Another beauty by Ben Glaetzer

Bishop, by Ben Glaetzer. 2009 Shiraz. It's so much more than what it seems like when you first open it. It evolves into something much larger, much more lovable overnight. Beautiful shiraz. Available for around $30 AU, this is a great wine to stock up on.
Great on its own. Medium-bodied, gentle spices and mesmerising aroma. Berries are evident and the palate is full. All of that aside, it has that something special about it. Something that makes it a love t first sip.
It's no secret that Ben Glaetzer has been changing the way wine is produced and made in the Barossa. For a few years, he's been busy belting out wines that are more elegant than in your face. Lot gentler than what most people expect from the Barossa. Wines that are thoroughly enjoyable. This is a fine example of all that class and elegance that Ben has added to Australian wine.

Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz

What a beauty! This is the kind of wine that you could take to a dinner and instantly become a star. I'm not entirely sure but this could have come from the vineyard planted by Dr. John Kirk of the CSIRO in the Hilltops region. 
Amazing wine. Subtle, yet full of flavour. Slightly spicy, holds beautifully and goes great with food. I tried it with roast chicken and it was a great experience. I had a glass of it before food, on its own and it was a treat. All in all, a great wine. Get as many as you can, it'll only go up in price like its sister wines - the shiraz viognier 2008.

Price - $30


Origin - Hilltops region NSW


Alcohol - 14%

St Hallett 2008 Shiraz, Barossa Valley, SA

St Hallet is one of those wines that has Barossa written all over it. It's not subtle. It's not subdued. It can't be had on its own. You need food to enjoy this wine (as most shiraz'). The taste is bold, strong shiraz. Strong after-taste. No need to decant this one. 


Price - around $12-$15


Alcohol - 14%

Origin - Barossa Valley, South Australia

Maglieri Shiraz - SA

I don't know what it really is about these Shiraz' coming out of South Australia that makes them good. People cite the weather - climatic conditions etc. Whatever it is, it is good for us. We get to taste these beautiful wines. Maglieri Shiraz 2008 is a fine example of another good, honest wine that came out SA. It comes with a cork though...

Open it up, have a glass and then leave it sitting for an hour. Have another glass. You feel the life in the wine. You'll notice it has grown. And this is it. This is what keeps us wine lovers attached to this beautiful world of wine.

Taste - nice, subtle and easy to drink, it is not a strong, full-on Australian Shiraz

Price - around AUD $12 - 14

Alcohol - 14.5%

Origin - McLaren Vale - South Australia

Witches Falls 2007 Syrah

Most people don't know this but there is a region in Queensland that grows a considerable amount of grapes and a lot of wine comes out of it - the Granite Belt. Wineries are scattered all over the place and also spill over to the nearby areas such as Mt. Tamborine. Witches Falls is located in that region. The actual vineyard is minuscule. Owners get a lot of grapes from the Granite belt and mix it up.

The 2007 Syrah is their premium range. The bottle I bought at the cellar door set me back by $48. It's nothing like your usual Barossa Shiraz. It tastes very different - you can tell. Was it good to drink? I can't say I enjoyed as I enjoy the stuff out of the Barossa but having said that, it's not a bad drop. We had it with dinner. Spicy Asian cuisine. It went down very well. It wasn't bold and powerful at all. I thought it was quite mellow, subtle and easy to drink. We had a glass or two after dinner, on its own and it was again, easy to drink, even without food. Price is a bit high - if you've got a Dan Murphy near you, you could easily get something far better in that price range.

Chris Ringland Shiraz 2008

Chris Ringland is back with his new Shiraz. Going for around $20-$25 at this time, its a typical good Barossa Shiraz. If you like Barossa Shiraz, it can be had on its own. Otherwise, enjoy it with food - lamb, duck or mild Asian-style stir-fry or noodles. Grab as much as you can, this is a very good price. Robert Parker has given it 92, don't know what Mattinson will come up with but I think it'll be right up there in the 90s.

Orlando Gramps: THE Australian Shiraz

Here's the writing on your screen: grab a dozen bottles of Orlando Gramps Shiraz, Vintage 2006 and put them away!

Don't say you didn't see it. The writing that is.

This is a wine that many have tasted, many have liked. Many have already put away. Join that club.

Tastes like a good wine should. Without digging deep into my literary closet for fancier words, I'd put it simply: it makes you feel good, it makes the meal taste better and the feeling of general well-being is suddenly uplifted to a new high after the first glass.

Try it before you decide to stock up.