2022 Curator Seppeltsfield Vineyard Shiraz
Hand-picked from a Seppeltsfield Vineyard, planted in the mid 1950’s. Naturally fermented with 18% whole bunches and the rest whole berries in traditional open fermenters for 12 days. Then basket pressed solely into French oak, 15% new to complete malolactic fermentation naturally and remained in them for 18 months before blending and bottling with no fining or filtration (ie Vegan friendly).
97 points Winepilot Ken Gargett - For me, this is the absolute star of the range, among some serious competition. A near opaque maroon hue here, the aromas swirl around giving us characters reminiscent of plush new leather, chocolate, tar, mocha, ripe plums, graphite, licorice, bay leaves and blueberries. A creamy texture leading to fine, supple tannins, this is a wine of great length which never waivers in intensity. A twenty year proposition. Just gorgeous.
95 points Halliday Wine Companion 2025 - Deep magenta/purple with aromas of ripe satsuma plum, blueberry and boysenberry fruits. Hints of baking spices, clove, bay leaf, olive tapenade, dark chocolate, cedar, licorice, violets and earth. Full bodied yet there is a lightness to its footfall on the palate. Some nice detail, too, with powdery tannin support, just a hint of something ferruginous in the background and a savoury shape at the tail, finishing with spice, plums and stone.
94 points James Suckling - For those who appreciate extract, intensity and tenacity of finish, here's your ticket. Elegance is not the aim here. It’s detail, old-vine vinosity and beautifully hewn chewy tannins. There’s a confluence of licorice, iodine, dark fruit and French and American oak thanks to a judicious dollop of whole bunch. The fruit is beautifully rendered, if a bit oak-drying. Impressive wine.
94 points The Wine Front - There’s serious concentration of flavour here. Saturated plums, redcurrants, peppercorns and violets, with sweet earth and saltbush characters lifting off and reaching out. It’s soft, almost syrupy, though the oak is well judged and the fruit itself holds its freshness. This is a full-bodied red wine, and a well balanced once. Campbell Mattinson
94 points Mike Bennie WBM
Hand-picked from a Seppeltsfield Vineyard, planted in the mid 1950’s. Naturally fermented with 18% whole bunches and the rest whole berries in traditional open fermenters for 12 days. Then basket pressed solely into French oak, 15% new to complete malolactic fermentation naturally and remained in them for 18 months before blending and bottling with no fining or filtration (ie Vegan friendly).
97 points Winepilot Ken Gargett - For me, this is the absolute star of the range, among some serious competition. A near opaque maroon hue here, the aromas swirl around giving us characters reminiscent of plush new leather, chocolate, tar, mocha, ripe plums, graphite, licorice, bay leaves and blueberries. A creamy texture leading to fine, supple tannins, this is a wine of great length which never waivers in intensity. A twenty year proposition. Just gorgeous.
95 points Halliday Wine Companion 2025 - Deep magenta/purple with aromas of ripe satsuma plum, blueberry and boysenberry fruits. Hints of baking spices, clove, bay leaf, olive tapenade, dark chocolate, cedar, licorice, violets and earth. Full bodied yet there is a lightness to its footfall on the palate. Some nice detail, too, with powdery tannin support, just a hint of something ferruginous in the background and a savoury shape at the tail, finishing with spice, plums and stone.
94 points James Suckling - For those who appreciate extract, intensity and tenacity of finish, here's your ticket. Elegance is not the aim here. It’s detail, old-vine vinosity and beautifully hewn chewy tannins. There’s a confluence of licorice, iodine, dark fruit and French and American oak thanks to a judicious dollop of whole bunch. The fruit is beautifully rendered, if a bit oak-drying. Impressive wine.
94 points The Wine Front - There’s serious concentration of flavour here. Saturated plums, redcurrants, peppercorns and violets, with sweet earth and saltbush characters lifting off and reaching out. It’s soft, almost syrupy, though the oak is well judged and the fruit itself holds its freshness. This is a full-bodied red wine, and a well balanced once. Campbell Mattinson
94 points Mike Bennie WBM
Hand-picked from a Seppeltsfield Vineyard, planted in the mid 1950’s. Naturally fermented with 18% whole bunches and the rest whole berries in traditional open fermenters for 12 days. Then basket pressed solely into French oak, 15% new to complete malolactic fermentation naturally and remained in them for 18 months before blending and bottling with no fining or filtration (ie Vegan friendly).
97 points Winepilot Ken Gargett - For me, this is the absolute star of the range, among some serious competition. A near opaque maroon hue here, the aromas swirl around giving us characters reminiscent of plush new leather, chocolate, tar, mocha, ripe plums, graphite, licorice, bay leaves and blueberries. A creamy texture leading to fine, supple tannins, this is a wine of great length which never waivers in intensity. A twenty year proposition. Just gorgeous.
95 points Halliday Wine Companion 2025 - Deep magenta/purple with aromas of ripe satsuma plum, blueberry and boysenberry fruits. Hints of baking spices, clove, bay leaf, olive tapenade, dark chocolate, cedar, licorice, violets and earth. Full bodied yet there is a lightness to its footfall on the palate. Some nice detail, too, with powdery tannin support, just a hint of something ferruginous in the background and a savoury shape at the tail, finishing with spice, plums and stone.
94 points James Suckling - For those who appreciate extract, intensity and tenacity of finish, here's your ticket. Elegance is not the aim here. It’s detail, old-vine vinosity and beautifully hewn chewy tannins. There’s a confluence of licorice, iodine, dark fruit and French and American oak thanks to a judicious dollop of whole bunch. The fruit is beautifully rendered, if a bit oak-drying. Impressive wine.
94 points The Wine Front - There’s serious concentration of flavour here. Saturated plums, redcurrants, peppercorns and violets, with sweet earth and saltbush characters lifting off and reaching out. It’s soft, almost syrupy, though the oak is well judged and the fruit itself holds its freshness. This is a full-bodied red wine, and a well balanced once. Campbell Mattinson
94 points Mike Bennie WBM
