Alkina Estate Semillon 2024

From the best of Alkina’s old-vine Semillon, planted in the 1950s on predominantly clay soils. Certified organic and biodynamic, it is the only wine in the range fermented in oak—handpicked, pressed to barrel, a year on lees with occasional stirring, then blended into a seasoned eight-year-old French puncheon. It walks the line between tension and texture: chalky, creamy and waxy, sliced through by citrus zing. Opens savoury with toast, delicate char and leesy sourdough, before lemon wax, lime leaf, lemon oil and grapefruit pith emerge. Subtle brine and talc add nuance. The palate’s waxy creaminess is countered by citrus cut and pithy grip, lemon wax and lime skin at its core, leesy dough in support, and powdery phenolics shaping a citrussy, toasty finish. Very smart indeed, with alluring texture and shape.