Sémillon

Sémillon is a golden-skinned grape variety used to make dry and sweet white wines

 It is Medium to full bodied white wine with floral, honey, beeswax aromas, and often blended with Sauvignon Blanc.

In Bordeaux it is the most widely planted white grape and is blended with Sauvignon Blanc to produce the great long-lived dry whites of Graves as well as the great sweet wines of Sauternes. It is high in alcohol and extract and relatively low in aroma and acidity. Its thin skin makes it very susceptible to botrytis which is prerequisite for the making of Sauternes. It responds well to oak ageing and, while having a lightly lemony aroma when young, develops lanolin flavours which some describe as "waxy", as well as a rich, creamy, intense, texture and a deep golden colour.

In Australia, Hunter Valley Sémillon is one of Australia’s iconic and unique wines.  In youth the wines are quite citrusy and fresh but are generally perceived to gain hugely in complexity as they age and are deemed to be best drunk when at least 5 years old, frequently lasting for 10 or more years.