Glaetzer Anaperenna is a seamless fusion of the two varieties Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Voluptuous, opulent and yet refined, with a very long and satisfying finish.

Tasting Notes

The name Anaperenna has been inspired by Anna Perenna, the Roman goddess of the New Year. Anna Perenna symbolises the year's cycle and her name translates as 'enduring year'. Romans honoured Anna Perenna with a festival held on the first full moon of the Roman calendar. On March 15th they would ask Anna to grant them longevity, and a healthy year for each glass of wine they drank on that day.

The symbol on the label is the Egyptian Ankh (pronounced: onk). Historically the ankh symbolised sunrise, regeneration, regrowth and renewal.

Colour

Impenetrable black with a hint of purple.

Nose

A spectrum of spicy yet plummy fruit, intense notes of liquorice and mixed herbs.

Palate

Displaying dense dark flavours yet with freshness and drive.

Vineyards

Exceptional old vine fruit was sourced from the famed Ebenezer sub district at the northern tip of the Barossa Valley. Vine age 30—100 year old Shiraz and 30—130 year old Cabernet. Yield 2.5 tonnes per hectare.

Vintage Conditions

A wet winter and spring coupled with cooler than average spring temperatures resulted in slower yet balanced canopy development and healthy flowering and fruit set. A mild summer with regular rainfall events followed allowing the fruit to be in no rush to mature, perfect for consistent ripening. Harvest commenced a few weeks later than recent years. The 2017 wines are of excellent quality exhibiting purity and lift with firm tannins and exceptional length.

Vinification

Fermented in 1 and 2 tonne open fermenters, hand plunged 3 times daily. Matured for 16 months in 100% new oak hogshead barrels (92% French and 8% American) and matured on lees to maintain fruit profile and animation. Bottled unfiltered to ensure minimal intervention with the wine’s natural characteristics.

About Glaetzer

This family-owned boutique winery was founded in 1995 and dedicates itself to the production of super-premium, sitespecific red wine made in small volumes. Originally from Germany, the Glaetzer family settled in Australia in the late 19th century and were some of the earliest recorded viticulturalists in the Barossa Valley and Clare Valley. Today the winery is run by internationally acclaimed winemaker Ben Glaetzer, who is responsible for driving the brand’s considerable loyal following. Ben sources all their fruit from the northern sub-region of the Barossa, Ebenezer, which is known for its ancient dry-grown vineyards. Glaetzer’s most exceptional fruit is sourced from 80-110 year-old, nongrafted bush vines. In the cellar, Ben believes in minimal intervention and treating musts as gently as possible. 

Though only limited Glaetzer wines are produced every year, the winery is known for producing wines that are unique and intense. 

2018 Anaperenna from Glaetzer Wines on Vimeo.

Specifications

“Bold. Elegant. Unapologetically Tavel.”

Tasting Notes 

A superb Châteuneuf-du-Pape from vines in their prime.

Tasting Notes

Intense and inky dark, with a concentrated, rich and complex nose of kirsch, bay and graphite. Very full bodied and weighty with some evident tannins, and there's a brooding power from such low yields. Despite its heft, the old vines provide great complexity and interest and we are left with a lovely juicy finish.

Production Method

Alex Favier inherited 37 different blocks of vineyards from his mother, Marie-Paule Sabon, comprising 50 hectares in total, making Domaine Chante Cigale one of the larger domaines of this most famous of French appellations. The terroir of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is made up of three different soil types and those domaines with vines on all three consequentially gain in complexity For his reds, Alex has a typically large palette of varieties but his ‘old vine’ cuvée uses only Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre as these are his oldest vines and they provide the wine with great intensity and longevity. The vines for this bottling are over 65 years old, some as old as 100, and they are some of the oldest vines to be found on the plateau de Carbières (close to Château Montredon).The yield of these ‘Vieilles Vignes’ is very, very low indeed; the oldest vines may only yield a miniscule 15hl/ha, most others around 22-23 hl/ha, bringing the average to around 20hl/ha. Harvesting is by hand, with selective sorting of the grapes. Alex learned about viticulture and vinification from his father and took over from him whilst finishing his last year at school in 1999; eventually taking full control of the domaine in 2002. Each variety is vinified separately and undergoes an 18-24 day fermentation and a 32-36 day maceration period. Malolactic fermentation and ageing takes place in a combination of new oak barriques and concrete vats. Alex no longer uses the traditional larger casks known as ‘foudres’ for his Vieilles Vignes.

Producer

Domaine Chante Cigale is located within the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and has been owned by the Sabon Favier family for several generations. Consisting of 41 hectares, the domaine benefits from old vines, some of which are veritably ancient at over 100 years old. Alexandre Favier took over from his father, Christian, and is part of a new wave of producers in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, combining modern technical expertise with time-honoured winemaking practices.

Alexandre is lauded by notable journalists including Steve Danzier and Jancis Robinson for his deftly-made and reasonably-priced wines. Domaine Chante Cigale has also built a reputation for specialising in white wines, of which they produce more than any other estate in the appellation.

A note on Sustainability

As you might expect from someone born and raised on an estate named after singing cicadas, Alexandre Favier keenly promotes the biodiversity of his vineyards. He is very conscious of his role as guardian of his land for future generations and Chante Cigale is currently in conversion to full organic status.

Specifications

Tasting Notes 

Aromas of raspberry, cherry and a hint of eucalyptus. The palate is full, fresh and lively with a subtle and well-balanced tannin structure.

