Great Western
The oldest wine producer in the region has won yet another award joining the prestigious ranks of those recognised in the national Vineyard of the Year Awards.
The Seppelt Great Western, a historic winery sitting atop a kilometre and a half of 19th-century tunnels used for maturing wine, was named in the 2022 Top 50 Young Gun of Wine Vineyard of the Year Awards.
The Victorian winery was one of 10 from Victoria, sitting alongside 26 from South Australia, seven from New South Wales/ACT, one from Tasmania, four from Western Australia, and one from Tasmania.
Viticulturist James McKenzie, who has been with Seppelts since 2017, said there is so much to love about the winery.
"You can't help but be sucked in by the history of the site, the shiraz clonal history and the history of the people that have worked here and continue to work here," he said.
"I love how this history, dating back to the 1860s, evokes such emotion and fuels you to continue the legacy. That and the amazing wines we produce from these historic clones, from arguably one of the best, while not necessarily best known, shiraz regions in Australia."
The Seppelt Great Western winery traces its history back to 1865 when it was founded by Joseph Best, who commissioned gold miners to dig the underground tunnels, or 'drives', that the winery is famous for.