Seppelt Show Sparkling Shiraz 2012
It's unique
It's iconic
It's age-worthy
It's delicious
If there's an Australian wine hall of fame, then surely this thing must be one of the first chosen. The style itself was made elsewhere before we got a hold of it, but no country has ever perfected it like Australia and, no producer has ever done it better than this iconic Great Western estate.
It has been an enduring feature of the Australian wine landscape surviving the vicissitudes of wine fashion and snobbery over the years and, just like a surfer that disappears inside a barrel and you think they can't possibly come through it, the Seppelt Sparkling emerges out the other end, figurative hands raised in triumph.
First made in the 1890s by Hans Irvine, it's aged in bottle on lees for nine years and is only made in great vintages. The 2012 is the first vintage disgorged by winemaker, Clare Dry.
I've been trying to figure out why I love it so much. Sure, it's the ultimate in Christmas wines; able to match it with the sweet glaze and salt of the ham or add a luxurious berry sweetness to the blandest of Turkeys. But it's not just a Christmas curio. It's got far more to offer than that.
The 2012 version for example gives you the a rolling wave of decadent berry fruits and spice that initially get you in but after that, the fine bead and the savouriness and drying tannin profile draw the wine across the palate. In the food match, you might think the initial sweetness of the fruit would overwhelm but there's a beautiful subtlety whereby it somehow picks out what needs highlighting. It's a magical thing, so counter-intuitive to what you think the wine might be.
The other thing. It kind of makes you puff up with pride a little. Unashamedly Australian, exceptional and unique. There's a touch of the larrikin in it, bit of Warnie or Keith Miller after a night on tiles and taking 5 for or scoring a ton. Ultimately, that juxtapostion between the brilliance of the wine and the oddity of what it is makes you smile.
Whatever the case, the 2012 rendition is a beauty and must be on your Christmas table this year.
Cheers
Michael
-
Seppelt Show Sparkling Shiraz 2012Deep, youthful colour, dark blood-red with a faint trace of purple still hanging in after 11 years. A glorious bouquet of dried plum and cranberry, pepper/spice touches too, mellow and not 100% primary but also not showing much in the way of bottle-aged character. A glorious sparkling red, still in its early middle-age. Finishes long and satisfying without too-obvious sweetness but with velvet-smooth tannins. A classic of its genre, drinking beautifully now but there is no hurry at all. (97) HUON HOOKE
SPARKLING RED OF THE YEAR, 2024
The 2012 vintage confidently continues the legacy of what has long been the finest sparkling shiraz in Australia and, indeed, the world. The satsuma plum, blackberry, dark raspberry and liquorice density that defines Great Western upholds resonating depth and purity even at 12 years of age, but, as always, it is the super fine texture of its mineral structure and phenomenal tannins that elevate this fabled label to a league all of its own. For all of its depth it upholds a wonderful brightness and elegance. Nine years on lees and 17.5g/L dosage unite every detail in seamless harmony, but it will not be for another two decades that it shows its full promise. 2012 is one of the greats for this legendary sparkling shiraz and a worthy winner of my Sparkling Red of the Year. Drink 2024-2062. (97) TYSON STELZER
I know, I know. Every year I urge you to consider including this classic Australian wine style in your Christmas drinking schedule. And, look, here I am again, tempting you with the latest vintage of Seppelt Show Shiraz, first made at Great Western in the 1890s: deep purple foaming in the glass, full of rich, dark aromas of squishy bramble berries and sweet soy, bold and chocolatey and super satisfying in the mouth. Is there a better wine match for roast turkey and glazed ham? I don’t think so. MAX ALLEN2012Sparkling RedAustralia402$105.00 As low as $97.00