Sémillon

Sauternes's botrytis canvas; Hunter Valley's longest-living white.

Sémillon's two great expressions could not be more different. In Sauternes and Barsac it is the canvas for noble rot, contributing waxy texture and aging potential to dessert blends with Sauvignon Blanc. In Australia's Hunter Valley, low-alcohol (10-11%) bone-dry Sémillon harvested early matures over decades from neutral citrus into honeyed toast — without a barrel ever touching it. White Bordeaux blends and South African Sémillon round out the global picture. The grape is naturally low in acid but reliably structured.