Both McWilliams and Tyrrells are members of Australia’s First Families of Wine who visited London in May, each presenting a vertical designed to highlight the history and heritage behind some of Australia’s leading producers. What a great opportunity to taste verticals of their flagship Semillons side by side! Before ascending into glorious detail – the tasting notes - here’s what the inimitable Bruce Tyrrell had to say about Hunter Valley Semillon in general:
Terroir - “You can’t mirror our style.” Because it’s a northerly (warmer) region, Semillon is picked early since the flavours come early – “leave it to 13 degrees potential alcohol and you lose the acid – it becomes flat” (it’s typically picked at only 10-11 potential alcohol).
Winemaking - “If winemakers want to get too involved in Semillon, they get fired!” Classic Hunter Semillon is fermented in steel with no oak or malolactic fermentation – “what you see is the unplayed with fruit, direct from the vineyard.”
When to drink it – during its first 1-2 years, it has a high acid, very “clean” profile. After 4 years, it dips, becoming sulky and adolescent, losing the fruit. A year or so later the benefits of bottle age come through.
How long can you keep it – 30-50 years, especially under screwcap under which the wines are retaining their primary characters better, even through their adolescence. (Incidentally, at a previous tasting with Bruce, he explained that the secret to Hunter Valley Semillon’s ageworthiness lies in the fact it obtains flavour ripeness relatively early, retaining a higher proportion of tartaric acid than other grapes. Hence the firm, acid backbone for ageing).
Speaking with him later, we talked about the differences between Lovedale and Vat 1, the latter of which I found drier and less fruity in expression, slower to show itself if you like. Tyrrell attributes this to the fact that McWilliams drain the must off the lees, cold settling it before fermentation with a less neutral yeast than he now uses. Aside from using more neutral yeast, at Tyrrells, the must goes directly to tank and the wine spends a short time on the lees.
McWilliams Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon
The McWilliams family planted their first vines in 1877 at Corowa in New South Wales. In 1932 the family acquired a half share in Mount Pleasant Estate. Nestled in the slopes of the Brokenback Range in Pokolbin, the Lower Hunter Valley, the estate had been established in 1921 by legendary winemaker, Maurice O’Shea.
In 1939 the McWilliams bought the Lovedale vineyard (pictured, photo credit Mount Pleasant Wines), naming it after the original landowners, the Love family. The top soil is sandy aggregate loam with friable red and yellow clay lower root zones.
In 1941 the family bought Mount Pleasant Estate in its entirety, retaining O’Shea as Chief Winemaker. In 1945, O’Shea planted the Lovedale vineyard. It is the exclusive source of McWilliams Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon, which was first made in 1950. It is released only in exceptional vintages from a selection of Lovedale’s best fruit.
McWilliams Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon 2009 (Hunter Valley) – very tight nose, showing pure lime/lime juice which follows through in the mouth with some Bicks lime cordial sweetness behind; good length with zesty, tight acidity, a fine minerality too. Very good.
McWilliams Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon 2007 (Hunter Valley) – a riper nose and palate, with lemon curd/powder puff. It’s a little rounder in the mouth but long too with a vibrant seam of acidity and stony minerality. Very good.
McWilliams Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon 2005 (Hunter Valley) – an expressive nose and palate shows talc, lime cordial and pink grapefruit/grapefruit pith; vivid ripe citrus flavours with a tight streak of mineral acidity make for an animated palate. Beautifully structured with lots of finesse. Excellent.
McWilliams Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon 2003 (Hunter Valley) – a couple more years and this has put on weight. In the mouth it’s a powerhouse with ample weight and thrust of rich, ripe lemon and lime curd, with sweet talc on the finish. Very, very good; massive potential.
McWilliams Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon 2001 (Hunter Valley) – and with another couple of years the classic toast notes are emerging – lemon and lime buttered toast. The mineral expression is more tufa – warm, volcanic & stony rather than slatey. Very good.
Tyrrells Vat 1 Semillon
The Tyrrell family trace their vinous history in the Hunter Valley back to 1858 when Edward Tyrrell planted his first vines in the lee of the Hunter Valley’s Brokenback range; he made his first wine in 1864.
Tyrrells Vat 1 was first produced in 1963, then from Semillon grapes grown on the sandy dry creek bed of the Short Flat Vineyard across the road from Tyrrell’s historic Pokolbin winery. Today, though it’s still sourced from the Pokolbin region, it comes from three vineyards, Tyrrell’s oldest blocks with sandy alluvial loams over limestone.
Tyrrells Vat 1 Semillon 2009 (Hunter Valley) – very youthful, quite estery on the nose still. Tight-knit lime and lemon on the palate; pretty closed. Keep.
Tyrrells Vat 1 Semillon 2003 (Hunter Valley) – delicate floral and talc notes with tight citrus on the nose and palate, yet to unfurl and pad out. It’s got that tufa warm, volcanic, stony minerality too. Keep.
Tyrrells Vat 1 Semillon 2002 (Hunter Valley) – in bloom, showing a bright, zippy core of lemon and lime with pithy spicy orange peel notes and hints of buttered toast. Beautifully persistent, long and linear; drinking well now – £25 at The wine Society and currently on deal at Majestic - £24 or buy 2 bottles and save £8 when you buy any 6 fine wines.
Tyrrells Vat 1 Semillon 1999 (Hunter Valley) – wow, what a structure – this is tight, limpid and super long with neon bright lime shots, a pithy texture and hot rock minerality. Outstanding – a keeper for sure, though it’s just about broachable!
Tyrrells Vat 1 Semillon 1998 (Hunter Valley) – way more expressive with rich, ripe lemon curd, cut with mouthwatering lime juice and warm stones; long and very delicious now.
And finally, from vines planted in 1908:
Tyrrells Johnson Semillon 2009 (Hunter Valley) – from sandy soils, this is a basket-pressed wine, the goal being a softer texture (though it’s bottled in a Riesling-like flute-shaped bottle). And it is, though the flavour spectrum is delicate with flowers and talc – very pretty.
Sarah Ahmed
The Wine Detective
(Wines tasted on 14 May 2010)
