Comments and question about Semillon

I love dry (and late-harvest) Semillon but other that the rare Aussie bottle and one producer in Wa. state, it is a varietal I find impossible to find in the backwater of southern Ohio. I have one bottle of Kasler 2008 Semillon from Aussie-land. I think Climens Sauternes is 100% Semillon but the dry Bordeaux's are all blends including Sauvignon Blanc which I dislike. I would love to try a 20 yr. old Aussie Semillon but that seems unlikely as those wines do not come to America. Why isn't this grape better loved? The few older ones I remember trying had that wonderful lanolin note that is so distinctive. That grape, amongst many other reasons, may urge me to visit Australia before I am incapable of travel.

The average Joe Blow wine buyer out there does not have a clue about Semillon!
I used to buy/cellar the Hunter Valley Brokenwood Semillon but was never sure when to open so stopped buying. Tough sell indeed in my opinion.

As far as Bordeaux is concerned, you are right in saying that Sémillon is usually found in dry blends as a junior partner to Sauvignon blanc. The reason which I have seen given for that is low acidity in the Sémillon grape. However a little searching indicates that Sémillon may be the majority variety in dries made in the obscure sub-appellation Graves de Vayres and, if you can afford it , Haut-Brion has a larger area planted with Sémillon than with SB. A number of Sauternes châteaux are producing a dry wine to boost their incomes, e.g. Y at Yquem, G de Guiraud & S de Suduiraut, and, because of the high amount of Sémillon in that area, may have a lot of it in their dry blends.

I wonder how the Aussies cope with the low acidity. The answer may be that they are much less shy about acidification than the French.

[David M. Bueker]

I have tried some of the "great" Australian Semillons, and I just don't get it. I have had a few American versions (most recently, Dirty & Rowdy), and I just don't get it.

I think Semillon is both low acid and prone to rot. Easy botrytis is a plus for Sauternes, not so much for dry wines. But I've enjoyed a few Aussie Semillons, and they didn't seem soft. Unsure if acidification or early picking. My favorite dry Semillon is probably the Kalin. Usually not released till 10+ years after vintage.

[Jenise]

Jim, I don't see much of it here but coincidentally was totally smitten with one made by Fidelitas Winery (and bought a few bottles). They don't make a lot, they said, so it's only available in the tasting room. Which is another way of saying it's a hand-sell kind of wine--sitting on a shelf, it won't find a lot of buyers because the average casual wine drinker doesn't understand it. Nor will they pay $30 a bottle for a white wine. Which WA producer are you getting?

I used to buy the Semillon in D.C. from L'Ecole no. 41. They made a regular cuvee and a reserve from Fries vineyard . Nice wines but I preferred that occasional Aussie I came across. Maybe a Leo Buring or Tyrrells Vat? bottling that was excellent!

[Jenise]

Ah, L'Ecole. Good producer though I find most of their whites to have just a drop too much RS in them though I like the Chenin in cooler vintages. The Fidelitas was amazingly big and elegant. Not cheap but tasting it you would expect it to cost what it does.

Tyrell's is terrific. Our friends David and Nadine (who lurk here but rarely post) have shared some excellent older bottles.