lloyd steamer “Habsburg” and took seven weeks to reach their final destination of Port Adelaide. From here they settled in a country town called Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley where they started their new life in Australia. The family were some of the earliest recorded viticulturalists in the Barossa Valley and Clare Valley.

Over a century later, winemaking patriarch Colin Glaetzer established Glaetzer Wines, a boutique family owned winery producing premium Barossa Valley wines. Today Colin’s son Ben carries on the wine making traditions at Glaetzer Wines. Indeed it was the birth of Glaetzer Wines that signalled a new era for Colin’s family which boasts more than its fair share of winemakers.

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.

Bishop is the family name of Colin Glaetzer's wife Judith. Fittingly the sign of Venus, a symbol which has come to represent women and feminine energy, is the centrepiece of the Bishop label.

In mythology, the symbol meant the Roman goddess Venus or her Greek equivalent Aphrodite. But the sign has also been linked back to ancient Egypt – a nod to Bishop’s link to Amon-Ra and Anaperenna.

Winemaking: Fermented in 1 and 2 tonne open fermenters. Extended maceration was employed to enable good tannin development so the wine is soft and approachable early. Matured for 16 months in a mix of 40% new oak and 60% 2— 3 year old oak hogshead barrels (100% French).

Tasting Notes: Bishop is a true expression of Barossa Shiraz. It’s both structured and layered and enjoys a smooth and supple texture. Flavours of black cherry, raspberry, olive and black pepper are supported by balancing tannin. It’s mouth-filling and persistent on the finish.