This is fun winemaking at it best. A little soak of the juice on skins, a press in the basket press and let the ferment get going. The ferment was stopped by fortification with Brandy Spirit to leave a sweat’ish wine that is now stored in ex Australian Whisky barrels. The wine will continue to evolve the barrel developing complexity from the wood and previous contents. Best fresh from the barrel, it is bottled as required. Each label has the date of bottling hand written on it. This is a single vintage fortified.

Hunter Valley Semillon is lean and racy in its youth but develops texture and complexity with age. It also will reflect the origins of where it is grown. This one is planted on the dolerite soils of the Fordwich Sill which leaves its footprint by way of a richer and softer wine with more palate weight in its youth, as opposed to Semillon grown on grey clay or alluvial soils.

A multiple award winner, this gorgeous Barossa Semillon from Peter Lehmann is showing complex aromas of nuts, lanolin, beeswax and honeyed overtones. The palate is fresh with wonderful breadth and lemony/honeyed aged characters. Serving it up to those in the Hunter Valley quite nicely!

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.

This wine is a blend of 79% Sauvignon Blanc, 16% Semillon and 5% Verdelho, and is made from certified biodynamic fruit. Harvested on the fruit and flower days of the biodynamic calendar and fermented without oak, additions of yeast or acid. Some skin contact time before fermentation.

Continuing under the stewardship of Usher Tinker, the Pooles Rock wines go from strength to strength. The impressive line up of trophies and gold medals that adorn this label are testament to the purity of this amazing Hunter Valley Semillon. With all the typical austerity and pure lemon and lime zest flavours early in its life, this is a Semillon that will repay the patient in spades with more than a decade in front of it.

Succulent aromas of apricot nectar, the palate displays luscious sweet marmalade and butterscotsh fruit, balanced with a crisp acid finish.

Mount Pleasant Elizabeth continues to be an all time favourite of not only Semillon lovers, but affordable dry white lovers across the board. With it's golden hue with a green tinge and baked apple with hints of toastiness on the nose. Citrus flavours of lemon and lime and a buttery texture with good length and crispness on the finish. Classic Hunter Semillon.

De Bortoli have set the standard with Noble One and here's its 'little brother'. Classic botrytis characters of dried apricots and marmalade are supported by a touch of vanillin oak in this excellent dessert wine from the Riverina.