Semillon is considered one of the world's classic grape varieties. It is one of the three grapes that can be present in a white Bordeaux wine with Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle, and made into some of the finest white wines in the world. But it is probably most famous for the lusciously opulent sweet wines the come from the Sauterne and Barsac regions of southern Bordeaux. The Hunter Valley in Australia is the other region world reknown for its production of incredible Semillon wines. The best of these wines, are dry and aged for several years prior to drinking, allowing them to take on the honey and lanolin qualities that make these wines unique. In California the history of this great grape has been less aristocratic, and has leaned more to the use in mass produced, so called jug wines. This is changing as the grape becomes seen more often for its potential as a fine wine grape used in a blend with Sauvignon Blanc, or on its own in both dry and sweet styles.

Cultivation: Semillon is a fairly forgiving grape that can grow well in most soils, is a vigorous grower, and is not susceptible to a significant amount of maladies. The one malady it is particularly susceptible to is rot, however, it is the beneficial rot, Botrytis cinerea, that gives Semillon the ability to create the wonderful sweet wines that are some of the best in the world. The vigorous quality of the grape means that production of over 8 tons/acre are not unheard of, but grapes produced at that level tend to produce fat, boring wines. In warmer regions the resulting wines can be flabby and in a too cool region the resulting wines can take on a grassy quality. It is best grown in a region with ample sunlight, but cool evenings to enhance the acidity levels. The best grapes are a product of well cared for vines that are pruned to keep the crop small and flavors intense.

The Wine: The traditional home of the Semillon grape is Bordeaux, France where the grape is never made into a varietal wine, but instead is blended with Sauvignon Blanc or Muscadelle in dry and sweet white wines. In the Barsac and Sauterne regions the grapes have a tendency to develop what is called noble rot, which shrivels the fruit until it looks like a moldy raisin. This removal of the water from the grape leaves behind sugar, acid and very intense flavor profiles. The resulting juice is blended with a small amount of Sauvignon Blanc to create some of the world's most prized sweet wines. These wines are known for their flavors of apricot with honey, raisins, nuts, and just a bit of spice. The increased acid in the Semillon, along with the high levels in the Sauvignon Blanc, prevent these wines from ever becoming cloying. In addition to Bordeaux, the Hunter Valley in Austrailia is known for making wonderfully complex dry wine that requires several years of aging to develop into the wines known for their great honeyed fruit and nut character that have made them famous.

The grape came to California in the 1860s, but never really caught on as a varietal. It was rather used to make rather poor copies of the great Sauternes of Bordeaux and in jug wine blends. There were pockets of wineries that made dry varietal wines, but it wasn't until the 1990s that a following began to develop for these wines which are capable of aging into elegant, complex food friendly wines. As winemakers and grape growers have continued to explore what grapes work best in their terroir, Semillon has seen increasing popularity as the classic white that it is.

Flavor Profiles: The profiles of this wine are dependent on its style and age, as well as the container it was stored in. Young dry wines tend toward an almost grassy quality with a good deal of citrus fruit and spice. As they age the wines often demonstrate beeswax, apricots, dried figs, and an elegant aromatic quality. These wines also can take on more of the honey and lanolin qualities the varietal is known for. In good years, when the grapes develop that beneficial, but rare, noble rot, the sweet wines that result take on the intense flavors of apricot, raisin and even a nutty characteristic. The wines generally have a good body weight and the acidity is generally on the low to medium side in dry wines, higher in sweet. The wines develop no bitterness and has very little tannin.

Wine Pairing Considerations: To correctly match food with the various Semillon wine styles it is important to understand which style you are serving. Dry versions with their decent body and medium acidity can go beautifully with an oily fish, chicken, most pork dishes. The fuller bodied, more honeyed versions can work well with barbequed chicken or even chicken confit. The sweet versions are perfect with not too sweet fruit based desserts, blue cheese, pâté, foie gras, creme brulee and brown sugar based desserts.

Major California Growing Regions: Lake County, Livermore, Mendocino, Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Sierra Foothills