1995 Seppelt Great Western Shiraz

Notes sourced from www.seppelt.com.au

Great Western is part of a wine grape-growing region which includes the Grampians in the West and Avoca in the East. The first grapes were planted in the latter part of last century as the gold mining boom receded and people looked for a more permanent means of livelihood.

Originally there were many small vineyards clustered around Great Western but by the early part of this century overseas and local demand for wine was declining and only the larger organised winemakers were able to compete.

Hardship can be said to develop character in people and it does the same for grapes at Great Western. The winters are cold and wet with dry and cool summers. Total rainfall is averaged at about 530mm and there is nearly always a shortage of moisture in the summer months. Supplementary irrigation is used in all our vineyards with a drip feed process, reducing stress on vines through fruit production. 

In general the soils are underlaid by heavy clay which restrict root development and water storage. Another problem of the area is Spring frost. For this reason all vineyards, except for a small amount around the winery, are located up in the hills. However, in spite of all the problems, the Seppelt Great Western vineyards are justly famous for the high quality wines they produce. 

Seppelt Great Western achieved much of its early fame from the variety known as Irvine's white (otherwise known as Ondenc) and small plantings still remain today. However the Great Western region has also forged a long and successful association with Shiraz. It is recognised that this part of Victoria holds some of the oldest plantings of pre-phylloxera root stocks of Shiraz. Today, Shiraz still forms the cornerstone variety of the House of Seppelt and has seen this region gain wide recognition as a producer of some of Australia's finest and most distinctive Shiraz. The highly acclaimed Shiraz from Seppelt is a perfect example of a classic shiraz from the Great Western region.