Glaetzer Bishop Shiraz 2007

The 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. Today, Ben Glaetzer carries on this winemaking tradition at Glaetzer Wines.

Name & Label
Bishop is the family name of Colin's wife Judith. In naming this wine, Colin wanted to pay tribute to his wife and to recognise her contribution to the family company. A powerful symbol dominates the label for Bishop Shiraz. Fittingly, the sign of Venus, which has come to represent women and feminine energy, is the centrepiece of the Bishop label's symbol. In mythology, the sign of Venus meant the Roman goddess Venus or her Greek equivalent Aphrodite. But the sign has also been linked back to ancient Egypt  - a nod to the Bishop's link to Amon-Ra and Anaperenna.

The Wine
A few of the fruit parcels which we have used for Anaperenna in previous vintages have been used in the 2007 Bishop cuvee. This means that in 2007, fruit from some of our oldest vines was used and it has enabled us to maintain the stylish Bishop structure and intensity. Our old vines handled the drought better than the younger vines and their fruit was softer, rounder and more generous - the desired style for Bishop Shiraz.
The 2007 shows more generosity than the 2006 at the time of its release. Aromas of liquorice and mocha intermingle with cassis and leather. Opulent fruit flavours on the palate are beautifully balanced by firm, velvety tannins from maturation in French and American oak. Our 2007 Bishop Shiraz has the refinement and elegance of the 2006, and the tight tannins make this vintage one of the most age-worthy of any Bishops we have released.

Variety: 100% Shiraz
Region: All fruit for Glaetzer wines is taken from the small sub-region of the the northern Barossa Valley, called Ebenezer. The viticulture used is standard single wire, with permanent arm rod and spur. Many of the very old vines (80-120 years old) have now been trained onto a trellis for ease of pruning, harvesting and for disease and frost control.
Age of vines: 80-120 years old
Vineyard yield: 1-2 tons per acre (2.4-4/8 tonnes per hectare)
Vinification: 1.5-2 Ton open fermenters, hand plunged 2-3 times daily. Extended maceration gives good tannin development which means the wine is soft and approachable early. 10-20% barrel fermentation for selected batches.
Oak: 90% French, 10% American
Age of barrels: 2-3 years
Time in barrel: 14 months
Alc/Vol: 14.5%
pH: 3.48
Total Acidity: 6.9g/l
Residual Sugar: 1.1g/l
Cellaring potential: 15 years

2007 vintage report - Ebenezer, Barossa Valley
The 2007 vintage in the Barossa was a difficult year with both drought and frost resulting in below average yields - only 1/2 Ton-1 Ton per acre across our range. The greatest challenge at Glaetzer has been to harness the intensity and concentration of fruit to keep the elegance and balance across our portfolio of wines.
Three years of low rainfall and the resultant dry sub-soil, meant less radiant heat around the vines and therefore greater risk of frost. The frost struck at bud burst and we lost 30% of this original crop. Due to this early damage, secondary bud burst was delayed and ripening was later than usual by about 3 weeks. The weather remained mild throughout the growing season but our crop was the smallest in many years.