Australia

A traditionally true lower alcohol Semillon from ancient vines in the Hunter Valley made by one of the great Australian Semillon producers.

Tasting Notes

Zesty lemon and lime-fruit characters are the hallmarks of this classic Hunter Style – the bright and delicate characters are beautiful when young and will sustain for many years of cellaring. A naturally lower alcohol wine at 10.5%. A naturally lower alcohol wine at 10.5%.

Production

This Semillon is sourced exclusively from Keith Tulloch’s own old-vine estate vineyards on Hermmitage & Deasys Roads in Pokolbin, where vines were established in 1968 & 1978 respectively. in 1968 at Pokolbin in the Hunter Valley. It is this deep and fine alluvial sandiness that makes the vineyard resource so significant – the vines consistently produce the purest and brightest signatures of Hunter Semillon. The Semillon was harvested then crushed, chilled and pressed immediately. Fermentation occurred using a selected pure yeast culture in stainless steel tanks, at cool to cold temperatures to maximise and retain varietal freshness.

Producer

“I cannot remember being more impressed with an initial release of wines than those”, said James Halliday when he first tasted Keith Tulloch’s wines.

These thoughtful, hand-crafted wines hail from the Hunter Valley with a nod in part to the great Rhône Valley wines of Hermitage and Cote Rôtie. For those who may have tasted any legendary Hunter Shiraz wines of the 40s, 50s and 60s, tasting many of the modern Hunter wines can be a depressing experience but Keith Tulloch is very different, adding to that great legacy with a series of wines that uniquely capture the exotic spice and hedonistic pleasure of dense and rich Shiraz fruit. These are sensuous, subtle wines with the velvety texture of fine burgundy.

Sustainability

Keith Tulloch have attained the CLIMATE ACTIVE certification by the Australian Government. This means that the winery, vineyard and offices are certified carbon neutral as well as its wines (including glassware, boxes, shipping, bottling). This carbon neutral certification is one of the most rigorous in the world. Every emission created by the vineyard and the winemaking process has been reduced where possible; and where emissions are unavoidable the pollutants have been offset through carbon abatement so that the business and its products have zero net greenhouse gas emissions. Keith Tulloch is also a member of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia (previously known as Entwine) which requires wineries to report and reduce waste whilst promoting sustainable practices. A 65kw solar array has been installed, providing the vast majority of the estate’s power needs.

Keith Tulloch winery and vineyards are also officially sustainable under the Sustainable Winegrowing Australia certification which was developed by the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI).

In the vineyard Keith Tulloch engages in regenerative agriculture, minimising the use of chemical sprays and actively promoting soil health, life and biodiversity. It has started a program of revitalising native vegetation around the vineyard, which creates habitat for native insects, birds and animals which benefit the vineyard ecosystem. The business has eliminated single-use plastics and has instead moved onto biodegradable alternatives to prevent plastic waste. All Keith Tulloch wines have moved from heavy glass to lightweight eco glass, which considerably reduces greenhouse gas emissions from glass production and transport. The winery has enacted an array of water efficiency measures to eliminate water waste and to recycle waste water for use in the parks and gardens. The vineyard is now composted and fertilised only by organic fertiliser, re-using a product that would otherwise go to waste and reducing soil degradation and emissions from synthetic fertilisers.

The estate continues to uphold organic viticulture principles in the vineyard, and this is improving year-on-year. Investments in agricultural equipment in the next financial year will further reduce the use of some chemical sprays, however there is no plan at this point to certify these practices.

Specifications

The ILR (Iain Lesley Riggs - Chief Winemaker) Reserve Semillon is released from the best years and this is a beauty. 

Light-bodied and lithe, it is silky, weightless and immensely complex.

Tasting Notes 

Colour

At 6 years of age on release, the colour is just starting to show some development with yellow tints complimenting the green edges.

Nose

Lifted almond bread and the floral notes heading to beeswax and toast.

Palate

Lively lime juice, Bickford cordial characters and backed by a superb zesty acidity. The magic of Hunter Valley Semillon on display with texture, fruit weight and great length from a wine that sees no oak. 

About Brokenwood Wines

Founded in 1970 as a hobby venture by three Sydney-based solicitors - Tony Albert, John Beeston and Australian wine critic James Halliday - Brokenwood is perhaps best known for their Cricket Pitch label, which was first sourced from a 4-hectare block at the foothills of the Hunter Valley’s Brokenback Ranges. The block was originally earmarked as the local cricket ground before they decided to plant a vineyard instead.

Similarly, Brokenwood purchased their neighbouring block, which was intended to be the local cemetery, and instead planted Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, becoming their critically acclaimed flagship wine, the Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz.

Chief Winemaker and Managing Director Iain Riggs (ILR) joined Brokenwood in 1982 and introduced new winery equipment and facilities specifically for premium white wine production. Since 1983, white wine makes up a significant part of total production and their Semillon is widely recognized as one of the finest in the world. Iain has also been the driving force behind Brokenwood’s expansion into the McLaren Vale in South Australia, Beechworth in Victoria, Margaret River in Western Australia, and Orange in New South Wales. Despite their expansion, they have managed to remain fiercely committed to producing unique and high-quality expressions of Australian terroir.

Specifications