Description
Semillon is without doubt one of Australia’s greatest viticulture treasurers, especially as among its many guises it accounts for a quintessential Australia white wine, Hunter Valley Semillon. This slightly tight, unyielding holdover from a time when people patiently cellared wine for decades to drink at its best, remains Australia’s closest link to Europe’s finer wine styles. Hunter Semillon simply waited for time and culture to catch up to the usual opinion that Aussie wines are always drink now. As a blending agent, Semillon shares the limelight with other grapes, proving itself brilliantly capable of lifting its favourite partner, sauvignon blanc to stellar levels. Few other grapes are as versatile.
It is said that Hunter Valley Semillon can be of 3 differing European styles depending on the alcohol level.
Chablis (German) free run 10-10.5% lean ,mean essence of French Chablis
Semillon behaving like a Riesling-10.5%-11% alc incorporates more aromatic blocks leaving 8-10g residual sugar
“Ripest” – white burgundy style fuller-bodied, richer with alcohol above 11%- tightly structured
Young- Mix of grass, lemon ,mineral, slightly green walnut-like note on nose, low alcohol, lean body and tart lime-like acidity.
A few years- aromas broaden to dried herb, straw and hay with nuttier characters.
Aged – the wine moves into toasty, honeyed, roasted-nut characters on both the bouquet and palate.
Catherine Vale has 2 clones of Semillon on 3 different rootstocks. The resultant wines can vary from year to year in their characters, but generally possess the following:
Colour: Vibrant light straw with tinges of pale green
Nose: Intense aroma, showing minerality, pear and star-fruit characters with underlying crushed herbs.
Palate: Hints of grapefruit, cut grass and mineral. A very crisp and well structured acidity lends a fine balance to the finish, with lengthy flavours of citrus, pear and blossom.
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