In my opinion, if all the wine grapes of the world got together for a poker
tournament, the white wine grape, Semillon, (see-me-yon) would be the last
grape left at the table with all the chips. Semillon is a great bluffer and never
shows it’s cards early. It can also take on many different suits and
combinations in order to win the pot. Unless you know where it is grown and
how it was made, you will never be sure of what you’re going to get.
In warmer climates, Semillon ripens early, eager to get started in the
winemaking process. Because it ripens early, it tends to be low in acidity,
having a full body that is often described as ‘fat’. When harvested in these
conditions, the wine that Semillon makes produces very little aroma and is
high in alcohol. Both of these factors attribute to a wine that takes on a
supporting role rather than being a star like its more aggressive and acidic
close friend, Sauvignon Blanc. Because of this, Semillon is usually used as a
blending grape that you may find paired with Sauvignon Blanc and
Chardonnay wines. It adds a little weight to Sauvignon Blanc that translates
into a fuller wine.
In places like the Hunter Valley in Australia, where they make the best
Semillon wines in that country, they harvest Semillon on the green side, that
is to say early while there is still plenty of acidity in the grape. This allows
them to make stand-alone Semillon wines that provide a bit more of that
refreshing zip to them when young. In Bordeaux, France, where the grape
was first introduced to the world, the weather conditions allow for them to
produce these more acidic versions of Semillon wines naturally. These in
fact, are some of the more famous white wines in the world. They are
referred to as White Bordeaux and Semillon usually makes up 70% of the
blend with the remaining portion being Sauvignon Blanc.
The most famous of all Semillon based wines in the world also comes from
the Bordeaux region in France. It is in the Appellation of Sauternes where
the great dessert wine made by Chateau Y’Quem hails from. This wine and
all other Sauternes wines from this region are made by letting the grapes
become infected with Botrytis Cinerea or Noble Rot, as it is often referred
to. This disease shrivels the grape and concentrates the sugar producing a
wine that is very sweet and capable of lasting decades. Like the dry version
made in the Appellation of Graves in Bordeaux, these sweet wines are also
made from about 80% Semillon and the rest Sauvignon Blanc.
Semillon is grown all over the world in great abundance and in the early 1800’
s, it was probably the most widely planted white grape varietal. You would
think that since it is the white wine grape that is mostly planted in Bordeaux,
where the most famous of all the Semillon wines come from, that they would
have the largest acreage of Semillon grapes, but actually the country
cultivating the most Semillon grapes is Chile. I find this a bit strange
because I don’t recall ever seeing a Semillon wine from Chile in the wine
shop, but that may be proof positive that it is often working behind the
scenes making up the final blend in many Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blanc
wines. In fact, chances are, you have already been exposed to Semillon thru
a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc wine and not even have known it.
Currently, it is Australia that seems to be making the most headway with
Semillon wines, both in their Chardonnay/Semillon blends and as stand alone
wines, mostly coming from the Hunter Valley region.
You may also find Semillon grapes grown throughout other regions of France,
Portugal, Israel, Tunisia, Australia, South Africa, California and South
America including Chile and Argentina. California has had mixed success
with the grape producing some good wines and some not so good wines.
Winemakers in California now usually only use Semillon as a blending
component to their Sauvignon Blanc wines. One state that I think is a rising
star in the Semillon wine world is Washington State. The cooler climate
affords them with the ideal conditions to cultivate Semillon with more
pronounced levels of acidity. You may find very good and affordable
examples from the likes of Columbia Crest and Chateau Ste. Michelle, but
the most famous Semillon wine from Washington would be the one from L’
Ecole. However, since Semillon ripens so quickly, I have to believe that it is
a grape that will never have a bright future here in the hot Lone Star State.
The main reasons that Semillon has become so popular with grape growers
throughout the world is due to its resistance to diseases and that it has very
vigorous vines that produce a great deal of grape clusters. These
characteristics coupled with the fact that it does ripen so early allow for
grape farmers to make an easy profit since Semillon is relatively a sure
thing. I can’t imagine that the price per ton is as high as say, Chardonnay or
Cabernet, but when you can produce a lot with little or no risk, you can make
up for the price differences that way.
In my opening statement, I made the claim that Semillon is a great poker
player. Here is what I meant by that. When Semillon wines are young, they
tend to be a bit bland with a very short finish. This would lead you to believe
that it is not really a good wine. However, if allowed to age for several years
in the bottle, often times reaching its peak at ten years of age, it develops
into an amazing wine that is rich with aromas and honeyed flavors and a long
luxurious finish. So you see, initially, what you see, or maybe I should say
taste, is not always what you are going to get.
Then there is the fact that Semillon wines come in so many different
varieties. There are the dry versions, the sweet versions, the ones that were
harvested early and the ones that were harvested later. Each version has its
own unique style and flavor. Semillon that is harvested early, or while it is
still a little green, often takes on more herbaceous tones along with more
citrus fruit flavors. Semillon wines that are harvest later will have less
herbaceous flavors in them and a more focused accent on tropical fruit
flavors. The Semillon wines that have been allowed to age for several years
in the bottle develop rich hazelnut, toast and honey flavors with a crisp lemon-
citrus finish.
In conclusion, I find that Semillon wines offer the drinker a unique
experience that should be explored by all. A break if you will, from the
routine of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc wines, although, it takes on a
little bit of the same characteristics as those two grapes. It makes for an
interesting partner with food, especially those that have a focus on lemon
flavors. You should try one for yourself. If you do, I’m sure you’ll be won
over by Semillons full house of flavors!
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Varietal/Wine
Style Page
| Aromas & Flavors |
Processing Bouquets/Flavors |
Style |
| Fruit – Fig, lemon, pear, lime, nectarine, citrus |
Dessert (Botrytis) – apricot, quince,peach, honey, pineapple, vanilla, hazelnut |
Body – Full |
| Spice – saffron |
Malolactic – butter, cream |
Acidity – Very low |
| Herbal – grass, asparagus, Bell pepper, gooseberry |
Oak – Vanilla, smoke, toast, oak |
