Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon 2018

This cuvée comes from the Lovedale vineyard, in the Hunter Valley, in New South Wales. Planted in 1946 by Maurice O'Shea, it lies on sandy, silty flatland soils that suit Semillon well. The climate is marked by scorching summers and heavy late-season rainfall, which produce dry whites that are light in alcohol and capable of ageing for a long time.

The grapes are picked by hand, destemmed, then gently pressed. Fermentation takes place at low temperature, without any oak. The wine is bottled around three weeks after the end of fermentation to preserve its fruit, then ages for several years in bottle at the estate before release.

This wine reveals notes of lemon, lemon myrtle, lemongrass, wild fennel, lanolin, beeswax, hazelnut and buttered toast. Citrus comes with waxy, toasty notes from bottle age. The palate is rich and broad, with great persistence, carried by a fine acidity and a long finish with honeyed nuances.

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.