History

Dornier is a family owned winery situated in The Golden Triangle area of the upper Blaauwklippen Valley Stellenbosch. The primary focus at Dornier lies in the production of premium quality wines with minimal intervention which are expressive of the unique terroir of The Golden Triangle whilst showcasing the complexity and finesse of the noble grape varieties planted at Dornier. Reverence for tradition is salient at Dornier as is difference where it leads to improvement.

Dornier Wine Estate is located on 3 different farms in the Upper Blaauwklippen Valley namely Groenkloof, Heldemeer and Stellenrust (Homestead) the latter of which includes a historic Sir Herbert Baker designed homestead and one of the first wine cellars ever built in Stellenbosch in the late 1600s.

Dornier proudly boasts an A rating with IPW (Integrity and Sustainability) given its ongoing efforts incorporated and devotion towards sustainable farming practises with integrity. 

Dornier also holds an A Rating with WIETA - a pro-active world-class and sustainable ethical trade programme for the South African wine industry and aligned sectors. given its efforts incorporated and devotion towards facilitating fair working conditions and sustainable ethical trade within the wine industry and its aligned sectors.

Fermentation & Aging

All components of this blend were fermented separately in vineyard specific batches with pump-overs for colour and tannin extraction being performed five times daily. The wine was barrel matured for 12 months in French oak barrels and a small un-oaked component was used to provide a fresh and lively character.

Vintage Conditions

The vines are planted on our Groenkloof farm on the slopes of the Stellenbosch Mountain. The soil is composed of coffee coloured decomposed granite. The vines get full sun which allows for optimum development of rich berry characters in the grapes.

Accolades

• 4.5 John Platter Stars
• TOP 100 SA Wines
• Veritas Silver Outstanding

Specifications

Where Mountain Meets Vine – A Bold Balkan Beauty!

Tasting Notes

The wine has an attractive, dark garnet colour. Intense aromas reveal a magnificent bouquet consist of plum, red cherry, forest fruits, milk chocolate and vanilla. The palate is dense, round with a distinctive silkiness indicating the perfect balance between ripe fruit and oak tannins. Superb softness and long-lasting end completed this remarkable wine.

Production

The grapes are hand-picked, then carefully selected on sorting tables. Cold maceration of whole berries is performed from 5 to 8 days at 16C. Alcohol fermentation with addition of selected yeast strains is controlled at 26-28C during 8-10 days, in order to reach 3-4 g/l residual sugar, followed by maceration from 5 to 8 days in concrete thermoregulated tanks. Malolactic fermentation continues in tanks, then ageing for about 12 months in oak barrels.

Producer

Count Stephan von Neipperg, owner of several famous Bordeaux properties including Châteaux Canon La Gaffelière and La Mondotte, deliberately sought out Bulgaria’s Bessa Valley, where the wonderful clay-limestone soils displayed the potential to make great wines.

In the shadow of the dramatic Rhodope Mountains, these soils provide the structure, strength and minerality that enable Stephan to create wonderful wines, full of power and elegance.

Bessa Valley is located on the hills between the Rhodope Mountains and Maritsa River. The climate is continental – hot summer and cold winter. The terroir is influenced by the river and the mountain. Rainfalls are at usual level. The soil in the Valley is loamy and clay-stony, mixed with limestone. The limestone rock is half a meter under the soil layer. 140 Hectares of vines are planted with Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Specifications

Tasting Notes 

Megan van der Merwe, the brilliant young winemaker at Beau Constantia, set out to make the Stella with ‘the absolute intention to preserve the site that grew the fruit’. The Syrah and Viognier for this wine grow side by side on one of the farm’s lower lying slopes – both varietals are picked together, when the Syrah is ripe, meaning that the Viognier hangs on the vine until it is a little raisined, adding a rich honey-like component to the wine. 18 months in French oak (only 28% new) adds complexity to the wine.

Floral notes of violet, spicy black pepper, dried herbs and fresh red fruit – cherry and pomegranate – are held together by savoury fine tannin. Epic! 

Winery

Some two decades ago, raging wildfires swept through an area of forest high up on Constantia Nek, leaving the slopes scorched and bare. When the fire had subsided, what was left was a brilliant and unique spot for planting a vineyard; 350 metres above sea level, with cooling ocean breezes and steep sun-bathed hills and so, like a phoenix, Beau Constantia rose from the ashes.

Sensing opportunity, Pierre and Cecily Du Preez acquired the 22-hectare property in 2002. With thorough soil analysis guiding their efforts, the inaugural vineyards were planted in 2003 under the careful guidance of farm manager, Japie Bronn.

The journey to establish vineyards on these challenging slopes demanded patience and unwavering commitment. Today, Beau Constantia proudly boasts 11.47 hectares under vine, a testament to the perseverance and dedication of all involved. Within these vineyards thrive a diverse range of varietals, including Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Shiraz, and Petit Verdot, each meticulously nurtured to capture the unique essence of this extraordinary landscape.

This boutique wine farm with just over 11 hectares under vine has utterly spectacular views over the peninsula. Megan van der Merwe is the Head Winemaker, having taken over from Justin Van Wyk in 2021, after serving as Assistant Winemaker during his successful tenure. Megan believes in 'farming to perfection - just don't stuff it up in the cellar!'. This very talented winemaker is certainly one to watch.

Each of their releases is a tribute to a member of the family.

Accolades & Awards

• 93pts | Platter's 2023
• Tim Atkin 90pts

“Stella is a Côte Rôtie style co-fermentation of Syrah with 0.05% (yes, really) Viognier and 52% whole bunches. Very much a cool climate style, it has aromas of dried herbs and white pepper, savoury tannins, perfumed 28% new wood and bright red cherry and pomegranate fruit.”

Specifications