Beverage
Sémillon
Sémillon is a golden-skinned white that can be lean and citrusy when young and dry, or waxy, honeyed, and long-lived when aged or affected by noble rot. Bordeaux pairs it with Sauvignon for dry Graves and legendary sweet Sauternes; Hunter Valley Australia crafts unoaked dry Sémillon that evolves from lemon zest to toast and honey over decades. Body is medium, acid moderate to high in cool sites, and oak optional depending on tradition. Dry Sémillon deglazes well for chicken and fish with lemon butter; its waxiness cushions cream without the oak blast of heavy Chardonnay. Sweet bottles are for foie gras, blue cheese, and fruit desserts—not pan sauces. Hunter-style dry Semillon with shellfish and simple roast poultry shows why the grape needs no residual sugar to impress.
Also known as: Sémillon
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Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
Grading systems
Grades are placed along a shared scale so systems can be compared side by side.
History
Bordeaux established Sémillon in dry white blends and sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac.
Hunter Valley plantings created a distinctive dry, age-worthy Semillon tradition unique to Australia.
South African and New World producers explored dry single-varietal Sémillon beyond Bordeaux blends.