About this WINE
Sémillon
The main grape for Sauternes and particularly successfully grown in Australia's Hunter Valley. Hunter Valley Sémillon is one of Australia’s iconic and unique wines, totally unlike any wine produced elsewhere in the world from the same grape variety.
In youth the wines are quite citrusy and fresh, but are generally perceived to gain hugely in complexity as they age and are deemed to be best drunk when at least 5 years old, frequently lasting for 10 or more years. Unusually for Australia, the alcohol levels rarely exceed 11.5%.
In Bordeaux it is the most widely planted white grape and is blended with Sauvignon Blanc to produce the great long-lived dry whites of Graves as well as the great sweet wines of Sauternes. It is high in alcohol and extract and relatively low in aroma and acidity. Its thin skin makes it very susceptible to botrytis which is prerequisite for the making of Sauternes. It responds well to oak ageing and, while having a lightly lemony aroma when young develops lanolin flavours which some describe as "waxy", as well as a rich, creamy, intense, texture and a deep golden colour.
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Description
This wine is the result of a long standing relationship with the Elliott family, owners of the Belford vineyard. It’s a site of sandy loam that was first planted in 1933 which has adequate water holding capacity to allow these grapes to the dry grown. The site also allows for slower ripening with this, the last of the Semillon picked for Tyrrell’s, in the first week of February.
Now in bottle after its brief stint resting in stainless steel after fermentation, the flavours have developed considerably. Fresh limes and grass and grapefruit are still in place but have been joined by lanolin and wax candles.
Its rich weighty presence on the palate is balanced wonderfully by an refreshing core that carries the wine on and on. At 11.5% alcohol there is even less reason to hold back with Hunter Semillon, but doing just that will reward with further development.
Richard Veal, Australian Wine Specialist
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