Wild Ren Hunter Valley Untamed Semillon 2021

An impressive interpretation of a young Hunter semillon that seeks to bring added warmth and texture to a classic style. This youngster is just 11% in alcohol and, in keeping with its early-picked style, boasts notable acid drive. However, acidity is the last thing on your mind as you linger over warm and inviting aromas of lemongrass, Key lime, lemon, quince paste with a splash of passionfruit. It’s followed by a real generosity of flavour. Love the spiciness at work here – it sometimes moves into spiced apple Pinot Gris-like territory – led by cardamon with honeysuckle notes, lantana and a lick of honey against a citrus background. Smooth throughout but lingering not too far away is some dependable Semillon acidity. The lemon zest kick to finish completes what is a pretty impressive young Hunter semillon.

Jeni Port

Wine critic at Winepilot

Jeni Port is one of Australia’s top wine communicators. Based in Melbourne, Jeni created the first wine column in the (then) Sun News-Pictorial before moving over to The Age and becoming that paper’s longest-serving wine writer. Over the years she has written for most Australian wine magazines and these days calls WinePilot home. She is also a Tasting Panel member on the Halliday Wine Companion. She was named Wine Communicator of the Year and Legend of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in 2014 and in 2018 Legend of the Vine. She is a founding board member of Australian Women In Wine and is the co-deputy chair of Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and China’s Wine List of the Year Awards.

Wine writer and critic