I used to buy Seppelt St Peters quite a lot, even back as far as when it was just the Great Western Shiraz, with the horrible label that came loose from a Duran Duran video clip. And now I’ve stopped buying them. Fosters did their thing at Seppelt Great Western, so I no longer support this label – there are plenty to choose from in similar styles to this, and the last one I bought was the 2005. But still there is this little vertical in the cellar, and they were tasty wines on release. Time to check and see if they still are… 2003 is a fairly maligned vintage through much of Australia for the incredible heat that swept over the winegrowing regions, much as it did across the whole winegrowing world. Oddly the back label talks about the virtues of such a cool year (!). Only the palate will decide. This is still quite dark and inky purple with just some early signs of fading at the rim. Lifted, rich and cola like to smell, with some milk chocolate – all of which speaks of the ripeness of a warmer year in a cool region to me. Quite slippery on entry, I’m getting roast meats, ripe purple berries, cola and a light slap of leather. Some lovely cedary oak rounds this out. This is warmer in its profile than many St Peters, but more restrained and circumspect on palate than nose. Fine grippy tannins aplenty supporting a good quality finish, which falls a little short. This is your wine to accompany a Sunday roast - exactly where this one went. Hurrah that there are others who continue this style – Dalwhinnie, Mt Langhi Ghiran, and newcomers like Jamsheed to take up the mantle of Shiraz form this part of Victoria
Cheers
Andrew
Wine drinking and wine collecting have nothing in common. Its just coincidence that the same people have both hobbies - and it can result in “cellar full of stuff but nothing to drink” moments. Wines like this should cure that little habit.
Perfume, spice a whiff of pepper, pinot sap. All present and accounted for. The palate is young and vibrant and the shrill acid gets your attention first. Redcurrant fruits, followed by some stalk. There’s presence and depth in this beyond what you would expect in a lower priced entry level pinot – and it is clearly pinot rather than a miscellaneous dry red. A well made wine, worthy of its price at thirty bucks or so. Worth seeking out, and the environmental cause attached to this wine is also worthy.
Drink now to 2 years, with lighter meats, good company, and a satisfied smile.