Gundog Estate Wild Semillon 2022

There was a time when, if a Hunter winery was offering more than one Semillon, it was almost always to exhibit different vineyards. Matt and his team go further and they like to push the boundaries of what Semillon can do. Here, they leave a percentage of the wine on skins and use wild yeasts. The aim is to discover just what textural components they can get into the wine, while increasing the complexity, even in the early days. They also leave a hint of residual sweetness to help fill out the mouthfeel on the palate. If nothing else, all this opens the wine up to matching with a much greater array of dishes. In truth, the wine is so well balanced that the extra level of residual sweetness is almost imperceptible. The colour is an attractive pale straw. We have notes of dried herbs, spices, grapefruits and a very gentle touch of stonefruit. Bright acidity throughout too, which helps to balance that extra hint of sweetness. The texture is immensely appealing and wonderfully seductive with good persistence. This is a Semillon which can be enjoyed now but it will also handle a lengthy spell in the cellar.