Winemaker Notes
The wine is bright and pale straw in color. A shy nose at first, opening up and showing aromas of melon, acacia flower, kumquat, and whiffs of ginger spice, jasmine and apple blossom. The palate is pure and elegant, with flavors of poached pear, quince, starfruit and fresh lemon, and subtle oaky nuances lending complexity. The natural acidity is well balanced on a medium-bodied, textured midpalate. The wine is understated and gentle, with hints of angelica and chamomile lingering on a saline, slightly spicy finish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Always an excellent semillon, textured and compact. Complex aromas of apricots, beeswax, Asian pears and hints of white chocolate. Some almonds. Medium- to full-bodied with a long, creamy finish. From old vines planted in 1902, 1942 and 1936. Drink or hold.
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Vinous
The 2021 Semillon comes from two vineyards, one planted in 1942 (white sand plus granite) and another in 1902 (granite with quartz). It was whole bunch pressed and aged for 14 months in 70% new French oak. Blended with 3% Muscat d'Alexandria, also planted in 1902, it has a delineated, lanolin-tinged bouquet with a hint of green olive. The palate is beautiful, waxy in texture, with veins of lemongrass and lemon thyme, detailed and poised with impressive concentration on the finish. This will be a serious, long-term Semillon, and I know from first-hand experience how brilliantly they can age in bottle. This will be released in 2024.
Sémillon has the power to create wines with considerable structure, depth and length that will improve for several decades. It is the perfect partner to the vivdly aromatic Sauvignon Blanc. Sémillon especially shines in the Bordeaux region of Sauternes, which produces some of the world’s greatest sweet wines. Somm Secret—Sémillon was so common in South Africa in the 1820s, covering 93% of the country’s vineyard area, it was simply referred to as Wyndruif, or “wine grape.”
Originally named Franschhoek meaning the “French Corner” because it was home to the influx of French Huguenots, today the valley contains many historic cellars and is an important tourist location because of its proximity to Cape Town.
This valley falls to the southeast of Paarl and is enclosed on three sides by towering mountains. Streams from the slopes flow down to the valley floor, converging to form the Berg River. The area excels in the production of full-bodied reds.