Château Tanunda 100-Year-Old Vines Semillon 2024
- 94
- $80
- Drink by: 2025-2035
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Goes without saying that Barossa Semillon and the wines we traditionally know from the Hunter are very different beasts – both can be stellar – and should be judged accordingly. Barossa Sem usually sees time in oak, whereas anyone caught doing that in the Hunter is likely to face a custodial sentence. Here, it was seven months in older French oak puncheons. Just 3,057 bottles made. This is one of the best of this line that I have seen. A golden hue, there is serious intensity throughout, with notes of apricot kernels, stone fruits, figs and a hint of that deftly handled oak. Hints of citrus follow, even a touch of the tropicals, and so do lovely lemon curd characters on the palate. An elegant style with vibrant acidity, this will offer attractive drinking for at least the next ten years.
Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
