History of Glaetzer
The Glaetzer family's winemaking legacy in Australia traces back to the 1880s, but the modern chapter began in 1995, when Colin Glaetzer, a third-generation winemaker, established Glaetzer Wines. Located in the northern Barossa Valley, the estate quickly gained acclaim for its focus on single-region, old-vine Shiraz and Grenache.
The winery's meteoric rise continued under the stewardship of Colin's son, Ben Glaetzer, who took the reins as chief winemaker and brought a dynamic, minimalist philosophy to the cellar. An oenology graduate of the University of Adelaide and an International Winemaker of the Year (Wine Enthusiast, 2006), Ben has been central to the estate's critical success, regularly receiving high praise from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, and Decanter.
What sets Glaetzer apart is its commitment to site selection and low-intervention winemaking. The winery works exclusively with dry-grown, old vines, many over 100 years old, from the revered Ebenezer sub-region. These ancient vines, grown on deep, sandy loam soils with ironstone, produce grapes of profound intensity and character.
Region and Vineyards
Glaetzer Wines operates exclusively within the Ebenezer sub-region, located at the northernmost tip of South Australia's Barossa Valley—a site revered for producing some of the most structured and age-worthy Shiraz in the world. This isolated zone is characterized by its exceptionally old vine material, unique soil composition, and distinctive mesoclimate, setting the foundation for Glaetzer's signature intensity and elegance.
The vineyards span a patchwork of small, family-owned parcels, most of which are managed by generational growers. Glaetzer works in close collaboration with these partners, allowing for precise control over viticultural practices and optimal fruit selection. Many of the vines are between 80 and 130 years old, planted as bush vines without irrigation. Their deep roots penetrate complex strata of soil, lending minerality and concentration to the resulting wines.
Soils in Ebenezer consist of deep red-brown loamy sand, underlaid with clay and ironstone, contributing to natural drainage while retaining enough subsoil moisture to sustain old, dry-grown vines through the growing season. These soils are inherently low in fertility, producing small berries with thick skins, ideal for crafting powerful, tannic, and intensely flavoured red wines.
The climate of Ebenezer is warm and continental, with long, dry summers and significant diurnal temperature variation. This results in high phenolic ripeness while preserving vital acidity and aromatic precision. The region benefits from its elevation and low humidity, which contribute to disease resistance and consistent vintage conditions.
Harvesting is done entirely by hand, allowing selective picking of individual rows and even specific vines. Each vineyard block is vinified separately to preserve its unique expression, with blending decisions made only after maturation. This micro-parcel approach is essential in crafting wines of complexity, precision, and longevity.
In essence, Glaetzer's vineyard philosophy is one of minimal intervention, maximal expression—letting the ancient vines and the unique terroir of Ebenezer speak through each bottle. Their intimate relationship with these vineyards is foundational to the power, purity, and poise found across the Glaetzer portfolio.
Wine Range of Glaetzer
Glaetzer crafts a tight and focused portfolio centered around Barossa's hallmark red varieties:
- Amon-Ra Shiraz: The estate's flagship wine, an icon of modern Australian Shiraz—dense, structured, and cellar-worthy.
- Anaperenna: A Shiraz-Cabernet blend of seamless integration and poise.
- Bishop Shiraz: A tribute to Ben's mother, Judith Bishop—elegant, spicy, and approachable in youth.
- Wallace Shiraz-Grenache: Bright and fruit-driven with vibrant red berry notes and spice.
- Eye of Ra Shiraz: An ultra-limited cuvée from ancient vines; released only in exceptional vintages, embodying depth, purity, and grandeur.
Did you know?
Ben Glaetzer was part of Australia's celebrated "First Families of Wine" initiative and is also a founding winemaker of the cult-label Heartland Wines in Langhorne Creek. His wines are regularly awarded 20/20 by British critic Matthew Jukes and 98-100 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.
