Gundog Estate Wild Semillon 2021

I am a massive fan of this wine and what Matt Burton is doing at Gundog Estate. The Hunter Valley is not known for innovation but not so at Gundog Estate where there is constant tweaking as Matt searches for the right recipe for each wine in his range. This is a great example here of a young Hunter Valley Semillon that pushes the boat out and is a much more interesting proposition than the more regular young, neutral local style thanks to some natural ferment and extended time on grape skins.

Pale in colour and a very attractive expression of semillon with guava and honeydew fruits plus some earthy, savoury nuances. It is reserved but there is plenty of intensity. What follows is a palate with a little sweetness in the mouth but don’t let that put you off as it is wound up in a pithy core of fruit well balanced by crisp acidity and given a long finish thanks to that gentle skin-contact grip. It screams out for food, particularly Asian dishes with a fair whack of spice.