Anaperenna is the Roman goddess of New Year. She is also a seamless fusion of fruit from dry grown, low yielding, old and very old vines, some over a century old, all are planted to ancient sites within the elite Ebeneezer appellation in the Barossa's north. A mostly Shiraz wine, the very low cropped Cabernet component contributes intense fruit flavours with a low extraction rate of smaller berries, large seeds and greater skin to flesh ratio. The savouryness of Cabernet combines with the generous Shiraz to give Anaperenna great texture, restrained power and structure
From vines trained to standard single wire, with permanent arm rod and spur. Many of the very old vines (80-120 years old) have now been trained onto a trellis for ease of pruning, harvesting, disease and frost control. Scant vineyard yields of ½ to one ton per acre are central to the intense concentration. Vinified in one tonne open top fermenters and hand plunged three times daily. Completed primary on skins, treated to malolactic in oak, matured on lees to maintain fruit profile and animation, minimal SO2, and topped up every three weeks. Maturation fifteen months in a combination of completely new, mostly French with some American oak hogsheads and barriques, before bottling unfiltered.
Dark ruby colour. An intriguing nose of chocolate, crushed herbs, cedar, blackberries and smoke leads into a tightly focused palate with fine grained tannin and incredible density. The low extraction rate of the Cabernet has imparted savouryness and compelling aromatics of crushed herbs, fresh black fruits and espresso spice. The sheer quality expresses such intensity throughout the palate, the Shiraz components are akin to the outstanding fruit earmarked for the estate flagship Amon-Ra, the primary difference being a slightly more reserved expression, to enable the purity of the Cabernet to be displayed on both the nose and the palate. The finish is fresh and lively with flavours that linger, and linger.
The blending of two Australian classics such as Shiraz and Cabernet in this, show off how well we can get the basics so right. Indeed I always say it you can do the basics really really well people will come. Ben Glaetzer has done really really well here. This Shiraz dominant blend capitalises on the blue and black fruits in it with the purity of spicy blackberries as well as blackcurrants really coming through beautifully to entice you in. The Cabernet element works a treat in providing a backbone to the solid fruits, cutting in nicely to form an attractive shapely figure that reflects all the way to the end of the palate. The tannin structure is fine and grainy and augurs for long haul yet. The oak is there making its presence felt, not over the top but there to marry the fruit into a long future, a prosperous one I think at that. Try this with aged Angus beef char grilled. 15.1%. Drink to 2020 plus. About $45. Barossa Valley. 94 Points; Excellent. Paul Ippolito
15.1% alcohol. Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon. Beautifully packaged. Powerful, rich, intense and spicy with well defined sweet blackberry and blackcurrant fruit. Massive concentration: this is richly textured and intense, combining power but also nice freshness, with good acidity and firm tannins. Fantastic aromatics and lovely purity of fruit – this is how to do the blockbuster style. 94 Points; Jamie Goode; Wine Anorak