Winemaker Notes
Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon 2016 has an inviting nose of citrus and a palate that is the perfect mid-point between power and elegance. The signature Vat 1 fruit power is balanced by its delicate yet crisp acid profile, resulting in a seamless wine with a clean finish. Poised to enjoy a long life in the cellar.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
2016 wasn’t hailed as a particularly great vintage, but, seven years in, this wine, from the historic winery’s best old blocks, is singing. A heady, layered perfume of citrus pith, dried herb, beeswax, wool, flint and orchard blossom leads to a palate that’s uniquely textured, like chalk dust swirled into melted wax and lifted by mouthwatering acidity. Bright, prickly lemon peel lingers on the long, slippery finish. Both delicate and powerful, it drinks beautifully now, but also has a long life ahead
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James Suckling
There's a wow factor to this wine, the way in which it manages to harness such impressive power and concentration and deliver it in such smooth, seamless and tubular shape is a thing to marvel at. Aromas of gently flinty lime and lemon fruits lead to flavorus of the same ilk, really astonishingly pure, long and polished, green apple flavor s close it out fresh and bright. Drink now or age, superb.
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.”
Most admired for citrus-driven, mineral-rich and often age-worthy Semillon wines, Hunter Valley is one of Australia’s oldest wine regions and was home to its very first commercial vineyards. The region’s warm summer nights coupled with autumn cloud cover and cool sea breezes allow full ripening and healthy acidity levels for Semillon; its diverse soils of volcanic basalt and white alluvial sands promote the development of Semillon’s delicate aromas. Hunter Valley Semillons can certainly be enjoyed in their youth but with 10 to 20 years in the cellar, the best examples develop intriguing notes of honey, browned butter and roasted nuts.
Chardonnay and Shiraz also do well in Hunter Valley.