New releases from Seppeltsfield

You don’t often see wines released so soon after vintage, except for the odd riesling or sauvignon blanc, although not for any particularly good reason. Yes, wines need a bit of time to settle after they are bottled but, for early drinking wine styles, it is often a case of the sooner the better. That said these wines must be some of the first 2020s to hit shelves around the country, all for $25 per bottle.

Seppeltsfield Vermentino 2020

93 Points

Vermentino is a relatively recent addition to Australian vineyards but it is well suited thanks to its original home in the warmer parts of Italy and France. This example is pale in colour but surprisingly fruity for the variety. The wine has aromas of lemon pith and green apple with a faint floral edge although it is on the palate where it really packs a punch. That fruity style is underpinned by tangy and bright acidity which, with a saline edge, gives plenty of interest and also drives a lingering finish. A great food wine to cut through salty sardines and a good introduction to the variety.

Seppeltsfield Grenache 2020

92 Points

This wine is not made to be a ‘serious’ grenache – it is more of a casual red with a strong Barossa signature for early drinking, a style it does well. The wine is quite deeply coloured for grenache showcasing concentrated fruit with jubey, blackberry jam and dark cherry aromas. The palate is then slick with its bright and fleshy fruits supported by sandy tannins in a full-bodied package and finishing with good length. It does not need food, but would match up to American-style pork ribs.

Seppeltsfield Nero d’Avola 2020

92 Points

Nero d’avola is one of those grape varieties that we will be seeing a whole lot more of in the future, thanks to its tolerance for a hot and dry climate. This wine shows much of what it has to offer – layers of ripe and juicy fruit that are lifted by layers of subtle, savoury complexity. This example has concentrated blackberry jam fruits under which there are hints of white pepper, tobacco and cocoa. The palate is on the same theme with that sweet fruits supported by some chewy tannins and an acid twist. This wine could do with a couple of years to settle or drink it now with bangers and mash.

Seppeltsfield Touriga Nacional 2020

90 Points

Touriga Nacional can make big, tannic wines with this example far more approachable than its usual style. The wine still has this variety’s exceptionally deep ruby colour and lashings of fruit, enhanced by Barossan origins, providing luscious kirsch and cassis fruit aromas. The palate then shows touriga nacional’s rustic edge with that generous fruit underscored by juicy acidity and mouthcoating tannins. This is a wine that screams out for food, such as Argentine barbecued steak with a liberal dose of chimichurri.