M&S Collection Ebenezer and Seppeltsfield Shiraz. You might possibly discern from looking at the reviews I have posted that I like wines with a bit of heft, like the big bold flavours of Australian Shiraz or a full-bodied Rioja. Today’s wine is a great example of a wine that packs a bit of a punch from the supermarket M&S. I’m acutely aware of how lucky we are in Jersey to have some amazing specialist wine retailers, but we also have the wines available from both Waitrose and M&S, which I think offer some of the best value on the UK high street.

Barossa is famous for the exceptional quality of its wines and is home to some of the most famous names in Australian wine. This shiraz is made for the chain by a well-established Australian family producer using grapes from two areas in the Barossa Valley that give the wine its distinctive name. Using Shiraz grapes grown in two different areas and on different soil structures adds differing characteristics to the finished blend.

A little Barossa Valley Vineyard History

Many of the original vineyards and wineries in Barossa were founded by Lutheran immigrants fleeing persecution in what is modern-day Germany and Poland. Today, this influence can be found in the small villages with steeply gabled halls and churches. The celebration of the German language and culture is reflected in place names such as Ebenezer, Langmeil, and Bethany.

Ebenezer is a settlement in the northern Barossa Valley founded in 1852. The area is known for its sandy clay loam and low rainfall. This produces richly coloured, full-bodied wines full of dark fruit flavours, depth and subtle tannins. Look out for wines from the Dallwitz and Schulz vineyards and winemakers like the Hoffman and Hayes Family and Glaetzer Winery.

Seppeltsfield in Western Barossa is centred around the historic Seppeltsfield Estate, founded in 1851, famous for its fortified wines. The vineyard is home to a cafe, fine dining restaurant, distillery, and accommodation, as well as providing tastings and tours. Seppeltsfield soils are thin, rocky, and well-drained, making the vines work to produce small, intensely flavoured grapes. The resulting wines are polished and concentrated with notes of violet, dark cocoa, and spice. Look out for the iconic Seppeltsfield vineyard and other producers such as Izway and Vanguard.

M&S Ebenezer and Seppeltsfield Shiraz 2022

Ebenezer and Seppeltsfield Shiraz is made by the winemakers of Langmeil Winery, owned by the Linder family. They have been producing wines in the Barossa Valley for six generations and craft some exceptional old vine Shiraz wines. For M&S, grapes from the north and western Barossa Valley are used to make wine that is then aged for seventeen months in American oak hogshead barrels.

The first thing you notice is the dark purple colour and the aromas of ripe black cherries and a hint of dark chocolate. The wine has lots of backbone and deep flavours of ripe blackberries, mulberries, and vanilla, sweet spices, and toasted coconut from the oak. This wine will stand up to robust food flavours like barbequed and grilled red meats and roasted lamb with plenty of rosemary and garlic.

I really enjoyed trying this wine. Whilst it may be too much for some people it was just the big old-fashion Australian Shiraz I first started drinking when I started out in hospitality. Pricewise I think its about right what you get is the security of trying a wine that has been sourced by a well respected buying team and you are getting plenty of bang for your proverbial buck. If you don’t feel comfortable trying out wines where you don’t know the name, M&S sell some great quality wines to allow you to explore whats out there.

Ebenezer and Seppeltsfield Shiraz 2022 at a glance