Mount Pleasant Estate Grown Semillon 2022

This cuvée comes from the Hunter Valley, in New South Wales, two hours north-west of Sydney. Australia's oldest wine region, it has very hot summers and heavy rainfall as the harvest approaches. Mount Pleasant's Semillon comes from the estate's own vineyards, planted in 1921 by Maurice O'Shea on sandy, silty soils.

The grapes are picked by hand early in the morning to preserve their freshness. Fermentation takes place in stainless-steel tanks at low temperature, between 12 and 15 °C, for around 14 days. The wine is then bottled quickly, without any oak, to keep all the varietal purity of the Semillon.

This wine reveals notes of lime, lemon, green apple, lemon drops, barley water, pear skin, white flowers and wet stone. Citrus dominates a fresh, floral bouquet. The palate is light and lively, of great purity, with a denser texture than its low alcohol would suggest and a fresh, precise finish.

Australia began producing wine more than two centuries ago. This has resulted in a country rich in old vines, multigenerational winemaking families, and a deep-rooted knowledge and respect for craftsmanship. Add to this a thirst for exploration and innovation, a fearless attitude, and a diverse portfolio of 65 wine regions across a wide range of climates, and you have the makings of an extraordinary wine nation. Australia burst onto the export scene in the 1980s and has since been offering the world vibrant, fruity, and exceptionally good-value wines. Until the late 1990s and early 2000s, the history of Australian wine was dominated by examples of Shiraz, Grenache, and overly concentrated red blends. Between these two extremes lies the diverse range of high-quality Australian wines and regional wines that has always existed. Australian viticulture is concentrated primarily along the southern coastline where conditions are cooler. There are four main wine regions, each centered around major cities: Western Australia around Perth, South Australia around Adelaide, Victoria around Melbourne, and New South Wales around Sydney. The country is one of the world's largest wine producers and was the fourth-largest exporter in 2011. This recent development has made Australia one of the most prominent countries for the quality of its wines. You can taste Australian wines throughout the country. Each Australian region has its own grape varieties. Australian wines are defined by their grape variety, unlike French wines, which are defined by their terroir.