Anaperenna Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Barossa Valley

Glaetzer Family

The Glaetzer Family has been a part of the Barossa Valley and its viticulture history since 1888.

After thirty years of winemaking, Colin Glaetzer established the family winery to create wines he’s passionate about – limited quantities of benchmark Barossa Valley reds.  The birth of Glaetzer Wines signalled a new era for Colin’s family which boasts more than it’s fair share of winemakers – Colin, his oenology-trained wife Judith and the couple's three sons, Sam, Ben & Nick.

Today, Ben Glaetzer carries on this winemaking tradition at Glaetzer Wines.  Ben’s philosophy  is that great wines are made in the vineyard - a belief in “terroir” and an understanding of the ancient dry-grown vineyards in the renowned Ebenezer district of the Barossa is evident in his wines. With minimal intervention, Ben makes elegant wines which are regarded as classics and unmistakably
Barossa.

New Name

After two vintages (2004 & 2005) we have changed the name of this wine from Godolphin. Our first release under the new name, Anaperenna continues our quest to create one of Australia’s pre-eminent Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon blends.

The Label

The name Anaperenna has been inspired by Anna Perenna, the Roman goddess of the New Year.
Anna Perenna symbolises the year’s cycle and her name translates as ‘enduring year’.

Romans honoured Anna Perenna with a festival in March (the first month in the Roman calendar).
On March 15th, which was the first full moon of the year, they would ask Anna Perenna to grant them longevity.  They prayed that Anna would let them live one more year for each glass of wine they drank on that day.

Our Anaperenna wine retains Godolphin’s distinctive symbol: the Egyptian Ankh (pronounced: onk). Historically the ankh symbolised sunrise, regeneration, regrowth and renewal. The symbol becomes even more appropriate in the case of Godolphin’s rebirth as Anaperenna.

Wine

The wine is a seamless fusion of two varieties: shiraz and cabernet sauvignon. An intriguing nose of chocolate, crushed herbs, cedar, blackberries and smoke leads into a tightly-focused palate with fine-grained tannin and incredible density. The finish is fresh and lively with flavours that linger.

The sheer quality of the 2006 Cabernet components meant that the percentage in the blend has raised to 25% for this release. The Cabernet provided compelling aromatics of crushed herbs, fresh black fruits and espresso spice and also contributed intensity of the palate. The Shiraz components were from very similar patches of our vineyards as the fruit we use for Amon-Ra, the primary difference being the Anaperenna Shiraz needed to be slightly more reserved in expression to enable the purity of the Cabernet to be displayed on both the nose and the palate. Potential cellaring of 12-14 years.

Variety:   75% Dry-grown Barossa Valley 85 year-old Shiraz vines
25% Dry grown Barossa Valley 60 year-old Cabernet Sauvignon vines
Region:   100% Barossa Valley (Northern Ebenezer region),
Fermentation: Fermented in 1 tonne open fermenters, hand plunged 3 times daily. Completed primary on skins and MLF in oak and then matured for 15 months in oak, matured on lees to maintain fruit profile and animation, minimal SO2. Topped up every 3 weeks
Oak:  14 months in 100% new oak of which 20% is American and 80% French (70% hogsheads & 30% barriques)
Yield:  Cabernet Sauvignon: 1-1.5 ton per acre (2.4-3.9 ton per hectare). Shiraz: 1-2 tonne per acre (2.4-4.8 ton per hectare)
Bottled unfiltered
 

Alcohol:   14.5%
pH:   3.52
Total Acidity:  7.18g/l
Residual Sugar: 0.6g/l
 
Vintage Report 2006

The lead-up to the 2006 Growing season included one of the driest Autumns on record. Late season opening rains were experienced in October and November with the cool, mild conditions extending until January.  A series of heat waves were experienced in late January and early February which meant slow ripening and vegetative growth. Despite the daytime heat, evening temperatures were mild to cool and rainfall was average. Mild climatic conditions continued through February and March and the slightly above average rainfall kept the vines fresh and the fruit ripened slowly and evenly. The stop/start heat/cool of 2005 meant that the wines had intense colour and overt tannin while young; the 2006 wines display slightly less colour and have a refined, almost elegant palate. Similarities can certainly be drawn to the 2004 vintage in terms of approachability and the wines from 2006 have the inherent, balanced structure to enable them to be considered some of the most viable medium to long term cellaring potential that we have so far produced.                              Ben Glaetzer