Glaetzer Wallace 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.

Name and New Label

Wallace is an ancestral name of Colin’s wife Judith, whose family hail from the old market town of Cupar in Fife, Scotland.

The new label represents a new era for Glaetzer Wines as Ben takes on his father’s mantle as chief winemaker with a nod to the long tradition but with his modern flair.  The Celtic ancestry is reflected in the three elements - the Celtic cross, thistle and the Celtic knot pattern.

The Celtic Cross is a very powerful image and has been depicted for centuries in Celtic art. There are many interpretations and legends about the original meaning and although a symbol for Celtic Christianity, it has older, pre-Christian origins, one of which it was thought to be a symbol of the Sun that was worshipped by the Druids.

The thistle has long been the national emblem of Scotland; in the 13th Century, legend has it that the army of King Haakon IV of Norway intent on conquering the Scots removed their footwear in the dead of night to move more stealthily and increase the element of surprise.  However one of these Viking warriors was said to have cried out as he stood on one of these small delicate prickly flowers and alerted the Scottish Clansman to the advancing Norsemen. And the Vikings never did conquer these strong Scottish clansmen.

The Celtic Knot pattern again has pre-Christianity beginnings with one interpretation being that it represents the flowing of time and movement and another being the linking of ancestors.

WINE

2006 Glaetzer Wallace is a wine greater than the sum of its parts - a fusion of Shiraz and Grenache, which is a typical, traditional blend in the Barossa Valley.
Ripe, peppery old-vine shiraz dominates and adds weight, texture and fleshy richness to the palate. The grenache contributes sweet cherry, toffee and earthy characters. Wallace is superb drinking now but will reward careful cellaring for up to five years.

Parcels of premium fruit are picked at full ripeness for vibrant colour, an abundance of juicy, berry
flavours and spice. The wine also shows the elegance and finesse which underpins the Glaetzer style.

The creation of Wallace in 2002 enabled us to fully utilise the magnificent 80 year old Grenache vines that we had previously not blended. The clone we have access to is light in colour, almost Rose like, yet provides a huge level of tannin extraction and therefore lends itself to blend with Shiraz. The Grenache provides mid-palate richness and a strawberry/cherry like characteristic on the palate and the Shiraz provides tightness and focus. The 2006 release will carry the new Wallace label allowing the wine to now sit proudly alongside Bishop, Anaperenna and Amon-Ra. The 2006 will age well for 5 – 8 years and will develop further complexity after a couple of years in bottle.

Variety:  70% Shiraz, 30% Grenache
Region:   100% Barossa Valley (Northern Ebenezer region),

Oak:  14 months in 3rd & 4th use French & American Oak
Yield:  Shiraz 2-2.5 ton per acre (4.8-6 ton per hectare). Grenache: 2.5 - 3 ton per acre (4.6- 7.2 ton per hectare)

 
 
Alcohol:   14.5%
pH:   3.4 
Total Acidity:  6.7 
Residual Sugar: .4 gm/L 
 
2006 Vintage Report

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, August 2007