A PAIR of Barossa winemakers entered the new year on top of the world following rave reviews for a duo of drops from South Australia’s famous region.
Rob Gibson (Gibson Wines) and Ben Glaetzer (Glaetzer Wines) entered 2024 with the unique honour of sharing top spot in the ranking system of Vivino, the world’s leading wine app.
Gibson’s Bin 60 and Glaetzer’s Eye of Ra each hold 4.8 out of 5 stars for their Barossa cuvees. The pair sits equal top with a Châteauneuf-du-Pape bottling by French vintner Pierre Usseglio, of which just one barrel is made.
Produced in 2008, Gibson’s Bin 60 is similarly scarce, with just 100 bottles remaining at the winery’s cellar door.
The drop goes for nearly $400 a pop, but for Gibson, the Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz has plenty of sentimental value.
“It was made on a wing and a prayer and it wasn’t really market-based – nobody really asked for a $300-plus wine,” he said.
“It was really made for my birthday and to share with my mates and just to see what we could do in terms of a fine wine.
“Being a long-serving Penfold employee I’ve got an idea of what this level of wine should look like.
“It was a bit of a risky move, but it was about knowing that I could drink it with my mates.”
Despite not being made for the mass market, the Bin 60 has been a hit with consumers around the globe.
It serves as tangible proof that the saying of ‘ageing like a fine wine’ is on the money, with Mr Gibson heralding its maturation as a key factor in its success.
“The wine was made for ageing – we released it as an aged wine,” he said.
“It demonstrated what happens if you mature a wine of that quality.
“I wasn’t surprised and I think it was a good vintage – I just took the cream of the crop. It always had potential but releasing it with age and maturity was really helpful I think.”
Glaetzer’s ‘Eye of Ra’ Shiraz is Ben Glaetzer’s attempt to “create the perfect wine”.
It sells for $650 per bottle and is limited to three per customer.
“It took over 30 years of learning, hard work and discovering the potential of the vines before the Eye of Ra became possible,” Mr Glaetzer said.
“I always knew it would be hard work, but well worth the effort. I’m glad that other wine lovers agree.”
Consumer satisfaction has long been a focus at Gibson Wines and Mr Gibson said it was “special” to match it with the best of 245,000 wineries of the world on Vivino.
“It means a lot because we always focus on consumer votes,” he said.
“We don’t chase gold medals and we love getting consumer votes so we’re pretty chuffed about it.
“It’s people becoming aware of the quality that we can produce.
“I’ve enjoyed a pretty interesting career and in a way I’ve always had an international view of wine style because of my travels.
“Vivino is very much an international assessment, so I think I’m in tune with that."
Gibson has spent over half a century in the wine game and will undertake his 51st vintage this summer.
He has crossed paths with Mr Glaetzer on occasion and believes the fact a pair of locals can make it big on the world stage is a testament to what the region can produce.
“We’ve bumped into each other over the years,” he said.
“It’s pretty much a Barossa community of winemakers and we bump into each other every now and then.
“He travels a lot and I used to travel a lot so it’s surprising how little you see one another.
“The world loves Barossa Shiraz and they will continue to love it.”
Others in Vivino’s top ten include two from Australia - Penfold’s Grange and Torbreck The Laird – plus fine wine collectables from Schrader (Napa Valley, USA) and Antinori (Tuscany, Italy).
