A couple of posts ago I reviewed the '07 Bishop. That was a year ago, and I've barely updated my blog since. A lot of tasting notes have gone up on cellartracker/grapestories under "AndrewJ" since then, but I've neglected this blog. So on to the review...
2008 Glaetzer Bishop
It's not a food wine, it's a meal in itself! Failing that, a thick rare steak would be in order. It's already faring much better than the first bottle that I had upon release, approximately 6 months ago. 90% French oak, 10% American, of 2-3 years age. A small portion of the wine was barrel-fermented.
Intense mega-purpe rim, otherwise opaque. Unctuous dark berries and a certain nuttiness, concentrated ripe shiraz fruit wrapped around a long, tight, acidic spine. The nuttiness adds a nice savory dimension to offset the ripeness on the front-palate. Blueberry becomes apparent on the mid-palate, leading to a dry acidic finish. It's big on tannin, but that's in keeping with the rest of the wine. That said, it's still a bit disjointed and angular at present, and is in desperate need of bottle age, although it softens well with time in the glass. A good decant would do it justice. There is a degree of vibrancy on the after-palate that, like an evil voice inside your head, speaks to your sub-conscience saying "drink me, drink me"... like one needs an excuse. Screwcap. 14.5%. $30
Intense mega-purpe rim, otherwise opaque. Unctuous dark berries and a certain nuttiness, concentrated ripe shiraz fruit wrapped around a long, tight, acidic spine. The nuttiness adds a nice savory dimension to offset the ripeness on the front-palate. Blueberry becomes apparent on the mid-palate, leading to a dry acidic finish. It's big on tannin, but that's in keeping with the rest of the wine. That said, it's still a bit disjointed and angular at present, and is in desperate need of bottle age, although it softens well with time in the glass. A good decant would do it justice. There is a degree of vibrancy on the after-palate that, like an evil voice inside your head, speaks to your sub-conscience saying "drink me, drink me"... like one needs an excuse. Screwcap. 14.5%. $30
Rating: 91+/100
Why You Want This Wine: Because you're here to enjoy yourself, so partake in the delights.
