Seppelt has pioneered Great Western sparkling shiraz since the 1890s and I have been privileged to witness the stamina of great bottles from the 1950s and 1960s. Grand longevity is the key to this style, and even on release at a decade of age (eight years of which were spent on lees) the fruit of the Seppelt Great Western vineyard itself demands a long time yet to fully blossom. 

Whole-berry fermentation, powdery tannins in the base wine, with 7+ years on lees. The dosage of 21g/l is at the bottom end of the scale. A complex bouquet, with notes of spice, pepper and leather. Shiraz shines in this wine, tannins adding to the appeal. Drink to: NA; Price: $100.00; Date Tasted: Jan 2019; Alcohol: 13%; Rating: 96 Points & Special Value Star & Top 100 Wines for 2020; James Halliday Wine Companion

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