150 Year Old Vines Semillon 2021
Tasting Notes

Honey, Lemon, Grapefruit and hints of pineapple on the nose. Lively, fresh citrus and stonefruit on the fleshy palate with clean, fresh acidity on a long lingering finish. A seamless wine of fine acid structure and intense varietal flavours driving the length on the palate. 

Winemaking

The grapes were hand picked, hand sorted and gently basket pressed before fermentation in a combination of temperature controlled stainless steel, and seasoned barrels. 

This is followed by seven months’ barrel maturation in our cellars with regular lees stirring to enhance aroma and structure whilst building flavor complexity. 

The Barossa is home to some of the world’s oldest ungrafted Semillon vines and the grapes for this wine are from an ancestor vineyard owned by the Cirillo Family in the renowned Light Pass sub-region. The low yielding ‘Barossa Ancestor Vines’ were planted more than 150 years ago. Only 11.9 hectares of vines over 150 years exist in the Barossa, representing 0.17% of the region’s plantings

* Only 214 cases produced

Reviews
96 Points
Review by: Sam Kim, Wine Orbit
Exhibiting stunning fruit purity and poise, the wine shows crunchy apple, lemon sorbet, white floral and oatmeal nuances on the nose, followed by a concentrated palate that's brilliantly focused and linear. Crisp-dry and refined with an impressively long engaging finish, promising to evolve gracefully. At its best: 2024 to 2038
95 Points
Review by: Andrew Caillard MW
Medium pale colour. Intense lemon curd, grapefruit grilled hazelnut aromas with tonic water notes. Fresh and creamy with plentiful and sweet lemon curd, grapefruit, hint tropical fruits, fine lacy/ chalky textures and underlying crème brulée hazelnut tobacco notes. Finishes chalky and crisp. Lovely richness, viscosity and mineral freshness. Drink now – 2030 
92 Points
Review by: Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
The telltale sign of the fruit's pedigree ... is the finish, because the fruit flavor endures, curls and wafts over the palate long after the wine has gone. It allows me to read it and gives extra time for assessment. This is restrained and harmonious, with layers of compacted grass clippings, brine, green apple, bison grass and lemongrass at the last. It’s savory and structured.
96 Points
Review by: James Suckling
The lemony and smoky character of this remarkable semillon is at once deep and discreet. The creamy texture and excellent concentration on the palate is wonderfully atypical for this variety in Australia and comes much closer to top white Graves from Bordeaux. Long, waxy finish with a ton of herbal complexity. Limited production. Drink or hold.
James Suckling Top 100 Australian Wines 2022
Review by: James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

 

$70.00 per bottle


Other Vintages
2014 |  2015 |  2017 |  2018 |  2019 |  2020 | 
CLOSURE
Stelvin

WINEMAKER
Neville Rowe
COLOUR
White
GRAPE VARIETY
100 % Semillon
GROWING REGION
Barossa Valley
PDF TASTING NOTES
Download the Tasting Notes in PDF format.

 

 

Tasting Notes

Honey, Lemon, Grapefruit and hints of pineapple on the nose. Lively, fresh citrus and stonefruit on the fleshy palate with clean, fresh acidity on a long lingering finish. A seamless wine of fine acid structure and intense varietal flavours driving the length on the palate. 

Winemaking

The grapes were hand picked, hand sorted and gently basket pressed before fermentation in a combination of temperature controlled stainless steel, and seasoned barrels. 

This is followed by seven months’ barrel maturation in our cellars with regular lees stirring to enhance aroma and structure whilst building flavor complexity. 

The Barossa is home to some of the world’s oldest ungrafted Semillon vines and the grapes for this wine are from an ancestor vineyard owned by the Cirillo Family in the renowned Light Pass sub-region. The low yielding ‘Barossa Ancestor Vines’ were planted more than 150 years ago. Only 11.9 hectares of vines over 150 years exist in the Barossa, representing 0.17% of the region’s plantings

* Only 214 cases produced

Reviews
96 Points

Score: 96 Points
Review by: Sam Kim, Wine Orbit
Exhibiting stunning fruit purity and poise, the wine shows crunchy apple, lemon sorbet, white floral and oatmeal nuances on the nose, followed by a concentrated palate that's brilliantly focused and linear. Crisp-dry and refined with an impressively long engaging finish, promising to evolve gracefully. At its best: 2024 to 2038

95 Points

Score: 95 Points
Review by: Andrew Caillard MW
Medium pale colour. Intense lemon curd, grapefruit grilled hazelnut aromas with tonic water notes. Fresh and creamy with plentiful and sweet lemon curd, grapefruit, hint tropical fruits, fine lacy/ chalky textures and underlying crème brulée hazelnut tobacco notes. Finishes chalky and crisp. Lovely richness, viscosity and mineral freshness. Drink now – 2030 

92 Points

Score: 92 Points
Review by: Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
The telltale sign of the fruit's pedigree ... is the finish, because the fruit flavor endures, curls and wafts over the palate long after the wine has gone. It allows me to read it and gives extra time for assessment. This is restrained and harmonious, with layers of compacted grass clippings, brine, green apple, bison grass and lemongrass at the last. It’s savory and structured.

96 Points

Score: 96 Points
Review by: James Suckling
The lemony and smoky character of this remarkable semillon is at once deep and discreet. The creamy texture and excellent concentration on the palate is wonderfully atypical for this variety in Australia and comes much closer to top white Graves from Bordeaux. Long, waxy finish with a ton of herbal complexity. Limited production. Drink or hold.

James Suckling Top 100 Australian Wines 2022
Review by: James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

 

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