Winemaker Notes
The Watcher. It is an image steeped in legend and mystery. It implies transcendence and authority. The Watcher is a being of knowledge, of understanding, of concern, of influence.
At Fetish Wines, we value this level of attention to every step of the winemaking process, from the soil to the bottle. We do not want to manipulate wine, but to craft it by the subtle direction that can only be achieved through an intimate relationship with the land.
For this wine, Rolf Binder is The Watcher
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Fresh and vibrant, this is medium-weight and juicily focused to show its blackberry, black plum and white pepper flavors, lingering with hints of white chocolate on the harmonious finish. Drink now through 2018. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 8,000 cases made.
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Wine Enthusiast
A nicely balanced Barossa Shiraz, the 2008 The Watcher avoids any sense of raisining or overripeness that may sometimes be found in wines from this vintage. Plum and savory notes are complemented by subtle oaking, and the overall impression is of ripe, creamy-textured fruit balanced by crisp acids. Drink now–2018.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Historically and presently the most important wine-producing region of Australia, the Barossa Valley is set in the Barossa zone of South Australia, where more than half of the country’s wine is made. Because the climate is very hot and dry, vineyard managers work diligently to ensure grapes reach the perfect levels of phenolic ripeness.
The intense heat is ideal for plush, bold reds, particularly Shiraz on its own or Rhône Blends. Often Shiraz and Cabernet partner up for plump and powerful reds.
While much less prevalent, light-skinned varieties such as Riesling, Viognier or Semillon produce vibrant Barossa Valley whites.
Most of Australia’s largest wine producers are based here and Shiraz plantings date back as far as the 1850s or before. Many of them are dry farmed and bush trained, still offering less than one ton per acre of inky, intense, purple juice.