Winemaker Notes
Blend: 82% Shiraz, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
I love what Glaetzer's inclusion of Cabernet brings to the 2017 Anaperenna Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon, giving it additional fragrance and length. Lifted aromas of mint, raspberries and dark chocolate mark the nose, while the full-bodied palate is rich and velvety but never heavy, framed by supple tannins that turn silky on the long, long finish. Showing great focus, energy and intensity, expect it to still be going strong in a decade.
-
Decanter
My repetitious tasting note reads ‘very sexy, very flashy, demonstrative and juicy, spice and leather, very sexy, layered, delicious, forward’. With 18% Cabernet it gets a guest pass in this line-up.
-
James Suckling
I like the anchoring effect of the cabernet in this blend, which really adds a central spine to the palate and brings length to the wine. Plenty of ripe dark fruit – cassis and blackberries – that really hold the finish long.
-
Wine Spectator
Opens with a mouthful of perfectly ripe, thick wild blackberry and kirsch flavors, with details of white pepper, bay laurel and orange zest, plump and smooth. Offers thick but seamless tannins, revealing a touch of malt on the finish. Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2034.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
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.