Seppeltsfield ‘No. EC403’ Barossa Grenache Shiraz Mataro 2020

There are now many different sides to Australian Grenache blends. From the sweet, red fruited wines of old and the modern fragrant, whole bunchy styles through to more hearty and brooding wines. This example is absolutely in the latter camp, perhaps thanks to its relatively high proportion of mataro, which sits at 25%, plus the natural ripeness and generosity of wines from Seppeltsfield, which sits close to the Barossa’s western limits.

It is deeply coloured and flavoured with lashings of dark fruits lifted by some leathery and meaty complexity. It’s surprisingly firm and chewy on a punchy palate – dark fruits with gamey, dried herbs and spice also coming through over a long and rich finish supported by drying mataro tannins. It’s dense but balanced and really needs a couple of years to show its best.