AMON-Ra by Ben Glaetzer

Amon-Ra has become one of Australia’s icon wines. Made from 100% Shiraz sourced from vineyards ranging in age from 80–120 years and with microscopic yields of 0.5 tons per acre, the 2006 Amon-Ra was aged for 15 months in new French and American oak. The wine is a thick, glass-coating, purple/black in color. The aromas cover a wide range of scents including smoke, vanilla, pepper, Asian spices, coconut, espresso, blueberry, and chocolate. Thick, rich, layered, and complete, this monumental wine offers extraordinary intensity and length. It requires 10–15 years to fully evolve and should easily last through 2040.

Inky ruby. Exotically perfumed nose displays ripe blueberry, boysenberry, cinnamon, wilted flowers and patchouli; smells like a head shop. Chewy dark berry flavors soften with air, ultimately offering superb clarity and a velvety texture. Becomes sweeter on the finish, with slowly building tannins adding an impression of structure to this sexy fruit bomb. This is the style that made the Barossa famous.

Firm in texture and deep and distinctive in flavor, offering coffee-tinged cherry and spice flavors that linger against slightly gritty tannins. Needs time to soften and open, but should get there. Best after 2010 through 2018.