A borderline perfect wine in my opinion, the 2006 Glaetzer Shiraz Amon-Ra Barossa Valley is a phenomenally concentrated, massive wine that holds everything together with fantastic balance and a light, seamless and almost elegant texture. The nose is packed with amazing levels of dark fruit; cassis, blackberry and earth aromas are backed up by licorice, vanilla and tar notes and for all its size, there's not a hint of heat. The palate is full bodied and has glass staining concentration but the palate has a light, airy feel that keeps this restrained, balanced and a killer drink right now. With air, the fruit definitely shows more sweetness but is pure, clean and rich. This finishes with amazing amounts of juicy fruit and length. I think this is as good as the 2005 but is more in the style of the 2003 and 2004.

Amon-Ra has become one of Australia’s icon wines. Made from 100% Shiraz sourced from vineyards ranging in age from 80-120 years and with microscopic yields of 0.5 tons per acre, the 2006 Amon-Ra was aged for 15 months in new French and American oak. The wine is a thick, glass-coating, purple/black in color. The aromas cover a wide range of scents including smoke, vanilla, pepper, Asian spices, coconut, espresso, blueberry, and chocolate. Thick, rich, layered, and complete, this monumental wine offers extraordinary intensity and length. It requires 10-15 years to fully evolve and should easily last through 2040. Hats off to Ben Glaetzer for producing an extraordinary portfolio!

Deep garnet, the 2006 Amon-Ra opens with a really earthy, meaty and gamey nose scented of slightly burnt toast, tar, licorice and after a few minutes a little menthol. Full and rich, the palate has dried mulberries and spice flavors alongside very crisp acid, medium levels of chewy tannins before finishing long. Drink it now until 2020+. Importer: Epicurean Wines, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 923-1376

100% dry-grown Shiraz, vines 30-120 years old. Very low yields. Fermented in one- and two-tonne open fermenters, hand plunged three times daily. Completed primary 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 three weeks. Oak: 15 months in 100% new oak of which 20% is American and 80% French (70% hogsheads and 30% barriques). Unfiltered. Very deeply coloured. Sweet lightly minty cassis and pretty ripe and a little earthy. Firm but very smooth tannins. Cedary. After the Plantagenet, both the acidity and the alcohol seem to stick out a little, hence the minus, though it is definitely blockbuster, concentrated Shiraz. pH 3.47, TA 7.1 g/l, RS 1.2 g/l, (JH)