The ‘Grounds’ wines from Seppeltsfield focus on the sub-regionality of the Barossa. The name is derived from the Barossa Grounds project. This was a comprehensive study of the district’s sub-regionality led by the Barossa Grape & Wine Association. The fruit is sourced from single-site, estate-owned vineyards.
'Seppeltsfield, under the ownership of entrepreneur and winemaker Warren Randall, has undergone a remarkable transformation.'
The fruit for The Westing is sourced from the Western Grounds Vineyard Seppeltsfield ‘V Block’. The Westing is vinified through Seppeltsfield’s historic 1888 Gravity Cellar. The fruit is fermented in open fermenters and matured for 14 months in new and seasoned French oak hogsheads. The Westing is a full-bodied Shiraz in the classic Barossa style. Showing ripe and dark fruits, framed by robust tannins and balanced acidity
Deep crimson. Intense ripe dark cherry, blackberry aromas with dark chocolate brambly notes. Generous dark cherry, blackberry, raspberry fruits, fine grainy/ velveteen textures and underlying roasted chestnut vanilla chinotto notes. Finishes chocolaty firm with bitter-sweet notes. Drinks well but keep for a while. Now-2030 14.9% Alc
95 points
Glass-staining dense, concentrated purple/red/black colour, the bouquet a riot of sweet blackberry, violet and assorted spices, including licorice. The wine is very powerful in the mouth, concentrated, firm and persuasive, powering long into the aftertaste, which is decadently rich and super-ripe, the lavish flavour well matched by mouth-coating tannins. Mightily impressive and a must for the cellar. (The Western Grounds Vineyard: Seppeltsfield V Block)
97 points, The Real Review (July 2021)
Classic hearty Barossa fare here. Dark chocolate, blackberry, baking spice. Full-bodied, thick tannin, bit of tar and new leather, plenty of chew, almost a black forest cake flavour, fresh though. Thick ropes of tannin to close on a long finish. It’ll bring a smile to the face of those seeking ripe chocolaty Shiraz.
94 points, The Wine Front (July 2021)
Barossa Valley
Colonel William Light, the South Australian colony’s Surveyor-General, named the Barossa in 1837 after the site of an English victory over the French in the Spanish Peninsular War. In the mid-1800’s Silesian and English immigrants settled in the area. The Barossa itself comprises two distinct sub-regions: Eden Valley and the warmer Barossa Valley floor at 270m.The Barossa Valley enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate characterised by hot dry summers and relatively low rainfall. Cool sea breezes from the Gulf of St Vincent modify the temperature, however hot northerly winds can occasionally dominate creating considerable vine stress. Many older established vineyards are dry-grown, but supplementary irrigation is also extensively used. The valley is comprised of rich brown soils and alluvial sands. A long history of uninterrupted viticulture in the area means the Barossa valley is home to Australia’s largest concentration of old-vine Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre with many over 100 years old. Although most famous for Shiraz, the Barossa can also produce fragrant and deliciously fruity Grenache blends and beautifully rich, chocolatey Cabernet Sauvignons.Seppeltsfield is a showpiece of the Barossa Valley, a magnificent complex of 19th century winery buildings surrounded by almost 100 hectares of vineyards. Seppeltsfield was a focal point of the fledgling Barossa wine industry from the 1850s and now boasts the world’s longest unbroken chain of vintage wines, going back to 1878, enabling the release of a genuine 100-year-old fortified wine each year since 1978. Apart from the extraordinary range of fortifieds, Seppeltsfield today also produces a range of limited production table wines, including blends of Shiraz, Grenache and Touriga, and sparkling wines under the Gert’s Blend label.
