This wine will make smart drinkers cry. Why, because I fear this perfect district for gold medal wines that can be sold cheaply will slowly fade. In a land of wine riches its value is not recognised and likely is now not needed. Australia is almost the size of Europe so we compare 27 million people with 345 million people. The reason we purchased this Shiraz was because it was very good and had the extra polish that the 2021vintage brings. Plus we could sell it cheaper than our Barossa reds.
Seppelts pioneered the district in 1964. The first Shiraz was picked in 1968, and vineyard director Karl Seppelt declared it ‘some of the best we’ve made…the climate is warmer than Coonawarra and the style of wine is softer. I’ll be very surprised if this is not a major wine area in a few years’. In 1968, Thomas Hardy became the district’s second major player, and that same year, Lindemans planted the first vineyards north of the Keppoch Hall, just South of Padthaway. All was set. Here we are 62 years on and the future is uncertain. A boomer at 15% alcohol by volume.
