Seppelt Original Sparkling Shiraz no longer a vintage wine

[phillisc]

Why not forget about Seppelts? the brand is long dead... devote the money to a more independent producer that intends to continue producing a quality product...

Sam I very much agree with you in part...
TWE...what haven't they fucked up...sorry first expletive for 2018 only 4 days in
Lindies trashed...I brought six packs of 12, 13, 14 Coonawarra trio for $25-30 online...no presence, no CD, essentially a virtual brand now
Penfolds too expensive and for me largely irrelvant
Wolff Blass some great wines but also a lot of ones that I would never buy
Wynns, price creeping up and query too many in the range now to maintain quality every year across the board...Pennies traveled this road about 15 years ago

But Seppelts...
St Peters pound for pound best Shiraz in Australia (from a multinational company) in terms of longevity, VFM and quality.
Drumborg Riesling, next to the Merle and Steingarten right up there
Chalambar great wine for what it is
The cheapie Victorian range or drives now i think it is called, always over delivers
Salinger Vintage!!!

I have said this before, I wish someone would make an irresistible offer ( cue Warren Randall) to TWE to buy Seppelts GW!!

Will still look at the 15 St Peters when released this year...but you are probably right, another brand that I will call time on.
Cheers craig

[Mahmoud Ali]

I must try and find a bottle of the 2012 Salinger. Any advice of where I might find the best price in Sydney?

[phillisc]

I must try and find a bottle of the 2012 Salinger. Any advice of where I might find the best price in Sydney?

Mahmoud, DMs is probably your best bet, and as Allan said the '13 is pretty good too...Tyson Stelzer gave it his best under $30 in his 2017 guide.
Should be about $25
As an aside had the '12 Salinger on NYE up against NV Pol, Verve and Piper and it stacked up very well...has that toasty yeasty Bolly character.
cheers
Craig

[Ian S]

We so rarely saw Seppelts over here, so there's never been the ability to develop any loyalty. Wynns a different story though, mainly through the Black Label Cab Sav, but I do still have a half dozen JRs.

Lindies is an object lesson in destroying brand integrity, and it's the template I fear they'll apply to Seppelt. Sparkling Chilean carmenere anyone?

[quietdesperation]

sparkling shiraz never caught on here, had it a few times but just couldn't wrap my head around a sparkling shiraz.

[Ian S]

sparkling shiraz never caught on here, had it a few times but just couldn't wrap my head around a sparkling shiraz.

FWIW I tried some aged Seppelt Show Sparkling (1986 and 1990 vintages IIRC, both about a decade ago), and was relatively underwhelmed. Not so with Primo's Joseph sparkling red, which is especially complex. You can get it over here in the UK (in half cases), but the general style is so unpopular with the brains of the operation, that I doubt I could sneak a whole half-dozen in.

[Mahmoud Ali]

There are a number of sparkling shiraz that have made it over to my neck of the woods in Canada, the usual big brand stuff like Banrock Station, Wyndham Estate, and Seaview, but also Fox Creek's 'Vixen', a Bleasdale, and once upon a time the vintage 'Black Queen' from Peter Lehmann. The latter was very nice and I cellared a couple of bottles.

Mahmoud.

[phillisc]

Thought I would revisit these, as I don't mind Seppelts. Found some 14 and 15 at one of the chains (not the green one, but the Coles one) for a good price. Seems that a few are getting on, the shelves were empty but some 6 packs remained.

Cheers
Craig

[Mahmoud Ali]

There was a 2012 in a bottle shop in Taree. It was a bit pricey at $27, but it was just off the main street by the IGA for anyone who is in the area and interested.

Cheers ............... Mahmoud.

[timnit]

Just got a mixed dozen from the red retailer 2014 and 2015.. @$20 it’s a little more than normal but I couldn’t pass it up

[cuttlefish]

I’ll be able to retire on my 2007’s at this rate !

[Waiters Friend]

But Seppelts...
St Peters pound for pound best Shiraz in Australia (from a multinational company) in terms of longevity, VFM and quality.
Drumborg Riesling, next to the Merle and Steingarten right up there
Chalambar great wine for what it is
The cheapie Victorian range or drives now i think it is called, always over delivers
Salinger Vintage!!!

