Generous with a great depth of flavour, Glaetzer Bishop Shiraz is your perfect example of Australia’s iconic red.
If like me, you won’t need any excuse to open an excellent bottle of Shiraz.
That said, when it’s International Shiraz Day, it would be more than rude not to spoil yourself with a nice bottle of Australia’s flagship red wine, right?
Shiraz is grown across most of the different Australian wine regions, and depending on vineyard locations, local climate, and winemaking techniques there are many different styles of Australian Shiraz made today worth trying.
That said, Australia’s oldest wine region Barossa Valley, remains the standout region for big reds. Located just around 60 kilometres from Adelaide, in Southern Australia, the area boasts a typical Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters.
Furthermore, Barossa soils are similar to those found in the Rhone Valley in France, and from which the Syrah grape origins.
And if that’s not enough, Australia has largely been spared by philoxenia and this means, the Barossa Valley today is home to some of the oldest vines in the world. The first plantings in the area go back to the 1840s while the majority of Barossa vines today are between 80 to 100 years old.
This definitely makes the bold and full-bodied Barossa Valley Shiraz the perfect choice to celebrate International Shiraz Day.
In anticipation of the event, I have treated myself to a bottle of Glaetzer Bishop Shiraz, from renowned Glaetzer Wines, one of the oldest and highly praised Barossa wineries.
About Glaetzer Winery
Established in 1995 by Colin Glaetzer, family-owned Glaetzer Wines benefits from a family history of winemaking that goes back to 1888 when the family settled in the Barossa Valley to became one of the first to make wine in the area.
Today led by Colin’s son Ben, Glaetzer Wines follows a strict philosophy that wine is made in the vineyard. Thus, intervention in the aging of the wines is kept to a minimum. Neutral yeast is used, and the wines are macerated on the skin for an extended period to allow the wines to develop more intense palate structure and tannins.
In addition, wine production is kept to small batches of only a handful of different wines allowing the winery to focus on outstanding quality.
The number of awards and accolades to the Glaezter name certainly testifies Glaezter to succeed in this quest.
All grapes for Glaetzer wines are coming from a small sub-district in the northern parts of the Barossa Valley, the Ebenezer sub-district, producing exceptional grapes from old vines.
Tasting Notes: Glaezter Bishop Shiraz
Glaezter Bishop Shiraz is the role model of Australian Shiraz. Made from 100% Shiraz the grapes are sourced from vines aging between 35 to 120 years, located on the Ebenezer sub-district in northern Barossa Valley.
The wine underwent extended maceration to permit a good tannin development. Afterwards it was matured for 16 months in a mix of new oak and older oak hogshead barrels.
In the glass, a dark purple.
On the nose, fruit-forwards with aromas of blackberry and dark plum followed by notes of anis and spice.
On the palate, bright and juicy with rich flavours of dried spice and dark berries. Fresh and balanced with a finished texture.
Glaezter Bishop Shiraz pairs well with grilled meats, beef stew, wild game, chicken (especially when barbequed and braised) and vegetables.
I have paired it with a classic Beef Tagliata, which has worked perfectly well and is assembled in less then 30 minutes.
Recipe: Beef Tagliata
If you love red meat, this classic Italian recipe is a no brainer.
Tagliata in Italian means to cut (tagliare) and all that’s required is a high-quality steak which is cut and prepared with few simple seasonings.
Tagliata is best when cooked or grilled rare or medium-rare, with a thin crust but otherwise still red inside.
Serves 4
600 g steak (T-bone, fillet, sirloin or rump will all work fine)
100 ml olive oil
wild rocket
70 g parmesan cheese, freshly shaved
1 lemon
sea salt,
black pepper
Method
Preheat oven to 60°C.
Rub the steak with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with freshly ground pepper.
Grill steaks or if using a pan, heat some olive oil over high heat and cook steaks for 3-4 minutes on each side, until cooked to your preference.
Remove from the heat and rest in the oven for five minutes.
Cut the meat from the bone, then cut in small slices (about 3 cm thick).
Drizzle wild rocket with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place on a large serving plate or four smaller ones than place the slices of beef on top. Drizzle with more olive oil and some sea salt, then scatter the parmesan shavings over the steak and arrange some lemon wedges on the side.
Serve with slices of crusty bread.
Carrots and Tigers 