2011 Brokenwood ILR Reserve Semillon

Chief winemaker/MD: Iain Riggs AM

Lifted almond, bread and floral notes head to bees wax and toast, with lively lime juice and Bickford cordial characters, backed by a superb zesty acidity. The magic of Hunter Valley semillon is on display with texture, fruit weight and great length from a wine that sees no oak. The ILR is released from the best years and this is a beauty.

What do you look for in your semillon?

This wine is selected as a young wine due to its purity of fruit and driving acidity, which allows it to age so well. It displayed zesty lime juice fruit characters and a mouthwatering palate that left you wanting more. These two components combine to produce a wine that is classically Hunter semillon in style, and just starting to show some of the aged semillon characters the region is known for so well.

What do you believe is the most important thing to know about semillon?

That it’s delicious! It can be drunk young – in the year it was harvested and bottled; or with a lot of self-control, and a little patience, it will reward you with age as a beautifully complex white wine. Semillon retains its lime juice purity as it ages, but builds notes of lemon curd and buttered toast – suggestive of oak influence, but in fact it sees no oak.

$75, brokenwood.com.au @brokenwoodwines