The grapes for this wine come from the Belford vineyard owned by the Elliott family, situated 15km north/north-west of the Tyrrells winery. The grapes were handpicked then lightly crushed before a relatively cool fermentation in stainless steel. After a short period on gross lees, the wine was racked and left to mature in stainless steel until bottling. The last of the semillon picked, this wine has a fuller palate commonly associated with the Belford vineyard, with great fruit intensity and a slightly higher acid intensity than normal years due to the cooler growing conditions.

'We are tasting the Tyrrell's 2006 Vat 1 semillon, a Hunter Valley wine which, at sevenyears old, is still a juvenile, easily capable of another decade of good drinking. Its longevity is at the very heart of what makes it so astounding. To think of it as a one-year-old is a different story: gangly, acid, water and neutral flavour, not astounding. Vat 1 also shows us you don't have to pay big dollars for greatness.' - Canberra Times, Jeni Port, 10 Apr 2013. Extract from 'What makes a great wine?'

From the Hunter Valley region NSW this wine has the distinctive fresh tropical fruit flavours of the Verdelho grape. With flavours of ripe melon and fig it is a wine worthy of any long afternoon lounging around. 'ALONG with the focus on fresh-faced chardonnays there is this variety, which is increasingly picked and crafted into a zingy style, more than richer, flabbier, duller versions. This bargain highlights such contemporary success: a dash of lime over custard apple and a light creaminess to mirror the fruit, spicy noted with a fruit sweetness sure to rock with chilli salted seafood.' - Daily Telegraph, Tony Love.

The freshness of this wine demonstrates why Hunter semillon is possibly the most under-rated wine style in the world. The aromas centre around lemon, lime and fresh hay, and the palate is decidedly linear, based on a spine of acidity. This exceptional wine, at six years of age, is still at least five away from its optimum drinking window. 'Little or no colour change; the bouquet is distinctly aromatic, but still focused on primary fruit, not toast or honey; the palate is electrifying, drawing saliva from the mouth with its mix of unsweetened lemon juice/lemon zest and life-giving acidity, the DNA of great Semillon.10.9% alcohol.' (2009 Vintage) - 97 points. - James Halliday February 2016.

Although the Hunter is better-known for its unique blend of Semillon Chardonnay, we do also see the occasional Semillon Verdelho, and this one is a cracker!Vibrant pale straw in appearance. Pretty aromas of white peach, lemon, apple and melon. Clean and crisp with Granny Smith and stonefruit notes in a lovely easy-drinking style with soft acidity and a juicy finish.

Aromas of passionfruit and jasmine aromatics. On the palate rich in grapefruit and passionfruit flavours with lemon notes. Perfect for a picnic with an ocean view.

Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon is one of Australia's great white wines and has the capacity to age superbly in the bottle. This release continues the recent immaculate line up of Vat 1s that show classic citrus floral and honey aromas. The palate is dry, yet full-flavoured with lovely crisp acidity. Still only a relative baby in terms of Vat 1s longevity, this bottle will reward you for decades to come.

What a magnificent wine! A pioneer in the modern Australian Chardonnay stakes, the Vat 47 from the Hunter Valley has a silky bouquet of melon stone fruit and creamy oak that is followed by a palate of extraordinary balance and length. An absolute classic and will only get better with some medium term ageing.