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back to meet the winemakers |
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A tale from the Heartlands The rise and rise of Ben Glaetzer by Tom Cannavan, 11/05 Ben Glaetzer is the wild young man of winemaking: a shock-jock, rock 'n' rolling tearaway with 100 Parker Points to his name (the first ever perfect score for an Australian wine) and a string of fast cars, even faster women and brawling, front page headlines to his credit.
Glaetzer is part of a wine dynasty, the family having been in the Barossa since 1888. Ben's father, Colin, established his own winemaking operation in 1995 after 30 years amongst the elite of Australian winemaking. One highlight from Glaetzer senior's career was his creation of the E&E Black Pepper Shiraz, which he made until 1994, and which has become one of Australia's icon wines. Ben Glaetzer (whose wife and two brothers are also winemakers) graduated from the famous Roseworthy college after early experience working summers as a cellar-hand in Barossa Valley Estates whilst still a schoolboy. In 1998 he joined his father's business, having gained further experience after graduation with a succession of short stints in Australian, French and Middle Eastern wineries. The family's day-to-day business is its high volume contract winemaking operation, which crushes 10,000 tons of grapes each vintage on behalf of numerous clients. In the 2005 vintage a staggering 1,300 different wines were made in their winery from almost 30 different grape varieties. This is a training ground for a young winemaker like no other. Amongst the clients of the contract business is Glaetzer Wines, the eponymous label under which the family releases its own wines. Though there is a little Semillon available at the cellar door, the Glaetzer label concentrates on making red wines from ancient vines in the Barossa Valley, including the famed Ebenezer vineyard. For their flagship Shiraz they can draw on 80-110 year old un-grafted bush vines. Most of the vineyards are un-irrigated, though some newer vines have been planted with drip irrigation to help combat stress in drought years.
"Killer stuff", according to Robert Parker, the potential rating of a perfect 100 was enough to see American wine lovers in particular scrabbling to buy up every last bottle, and causing merchants to allocate the wine in single bottle quantities. "Basically I could ship everything I make over to the States and sell it all for twice the price at the moment," says Glaetzer, "but what would be the point of that? We are in this business for the long term, and want to build up loyal customers not cash-in on a great score from Parker." Indeed, Glaetzer's wines are not the 'typical' blockbuster styles that one would automatically associate with 100 points from Robert Parker (but then, it's a bit of a myth that Parker only rewards massive wines anyway). Though AMON-Ra is indeed a concentrated, ripe and powerful wine, it is also supple, harmonious and beautifully balanced. In the Heartland range, wines like the Italianate blend of Dolcetto and Lagrein, or the crisp and savoury Viognier / Pinot Gris, are inventive and unusual offerings too. "I'm trying to make wines that will make people think," says Glaetzer, "there are more dimensions to Australian wine that many people give credit for." Heartland is a range of wines that Ben says "should be appealing to 20 - 30 year-olds who understand there is more to life than Chardonnay." Around 40,000 cases of Heartland is in production, the three tier range carefully crafted to "give the drinker stepping stones they want to follow, by making each level deliver more quality than its price would suggest." Given the size of the contract wine operation that the Glaetzer's run, ramping up production without compromising quality is possible, but Ben Glaetzer seems in no great rush to have his wines on every supermarket's shelves.
A contract winemaker who turns out 1,000 different wines per year for numerous satisfied clients is no "flying by the seat of the pants" operator. Yet this juxtaposition of technology and instinct seems to sum up a winemaker who is thoroughly modern in his approach to science and business, yet who acknowledges and utilises the traditional, hands-on skills by which great wines can only be made. Ben Glaetzer's wines offer some of the best drinking in Australia right now. At 28 years of age, that shows quite some potential. tasting notes Heartland Viognier Pinot Gris 2004 Lovely juicy, herb and nettle-spiked apple and pear fruit with suggestions of tropical character. On the palate it has huge presence, with palate-coating pineapple and peach fruit and long, clean finish. £8.95. Very good indeed/excellent. See current stockists of the Viognier PG on wine-searcher. Heartland Dolcetto Lagrein 2004 There's a creamy overlay to ripe blueberry and violet notes, and chocolaty depth. On the palate this is rich and dark, with toastiness and supple tannins leading to a seamless, fruity finish. £8.95. Very good indeed. See current stockists of the Dolcetto Lagrein on wine-searcher. Heartland Director's Cut Shiraz Creamy, coffee bean and chocolate nose with charry toast and plenty of black fruit. The palate has full, rolling, svelte black fruit with a gorgeous hint of intense, minty sweetness, but fine structure. £12.95. Very good indeed. See current stockists of the Director's Cut Shiraz on wine-searcher. Glaetzer Bishop Shiraz 2001 Vanilla and cream over minty, eucalyptus and plum and a glossy seam of cassis. On the palate there's a huge chocolaty richness, with plush tannins folding into a silky depth of fruit. Nice tannic structure and acidity. £15.95. Very good indeed. See current stockists of the Bishop Shiraz on wine-searcher. Glaetzer Godolfin Shiraz Cabernet 2004 This is curranty and spicy on the nose, with a fine, mellow toastiness and smooth undertow of blackcurrant and cream. On the palate there's a real darkness, with plum and chocolate, supple tannins, and pepper and spice in the finish. £22.95. Excellent. See current stockists of the Gadolfin Shiraz Cabernet on wine-searcher. Glaetzer AMON-Ra Shiraz 2003 There's a fantastically rich, ripe, plush sweetness of fruit on the nose, with a thick, muscular quality. Unctuous and dark on the palate, this coats the tongue with bramble, dried plum and clove notes, yet some minerality and liquoricy tannins add structure. Excellent. (2003 sold out. 2004 now released) See current stockists of the AMON-Ra Shiraz on wine-searcher. Great Western Wine (+ 44 (0)1225 322 800) is importer of these wines. Other stockists include: Abbey Fine Wines, Tanners and Oddbins.
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