theCompass
 Home   Map   Blog Roll   WineCompass   Wine 101   My Compass 

Semillon

Semillon Wine Details
Price: $15.00 per bottle

Description: The rich honey and fig-like character of the Semillon is complemented by the smoke and subtle spice from the toasty French oak. In the mouth there are subtle pear-like flavors. To preserve that delicate character, malolactic fermentation was prevented and, while the wine is on its lees during its time in barrels, those lees have not been stirred. This wine had a little bit of Sauvignon Blanc added to it to increase its acidity and balance the mouthfeel.

Varietal Definition
Sémillon:
A thin skinned grape producing wines of high extract and flavour but soft acidity. In France it combines with Sauvignon Blanc to make the white wines of Bordeaux, most notably the sweet dessert wines of Sauternes and Barsac. Its thin skin leaves it susceptible to the fungus botrytis* the much sought after 'noble rot' in these sweet wine regions. As a varietal it has fared best in Australia, notably the Hunter Valley, where it produces well-rounded wines with lots of tropical fruits and honeyed tones. Here too it is blended with Chardonnay and oak aged to give an added dimension.
Sauvignon Blanc:
Sauvignon Blanc is widely grown in California — at over 15,000 acres, it’s now the third most planted variety — and often assumes the moniker ‘Fume Blanc’. This popular synonym, credited to Napa’s Robert Mondavi, derives from the grape’s historic home of Pouilly in France’s Upper Loire Valley, where Sauvignon Blanc is the dominant varietal and goes locally by the name of ‘Blanc Fumé’. When treated with respect and afforded suitable growing conditions, Sauvignon Blanc is one of the wine world’s darlings. Steely, racy acidity, green, gooseberry fruit, asparagus and a grassy, herbaceous character characterize dry wines made from this grape.


Reviews




Back to Merryvale Napa Valley information