Over the years I have become a fan of Semillon wines. Some folks have never heard of the wine, let alone tasted it. It is the third most grown wine in France.
In France, Semillon is an important blending grape. In Bordeaux, the Semillon grape is blended with Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle grapes. It is used to make dry and somewhat sweet white wines. It is also a popular blending grape in Australia. It was once considered to be the most planted grape in the world. However, that is no longer the case. Today it is overshadowed by many other grapes. Especially Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.
2014 Stony Hill Semillon De Soleil, Napa
The aromas on the nose of the wine were sweet with hints of stone fruit with citrus flavors. On the palate it was full-bodied and had sweet citrus fruits, nectarine and passionfruit. The finish was mildly acidic and of a reasonable length. This vintage scored 92 out of 100 points. It was last available from Stony Hill Vineyard in St. Helena, California, in 2020.
According the website for Stony Hill, this is what they say about their Semillon: “We began making this wine in 1972 in the Italian “passito” or straw wine style. We pick the grapes at 25 degrees Brix, dry them in the sun to concentrate the sugar, and then crush at about 30 degrees Brix. The result is a beautifully balanced dessert wine with approximately 13% alcohol, an average of 7% residual sugar and good acidity.”
Semillon pairs well with spicy food and Asian cuisine is a natural match. It also works well with seafood, pork, veal, chicken, game birds or dishes with cream sauces. Hard and soft cheeses also work well with Semillon.
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Until next week,
Cheers
I too am a big fan of Semillon. I really enjoy the Bordeaux Semillon-Sauvignon blends.
Being California-centric, I am disappointed by the dearth of Semillon varietal bottlings. So, thank you, very much, for the Stony Hill recommendation. I will keep an eye out for it. In return, I will offer my California Semillon favorites. Mike Smith offers two single-vineyard (McGah and Tofanelli) bottlings under his Myriad label. Outstanding, refreshing wines.
Hello Mark. Hope you are doing well. It surprises me how many people don’t know about, or much about, Semillon. I have been drinking it for years. Thanks for the lead on the Mike Smith Semillon. I’ll check it out for sure.
All the best.
Cheers,
Carl Tiedemann