Charlie Seppelt and Skye Salter of Paralian Wines have purchased the Springs Hill Vineyard on Schuller Road, Blewitt Springs, from Gary Whaite and Leigh Burrows.
The vineyard was established in 1975 by the Whaite family who planted of 2.2 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon and 0.8 hectares of Shiraz.
These two original plantings remain on the vineyard to this day.
The vineyard comprises of 9.7 hectares of Shiraz, three hectares of Mataro, 2.4 hectares of Grenache, 2.2 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon and 1.6 hectares of Merlot, all dry grown in weathered sand and ironstone over clay.
Springs Hill Vineyard is a testament to the hard work and passion of brothers Gary and Anthony Whaite and has a rich history of supplying some of McLaren Vale’s most notable producers, and more recently some of the region’s most exciting up and coming brands.
Skye and Charlie were drawn to the Springs Hill Vineyard because of the location in northern McLaren Vale and the site’s “incredibly high quality and consistency of fruit”.
It has played a significant role in shaping Paralian. “Gary was the first person we called regarding fruit when we started Paralian, he immediately said yes and with a handshake our label had begun,” Charlie says.
“We were reasonably unrelenting in our pursuit of the right parcels of fruit to begin our label, and had Gary not agreed with that first few tonnes of Shiraz, we may not have started at all.”
Since the launch of Paralian with the 2018 vintage and an initial Single Vineyard Springs Hill Shiraz, the Paralian range has since expanded to include a Springs Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, Mataro and Shiraz Mataro.
It has become a cornerstone vineyard for the small independent wine brand.
For Gary, the decision to hand over the reins to Charlie and Skye made perfect sense. “A vineyard is sometimes not just somewhere to grow grapes when the site, the terroir and the energy of the place add up to something special,” he says.
“Springs Hill is such a vineyard – one point of a golden triangle, placed as it is with Yangarra close by to the south-east and the Smart and Hickinbotham vineyards to the north-east.
Charlie and Skye have sourced fruit from Springs Hill along with a host of quality producers and they understand the connection between site and wine.
Charlie’s experience at both Yangarra and Hickinbotham vineyards further strengthens and informs this connection.
Fruit from Springs Hill has found its way into many top-end wines including Wirra Wirra, Clarendon Hills, Ministry of Clouds, BK Wines, Rouleur, In Praise of Shadows, Bulman and as a major supplier to Paralian Wines.
“So when it came to passing on the baton for the next chapter for Springs Hill, it made perfect sense to step back knowing Charlie and Skye will take it to the next level,” Gary says.
Skye and Charlie say they are “honoured and excited” to be the next custodians of the Springs Hill Vineyard and hope to build upon its legacy under the mentorship of Gary Whaite.
Photo: Keys to the gate… Charlie Seppelt and Skye Salter with Gary Whaite.