The 2013 Glaetzer Amon-Ra Shiraz is a full-bodied Barossa Valley red built on old-vine fruit from the northern end of the region, with the estate known for low-yielding vineyards and a bold, age-worthy style. It’s also a wine with a strong reputation in Australia; Amon-Ra is recognized at the “Outstanding” level in Langton’s Classification, reflecting its consistent standing among collectors.
In the glass, the vintage is consistently described as dark and saturated. Vinous calls it “inky purple,” with “deep smoke and spice-accented aromas of cassis, blueberry liqueur, Indian spices and sandalwood,” and notes “bright minerality adding lift and definition” (Josh Raynolds, 94 points). Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate delivers an excellent review at 96 points, describing a “deep garnet-purple” wine with “blackcurrants, blackberry preserves, plums and cracked pepper” layered with “licorice, dark chocolate, cedar and black earth” (Lisa Perrotti-Brown). She emphasizes that it has “wonderful balance and elegance for its commendable concentration and fullness,” finishing with “great persistence.”
James Halliday’s 95-point note adds useful production detail: fruit “from vines between 50–130 yo,” cropped at “2t/ha,” then “open-fermented in 1 and 2-tonne pots,” followed by “post-fermentation maceration,” and “matured for 16 months in 100% new hogsheads, 95% French.” Halliday sums up the style as “archetypal Amon-Ra…taking no prisoners—you are either in or out.”
Other critics are a touch more moderate on the score, but still positive on character. Wine Spectator (91 points) highlights “smoke, spice and sandalwood” and a “generous core of plush, juicy and very ripe strawberry and cherry flavors,” with “vanilla, mocha and toast” lingering; it reports “1,000 cases made, 600 cases imported” and suggests drinking “now through 2028.” Wine Enthusiast (92 points) underscores the wine’s density and structure, calling it “rich, chocolatey,” with “a wealth of acid and tannin structure” and a long cellar window (“2020–2038 and likely beyond,” Christina Pickard).
