TN: McWilliams Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Semillon 2002

Jumping back on board the Hunter Valley Semillon train after the stunning 1986 Lovedale the other night, and while this isn't quite in the same league - it is interesting, pretty darn enjoyable and a steal at $11AUD.

Straw, lemon, wax, acacia florals and some toast just starting to develop on the nose. Medium intensity on the palate with very good length and well balanced between touches of fruit sweetness and some refreshing, mouth tingling acidity across the whole palate. Enjoyable now, but should also mature nicely over the next 5 or so years.

91/100

Semillon from Australia, and especially the Hunter Valley, merits more study here I think. I do not buy as many as in the past as I am not always sure of their ageworthyness.
I see a few more on the shelves but am quite wary to cellar longterm.

Bob,

Unoaked Hunter Semillon picked relatively early in the season with ensuing low alcohol and high acidity is a cellaring special you should have no qualms about.

Producers such as Tyrrell's, McWilliams, Meerea Park and Brokenwood, to name a few, all make Semillon worth crowing about, and at the top level, need a minimum of ten years cellaring to be at their best. Before their demise some years ago, Lindeman's produced some profoundly good Semillon from their Hunter vineyards - I have fond memories drinking their best wines from 1967 and 1970 well into the '90's.

Just a word of warning - Semillon from other regions and states of Australia generally see some degree of oak, are often blended with Sauvignon Blanc and, apart from a few, don't last in the bottle nearly as well.

Check this link out to get more of a picture on the matter -

http://www.tyrrells.com.au/wines/view-wine?id=9b96f4c4ddc1a22f45612149ee242353&sessid=95fef57e0e1361c85c8455d65e8d16c7

David wrote.........Producers such as Tyrrell's, McWilliams, Meerea Park and Brokenwood, to name a few, all make Semillon worth crowing about, and at the top level, need a minimum of ten years cellaring to be at their best.

Just had a chance to taste the new Brokenwood `06 Semillon from Hunter Valley. Rep knows I am a big semillon fan so coffee meeting arranged today. 11% alc, bracing, young, sharp,lemon, grassy. So hard to predict where this one will end up. The `98 was not a keeper in my opinion, at least the 2 bottles I had stashed away!

Semillon from Australia, and especially the Hunter Valley, merits more study here I think. I do not buy as many as in the past as I am not always sure of their ageworthyness.
I see a few more on the shelves but am quite wary to cellar longterm.

It's true that some vintages do disappoint. But I think the single biggest factor that will improve the outlook for Hunter semillon is the fact that pretty well all of it is being released under screwcap now. Unreliable corks (in the guise of random oxidation agents) were the single biggest drawback to these wines. I don't doubt that some makers will still stuff up the odd vintage or bottling, but the overall picture should improve considerably.

Brokenwood sell an aged version of their semillon as a 'reserve' release (under the 'ILR' badge). A writer here spoke to the winemaker who confirmed that they assess their stocks before release and weed out by visual inspection of colour and level wines considered substandard. And what's the reject rate? 40%! Forty-bloody-percent. The bind moggles and the renses seel! Sure explains why pulling a 10-year-old semillon from your cellar was always such a lottery.

Let's hope for better days ahead.
Graeme

Semillon from Australia, and especially the Hunter Valley, merits more study here I think.

I agree - but the only snag is they're awfully hard to come by outside of Australia. I wish I could get more of the Tyrells Steven Vineyard Hunter Semillon