Very nice wine, this. Hunter Valley Semillon is a unique style of wine. Pale, fresh, light in youth, yet ages brilliantly. And it comes from a very warm wine region. A vinous paradox. This is a good one at a nice price, ready to drink now.
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Bottle-Aged Semillon 2006 Hunter Valley, Australia
10.5% alcohol. Made by McWilliams. This is a really impressive example of the unique Semillons from the Hunter Valley, which age beautifully in bottle. It has lovely intense lemony, nutty, toasty flavours with some honeysuckle floral notes and a bit of pithiness. Impressive and good value for money. 90/100 (£8.99 Sainsbury’s)
Kudos to Sainsburys for listing this wonderful, individual style. I do hope their endorsement encourages consumers to try it. Like riesling, the media bangs on about Hunter semillon but out in the market, their enthusiasm falls on deaf ears.
Hunter semillon may be a vinous paradox, but isn’t “affordable Hunter semillon” a vinous tautology?
tautology, not here in Western Australia Mark.
The same wine in my local merchant is about £15.
They age beautifully….
Funnily enough, I picked a bottle off the shelf out of interest a couple of weeks ago. I went back last Sunday and bought more with the view on laying them down – I think it’s still growing into itself. At £9 (and a further 5% when you buy six), it’s a steal.