Glaetzers nominated for Winemaker of the Year

Father and son winemakers Colin Glaetzer and Ben Glaetzer say they’re honoured to be finalists in the prestigious 2004 Qantas/Australian Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine Winemaker of the Year Award.

The Barossa double-act is up against some of Australia’s most respected winemakers for the coveted award which will be announced at a gala dinner in Sydney in July.

In the lead up, Colin and Ben are just getting on with the job of making their wines under the Glaetzer and Heartland labels.

Colin established his family label, Glaetzer Wines, in 1995 to make elegant Barossa Shiraz. He teams up with talented winemaker son Ben, 27, to make four remarkable Glaetzer reds - the flagship Glaetzer Shiraz, Bishop Shiraz, Wallace (a blend of Shiraz, Cabernet, Grenache) and the Amon-Ra Shiraz.

Ben’s own project is Heartland Wines from Langhorne Creek and Limestone Coast. He joins with good mates, including viticulturalist Geoff Hardy and winemaker Scott Collett, to make Heartland’s range of contemporary wines.

Add to this list Mitolo Wines from McLaren Vale and Ben is a seriously busy young winemaker.

Previous winners of the Winemaker of the Year Award include Rick Kinzbrunner from Giaconda (2003), Philip Laffer from Orlando Wyndham (2002) and Gary Farr of Bannockburn (2001).