I have said this before, I wish someone would make an irresistible offer ( cue Warren Randall) to TWE to buy Seppelts GW!!

I know this discussion was a few years ago, but I have a 2014 Seppelts Original in front of me (looking pretty good for the price I paid at the time). The discussion about the NV turned out to be correct, and I stopped buying it many years ago.

However, I just wanted to revisit Craig's discussion about Seppelts generally and whether he (or anyone else) still agrees with his sentiments.

I can't argue with the comment about St Peters, and will be hosting a vertical of these back to 2001 next month. The Drumborg riesling is a 6 pack buy every year and will be the subject of a future vertical. Chalambar remains good VFM although possibly not quite what it was a decade ago.

Any thoughts?

Cheers
Allan

[phillisc]

Hi Allan, will be very interested in your St Peters vertical. I have 98-02 and 2012 onwards. Plus a few great western Shiraz. Just picked up some more Drumborg Riesling and some 17 Salinger.
I won't be getting any 2020 St Peters, I am not convinced about this vintage.
Thanks for reviving an old thread, and yes really like Seppelts. I am looking to auction to back fill with a few older wines.
Cheers Craig

[ticklenow1]

I rate the Drumborg Riesling very highly as well. Cracking wine.

But the Drumborg Chardonnay is a bit of a sleeper. I’m drinking ‘16 and ‘17 at the moment and they are exceptional for the price paid ($26-28). The ‘21 is going to be an excellent wine, once it’s had a few years in the cellar.

Whilst Seppelt’s may have dropped the ball with some wines, they still produce some exceptional stuff. Both the Drumborg Riesling and Chardonnay are 6 pack buys for me and have been for a while now.

Cheers
Ian

[Andrew Jordan]

Still agree with Craig on Seppelts although my purchases from them have diminished in recent years ... especially since they stopped making a vintage OSS. In fact checking CellarTracker, Seppelt is still the 2nd most represented producer in my cellar (140 bottles) with Sparkling Shiraz and 13 vintages of St Peters dating back to 1998 making up most of it.

So I am also interested in your upcoming vertical!!

Sparkling Shiraz (Original and Show) - 44 bottles (1994 - 2015)
St Peters - 42 bottles (1998 - 2018)
Drumborg Riesling - 27 bottles (2015 - 2021)
Chalambar - 25 bottles (1997 - 2016)
Others - 2 bottles

[phillisc]

Still agree with Craig on Seppelts although my purchases from them have diminished in recent years ... especially since they stopped making a vintage OSS. In fact checking CellarTracker, Seppelt is still the 2nd most represented producer in my cellar (140 bottles) with Sparkling Shiraz and 13 vintages of St Peters dating back to 1998 making up most of it.

So I am also interested in your upcoming vertical!!

Sparkling Shiraz (Original and Show) - 44 bottles (1994 - 2015)
St Peters - 42 bottles (1998 - 2018)
Drumborg Riesling - 27 bottles (2015 - 2021)
Chalambar - 25 bottles (1997 - 2016)
Others - 2 bottles

Bloody hell Andrew, not only do we follow the Blues but almost carbon copy on Seppelts
94 and 08 SRSS, plus 2010-14 vintage original, 2010/12/15/17 Salinger
St Peters as previously mentioned, plus a few GW pre 1998 vintage,1997/98 Reserve editions
Some 1998 cabernet, very sporadic release, along with some older Moyston's
Drumborg Riesling, 02-22, quite a few vintages, museum releases etc.
Chalambar 02-21, a few vintages
Mount Ida and Benno Shiraz, quite a few vintages 2005-19
Arrawatta Hills 2019
02-05 Victorian Shiraz
Think there's a couple of fortifieds floating around?
Cheers Craig

[Andrew Jordan]

Nice line up Craig ... looks like we found what to drink after the Blues win the Premiership this year!!

In regards to the Fortifieds you mention ... is that Seppelt or Seppeltsfield (Barossa)?

[phillisc]

AJ, think there is a GR113 Rutherglen and a couple of older DP63 Muscats tucked away somewhere.
Cheers Craig