Released in small quantities and only in exceptional years, St. Peters is Seppelt’s flagship Shiraz, testimony to the distinctive style and pedigree of Grampians Shiraz. The lineage of this iconic wine dates back to 1964, when ‘Great Western Hermitage’, as it was then known, was first made. Since 1998 this wine has been called St. Peters in honour of the first vineyard planted in the region.

Today St. Peters is sourced from the finest and most intense fruit from the best blocks of the Great Western Vineyard. In vintage 2017, this included select parcels of fruit from the Imperial and Arrawatta blocks and is a powerful, seductive expression of Shiraz from the Great Western region. With extraordinary cellaring potential of 50 years or more.

Some, if not all, of this wine comes from the vineyard adjacent to the winery. Small batch open ferments facilitated gentle plunging, matured for 14 months in a combination of small and large format French oak. The vintage wasn't a great one, but the wine is. Drink to: 2048; Price: $80.00; Date Tasted: Feb 2020; Alcohol: 14%; Rating: 97 Points & Special Value Star; James Halliday Wine Companion

Medium deep crimson. Beautifully intense and pure black cherry, black berry, mulberry star anise, hint black pepper aromas with underlying savoury notes. An inky deep palate with supple black cherry, blackberry fruits, animated fine chalky tannins, and roasted chestnut, ginger, vanilla oak notes. Finishes gravelly firm with persistent juicy fruits and fresh linear acidity. Still in elemental phase but generous and claret-like with superb richness, density and torque. Should develop very well. A classic central-Victorian Shiraz. Rating: 97 Points; Andrew Caillard MW

It's not its commanding, black power that sets this apart as a grand expression of St Peters, nor its seductive, fragrant, five spice and pepper-laden personality, nor even the effortless, supple, silky tannins of these fabled old vines, but rather the consummate and seamless manner in which it effortlessly unites these three universes to monumental effect. World class. Rating: 97 Points; Tyson Stelzer

Deep, dark, dense purple colour, with a fragrant, sweetly ripe, dark fruits and subtle spices bouquet, the palate is full-bodied and beautifully balanced, with abundant supple but persuasive tannins. There's a lovely harmony of flavour and structure. A totally serious shiraz of heroic proportions. Drink: 2022 to 2040; Price: $80.00; Alcohol: 14%; Rating: 96 Points; Huon Hooke; The Real Review