Seppelt Benno Shiraz 2003

Seppelt Benno Bendigo Shiraz is named in honour of Benno Seppelt who purchased the Great Western Winery in 1918 and added the family name. The winemaking team at Seppelt were so excited about the quality of the Bendigo shiraz in 2003 that is was decided to release a single region wine, demonstrating the stylistic differences between Great Western and Bendigo Shiraz wines. 

"Made from 100% Bendigo fruit though unlike just about any Bendigo wine you've yet seen. Profiled by weighty cherries and chalk, with low oak, a juicy cherry plum liveliness, five spice and cedar and no detectable mintiness. Perfectly made wine. It's beautiful."  Campbell Mattinson

"Dark red. The nose shows complex fruit aromas of cherry and bramble. Complex cherry fruits follow from the nose onto an earthy mid palate of amazing complexity, finesse and density. The Seppelt Benno Bendigo Shiraz has a big backbone of natural, talc like tannin that will carry the wine long into the future. Matured for 18 months in French oak barriques, 30% of which were new with the remainder one, two and three years old. 

A dry vintage meant growers had to carefully maintain the water supply to the vines. Low rainfall and cool conditions in 2002 meant the fruitfulness of buds was low. The resulting small crops and good autumn conditions meant that the vines ripened quickly with no stress, providing fruit with intense colour, concentrated flavours and fine-grained tannins."  Arthur O'Connor, Winemaker

Expert reviews

"A superb, distinctive Bendigo shiraz, whose lightly meaty and floral perfume of black plums, cassis, briary red cherries and raspberries is supported by sweet chocolate/vanilla oak. Long and savoury, its deep, densely packed flavours of cherries and plums are framed by a firm tannin/acid balance before finishing with lingering sour cherry flavours. Its robust yet pliant, wonderfully rich yet very stylish. Drink 2015-2023+."  Jeremy Oliver - 96 points

"Much more elegant than many from this drought year; silky, medium-bodied; blackberry fruit has absorbed 18 months in French oak. Screwcap."  James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion - 94 points

"New wine. Named after Benno Seppelt, a pioneer of Victorian wine. Made from 100% Bendigo fruit though unlike just about any Bendigo wine you've yet seen. Profiled by weighty cherries and chalk, with low oak, a juicy cherry plum liveliness, five spice and cedar and no detectable mintiness. Perfectly made wine, to be released in September 2005. It's beautiful. Drink 2006- 2015."  Campbell Mattinson, Winefront Monthly - 93 points

About the winery

Seppelt is one of Australia's most historic wine producers. Few Australian wineries have carved such a distinguished name for both still and sparkling wines. Not only is Seppelt a pioneer of white and red sparkling wine in Australia, but it also crafts some of the country's most collected table wines and has helped pave the way for cool climate styles in Australia.

Seppelt wines capture a diversity of Victorian terroirs. It sources fruit from vineyards situated in the cool Grampians, the Henty Hinterland, Heathcote and Bendigo. Each region offers parcels of unique character and distinctive regional typicity. The backbone of Seppelt's portfolio are the three iconic wines; St Peters Shiraz, Drumborg Riesling and the Show Sparkling Limited Release Shiraz, which is made only in exceptional years. 

The Seppelt Great Western winery traces its history back to 1865 when it was founded by Joseph Best – his brother also notably planted nearby. The vine material was sourced from St Peters Vineyard, which was the region's first vineyard planted just two years earlier in 1863. Best commissioned gold miners to dig the underground tunnels or drives that the winery is famous for. Those drives were expanded by Hans Irvine who purchased the estate after Best's sudden death in 1887 at the age of 57.

Irvine also expanded plantings and employed the ex-winemaker from Pommery, Charles Pierlot. At that time, some sparkling wine was being made locally, but it was Irvine's commitment that established the strong tradition in the region. That included what is often credited as the first Sparkling Burgundy, as it used to be called, made from red grapes, while sparkling whites were made from ondenc (once a common Bordeaux grape but now mainly grown in Gaillac), which has naturally high acidity.

By the early 1900s, there were over 1.6 kilometres of drives for cellaring and Great Western was Australia's largest wine producer. The operation was sold to Benno Seppelt in 1918, who added the family name and expanded the business further.

Fast forward to today and the winery is part of the Treasury Wine Estates portfolio, but the traditions are still very much alive. Winemaker Clare Dry, who spent 13 years crafting wines in South Australia, took over from Adam Carnaby from the 2021 vintage.