Seppeltsfield Riesling ‘Watervale’, Clare Valley, South Australia 2023
Pickup available at DECANT Napa - 2999 Solano, Napa, CA
Usually ready in 1 hour
One of Australia’s most revered estates, Seppeltsfield owes its legacy to mid‑19th century winemaking and enduring commitment to site-driven varietals. This Watervale bottling celebrates a historic Riesling vineyard planted largely with Geisenheim clones—as old as 94 years—with lineage reaching back to Clare Valley’s foundational plantings.
- WINEMAKER: Fiona Donald
- FARMING: Detail-pruned and canopy-thinned, planted on free-draining soils; no explicit certification noted
- VARIETY: 100% Riesling
- TERROIR: From Carlsfield vineyard in Watervale, Clare Valley (380–400 m elevation). Soils range from red-brown earth over limestone to dark clay loam over siltstone and slate—imparting minerality, mid-palate depth, and clarity of expression.
- VINIFICATION: Hand-harvested. Free-run juice is cool-fermented to dryness in stainless steel, with a single SO₂ addition post-fermentation and brief aging on fine lees before bottling.
- AGING: Brief stainless steel élevage on fine lees
- TASTING NOTES: Aromas of talc powder, lemon aspen (a native citrus blossom), and crunchy Pink Lady apple open this wine. On the palate, grainy lemon wattleseed and chalky minerality give way to textural richness—custard apple, fresh lemon curd, and finger lime—culminating in a long, crystalline finish.
- SCORES: 94 points — James Suckling
- FOOD PAIRINGS: A classic match with oysters, sushi, raw shellfish—or lighter fare enhanced by minerality and refreshing acidity
One of Australia’s most revered estates, Seppeltsfield owes its legacy to mid‑19th century winemaking and enduring commitment to site-driven varietals. This Watervale bottling celebrates a historic Riesling vineyard planted largely with Geisenheim clones—as old as 94 years—with lineage reaching back to Clare Valley’s foundational plantings.
- WINEMAKER: Fiona Donald
- FARMING: Detail-pruned and canopy-thinned, planted on free-draining soils; no explicit certification noted
- VARIETY: 100% Riesling
- TERROIR: From Carlsfield vineyard in Watervale, Clare Valley (380–400 m elevation). Soils range from red-brown earth over limestone to dark clay loam over siltstone and slate—imparting minerality, mid-palate depth, and clarity of expression.
- VINIFICATION: Hand-harvested. Free-run juice is cool-fermented to dryness in stainless steel, with a single SO₂ addition post-fermentation and brief aging on fine lees before bottling.
- AGING: Brief stainless steel élevage on fine lees
- TASTING NOTES: Aromas of talc powder, lemon aspen (a native citrus blossom), and crunchy Pink Lady apple open this wine. On the palate, grainy lemon wattleseed and chalky minerality give way to textural richness—custard apple, fresh lemon curd, and finger lime—culminating in a long, crystalline finish.
- SCORES: 94 points — James Suckling
- FOOD PAIRINGS: A classic match with oysters, sushi, raw shellfish—or lighter fare enhanced by minerality and refreshing acidity