THE GRAPE
Sémillon (the accent is dropped outside France) is a thin-skinned grape that makes not only Sauternes, one of the greatest French sweet wines, but some of the best dry whites from elsewhere in Bordeaux and Australia, where it is synonymous with the Hunter Valley near Sydney. Semillon’s thin skin makes it susceptible to noble rot, which in skilled hands produces botrytised sweet wines.
THE TASTE
Although it lacks character on the nose, the grape responds well to wood-ageing, when it transforms from straightforward citrus and apple notes to complex and full-bodied flavours and aromas of nuts, beeswax and brioche. Sweet wines such as Sauternes offer the ultimate in honeyed intensity. Dry semillon can age for up to 10 years and the sweet wines five times that.
THE PAIRINGS
With its full-bodied, often oily texture, semillon pairs well with full-bodied foods such as retro meat and seafood dishes – chicken à la King; lobster Thermidor – as well as hefty fish such as turbot with hollandaise or, for something lighter, a goats’ cheese salad or pan-Asian seafood. Sweet semillon is better with savoury than sweet food: blue cheese and foie gras are classic French matches.
THE VINES
It was once known as ‘the green grape’ due to the vivid colour. Most appellations in south-west France permit its use and it is the most planted white grape in Bordeaux. Sauternes lies 40km south-east of the city, on the west bank of the Garonne; to harvest grapes that have been perfectly affected by botrytis requires each bunch to be picked individually by an expert who can identify from the level of decay when sweetness and acidity are at an optimum level. The best Australian semillons come from the Upper Hunter Valley, which has less rain and risk of vine disease.
THE BOTTLES
Four semillons from the Old and New World to try
2017 ELIZABETH SEMILLON, MOUNT PLEASANT,
HUNTER VALLEY, AUSTRALIA
Relatively modest in alcohol (10.5%), this is old enough to have
begun developing the marmalade-on-toast qualities of Hunter
Valley semillon while retaining the limeade vivacity of a
young wine. fintrywines.co.uk
2022 BORDEAUX BLANC, CHÂTEAU LA BIENVEILLANCE,
BORDEAUX, FRANCE
Classic white Bordeaux flavours – mirabelle plums, beeswax,
subtle citrus – but made along biodynamic lines from 18-year-old
sémillon vines on the limestone plateau facing Saint-Émilion.
Could age for 10 years. amathusdrinks.com
2019 GHOST CORNER SEMILLON, DAVID NIEUWOUDT,
ELIM, SOUTH AFRICA
Quality wins out over quantity in this 100% semillon from cool,
coastal vineyards, with a minerality that suits cool coastal
dishes of raw crustacea. waitrosecellar.com
AND IF YOU WANT TO SPLASH OUT
2004 1ER CRU CLASSÉ SAUTERNES, CHÂTEAU
SIGALAS RABAUD, BORDEAUX, FRANCE
Made with 90% sémillon and 10% sauvignon blanc,
this 75cl bottle will demonstrate the food-friendly
versatility of Sauternes, all the way from a Waldorf salad
to lemon cheesecake via roast chicken with bread sauce.
Drink now or keep until 2030. davywine.co.uk
NOTE This supplement is reproduced from Food and Travel Magazine, which is published by Green Pea Publishing, London. All rights of the published material belong to Green Pea Publishing and may not be reproduced, whether in whole or part, without its prior written consent.