Glaetzer, 2009 Anaperenna Shiraz Cabernet.

The 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. Today, his son Ben carries on this winemaking tradition at Glaetzer Wines.

Name & Label: The name Anaperenna has been inspired by Ana Perenna, the Roman godess of the New Year. Anna Perenna symbolises the year's cycle and her name translates as 'enduring year'. Romans honoured Anna Perenna with a festival held on the first full moon of the Roman calendar. On March 15th they would ask Anna to grant them longevity, and a healthy year for each glass of wine they drank on that day. The symbol on the label is the Egyptian Ankh (pronounced: onk). Historically, the ankh symbolised sunrise, regeneration, regrowth and renewal.

The Wine: Anaperenna rejoins the Glaetzer range in 2009 after an absence in 2008. The wine is a seamless fusion of two varieties: Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Enticing liquorice and fragrant herb notes on the nose, revealing hints of dark stone fruits and cassis with layers of roasted coffee beans. The key characteristic on the palate is the textural tannins that provide support for the supple yet restrained palate - finishing with freshness, purity and length.

The Cabernet fruit in 2009 was intensely flavoured. Our Cabernet vines suffered from the heat of the 2008 vintage, which reduced their ability to store energy in the lead up to the 2009 growing season. This resulted in a low crop volume for Cabernet and meant only a small amount of Anaperenna 09 could be created.

Region: All fruit for Glaetzer wines is taken from the small sub-region of the northern Barossa Valley, called Ebenezer. The viticulture used is standard single wire, with permanent arm rod and spur. Many of the very old vines (80-130 years old) have been trained onto a trellis for easy of pruning, harvesting and for disease and frost control.

Vinification: Fermented in 1 tonne open fermenters, hand plunged 3 times daily. Completed primary fermentation on skins and malolactic fermentation in oak. Matured for 16 months in oak, matured on lees to maintain fruit profile and animation, minimal SO2. Topped up every 3 weeks.