Winemaker Notes
The natural acidity and medium body of the Semillon grape takes great pride in the 100+ year old Barossa Valley vineyards that are naturally suited to the region. A wine that shows lifted aromas of fresh citrus fruits of kaffir lime grapefruit pith and tangerine balance by aromatic perfume of citrus flowers and infused candlewax. The palate is tangy with long acidity and cleansing to the finish. Enjoy as either a fresh young wine or age for up to 15 years to reveal brioche, lemon curd pastry like notes.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A bright and fresh semillon with sliced green apples, pears and mineral aromas and flavors. Some aniseed. It’s medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Real Aussie semillon. So fresh and beautiful. Tangy and driven. Subtle. These are grapes from vineyards planted in sand in 1890. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Woodcutter's Semillon is from two vineyards; the Schulz vineyard (Ebenezer) and Philippou vineyard (Rowland Flat), and the two patches in this latter vineyard are picked independently. (The "old" part was planted 1893, and the "young" in 1900. These are "full Madeira clones," says Ian Hongell, meaning they're purple/red berries—the variety has the ability to switch from green to red at veraison.) Both are sand vineyards, picked and fermented separately. 2022 was a beautiful cool season in the Barossa, and this wine here is aromatically fresh and tight. In the mouth, the wine is salty and textural—from part (40%) of the blend being matured in seasoned barriques; "texture without a phenolic fingerprint." This has salted yellow grapefruit, lemon peel, hints of saffron, layers of green apple and a hint of spring florals. It is really good, engaging, delicious.
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.”
Historically and presently the most important wine-producing region of Australia, the Barossa Valley is set in the Barossa zone of South Australia, where more than half of the country’s wine is made. Because the climate is very hot and dry, vineyard managers work diligently to ensure grapes reach the perfect levels of phenolic ripeness.
The intense heat is ideal for plush, bold reds, particularly Shiraz on its own or Rhône Blends. Often Shiraz and Cabernet partner up for plump and powerful reds.
While much less prevalent, light-skinned varieties such as Riesling, Viognier or Semillon produce vibrant Barossa Valley whites.
Most of Australia’s largest wine producers are based here and Shiraz plantings date back as far as the 1850s or before. Many of them are dry farmed and bush trained, still offering less than one ton per acre of inky, intense, purple juice.