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Our still wine range is distinguished by four classifications – ‘Village’, ‘Bench Blends’, ‘Grounds’ and ‘Great Terraced Vineyard Grenache’.
Our ‘Village’ range celebrates the revitalisation of the Seppeltsfield estate as a vibrant community of artisans – a modern day village – and is the foundation range in our portfolio. The wine expressions within include classic Barossa varieties, to more alternative offerings. Our winemaking team aspire to translate the character of the vineyards and each season – into the wines themselves. The Village range showcases bright, modern wines of purity and elegance, to enjoy now.
‘Bench Blends’ encourage the winemaking art of ‘assemblage’ (bench blending). Each year, the final bottlings are determined not only by the season, but also the very best combination of red varieties – borne through bench blending trial.
Our ‘Grounds’ releases are a study of the Barossa’s regional hero – Shiraz. Grown on single vineyard sites across the patchwork of the Barossa, our releases look to express the differences in terroirs of where our fruit is farmed.
Our ‘Great Terraced Vineyard Grenache’ is a special release to celebrate our 170th Anniversary. Sourced from the iconic ‘Great Terraced Vineyard’ of bush vine Grenache on the estate.
Red varietal blends carrying an ‘EC’ (East Cellar) number were first released by Seppeltsfield’s founding family in the 1960s, their compositions of region and variety varying on each release. The earliest of bottlings however regularly included Barossa Valley fruit as the major component, across traditional varietals such as Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Mataro.
The East Cellar code itself was a unique reference to where the wines were rested and matured in oak barrels prior to release.
Honouring these past bottlings, today our ‘Bench Blend’ releases continue to encourage the winemaking art of assemblage (bench blending). Each year, the final bottlings are determined not only by the season, but also the very best combination of red varieties – borne through bench blending trials.
Following vinification, on the blending bench, our winemakers carefully assess individual parcels of fruit and trials of blends thereof. Varietal make-up is explored down to detailed variances, often as low as part-percentages. The craft combines sensory ability with the artistic and individual expression of the winemaker – the ambition to achieve a final blend that is greater than the sums of its parts.
Our ‘Grounds’ releases are a study of the Barossa’s regional hero – Shiraz. Grown on single vineyard sites across the patchwork of the Barossa, our releases look to express the differences in locale of where our fruit is farmed.
As our interpretation of Barossa ‘terroir’, our Grounds releases look to apply a beguiling simplicity for what in European terms is often complicated and complex idea of the relationship between geography, geology, climate and history.
The Seppeltsfield single vineyard ‘Grounds’ Shiraz expressions take inspiration from a comprehensive study of the Barossa’s sub-regionality. The collaborative project – led by the Barossa Grape & Wine Association – brings together winemakers (including Seppeltsfield’s Fiona Donald), grapegrowers and soil and climatic science experts, to evaluate and identify the variations in Shiraz wine expression across the various parishes of the region.
Through controlled winemaking studies and regular tastings, clear distinction across N/E/S/W compass points of the Barossa has been found. The Grounds study emphasises the diversity of expression possible with Barossa Shiraz, and how we are constantly learning of the significance ‘place’ that can influence it.
Our terminology, ‘Northing’, ‘Easting’, ‘Southing’ and ‘Westing’, is inspired by the art and science of cartography (map-making), referring to a deviation to, or distance covered in the respective direction.
