By Rebecca Ward
The Hunter Valley is Australia’s oldest commercial wine producing region. Vines were first planted in the area in the early 1820s from cuttings brought by James Busby, the father of Australian wine.
Today, the Hunter Valley is home to some of Australia’s most distinctive and outstanding wines. The most recognised of these is Hunter Valley Semillon, a truly remarkable wine that has been called ‘Australia’s unique gift to the world. We also call it the ‘Jewel of the Hunter’.
A standout in terms of quality and taste, Hunter Valley Semillon is the product of techniques, skills and processes that have developed over 150 years of winemaking in the Hunter Valley, as well as through the inspiring work of famous winemakers and wine-making families.
But what exactly is this wine and why is it so special?
Traditionally known as the green grape, the Semillon (pronounced sem-ee-yon) grape is big-berried and thin-skinned. For this reason the grape is extremely fragile and needs to handpicked as it doesn’t suit machine harvesting.
Once the grape is harvested, it is turned into a unique wine that has found its way into the hearts of a secret sect of wine drinkers who are worshippers of this dry herbal variety in a world dominated by carefully sweetened sauvignon blanc.
The main reasons for this attraction can be attributed to the wine’s low alcohol content, its complex flavours and ability to age.
Semillon is one of the first grape varieties to be harvested each Hunter Vintage. It is low in alcohol (generally between 10.5% & 11.5% alcohol) with crisp fresh acidity.
The difference between the ‘old’ and ‘young’ varieties:
Young Semillon is delicate and crisp with abundant citrus aromas and flavours that pair magnificently with seafood.
Starting as a pale but bright wine, Semillon changes over a few years to a complex honey, nuts and toasted bouquet as its colour deepens to a luminescent gold. Older Semillons suit richer foods and should be matched with chicken dishes, or with light cream based sauces.
The greatness of Hunter Semillon comes from its unique capacity to age. The longest living of white wines, classsic unoaked examples of this variety can live to be enjoyed up to 20+ years old.
Other times to enjoy it:
For lovers of sweet wine, Botrytis Semillon from the Hunter is ideal. Lusciously sweet, it is perfect with desserts and blue cheeses.