2006 Bishop Barossa Valley Shiraz

Based on dry-grown fruit from the Ebenezer vineyard. Aged in French and US oak. Deep ripe cherry colour. Some herbal, menthol notes over pure cassis. Minty cassis on the palate too, and a touch of vanilla. But there’s a restrained power that suggests the concentration of old vines not the concentration of winemaking. Tannins are firm, giving freshness, and there’s a strong impression of dark, spiced chocolate. The 14.5% seems to show more than on the Wallace, though they are analytically the same. Long and powerful and contained. (JH)

The 2006 Bishop was sourced from 60-year-old vines and aged for 14 months in used French and American oak. Purple/black in color, it has an expressive nose of cedar, smoke, game, bacon, and blueberry. On the palate this medium to full-bodied wine is tightly wound but has all the right stuff. There are tons of ripe fruit and silky tannin, excellent balance and a long finish, but the wine will need 8-10 years to fully display its personality. It will easily last through 2036. Hats off to Ben Glaetzer for producing an extraordinary portfolio! The renowned winemaker, Ben Glaetzer, sources all of his fruit for this label from the Ebenezer district in the northern Barossa. Many knowledgeable experts cite this sub-region as the finest in the Valley. Importer: Ben Hammerschlag, Epicurean Wines, Seattle, WA; www.glaetzer.com