2019 Cellar Reserve Braemore Semillon
2019 Cellar Reserve Braemore Semillon
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The Braemore vineyard, planted 1969, is situated on the sandy alluvial flats of Hermitage Road, Pokolbin, and consistently produces Semillon featuring freshness, vibrancy and remarkable longevity. This wine has achieved an enviable reputation in recent years as being one of the finest examples of classic Hunter Valley Semillon.
The Cellar Reserve Braemore Semillon matures in our climate controlled cellar for six years in bottle prior it's release. This wine is just starting to emerge with those classic bottle-aged Hunter Semillon complexities.
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Winemaking Overview
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In the Vineyard
The 2019 vintage was another warm and relatively dry season, the third of a four-year extended drought period in the Hunter Valley. The vintage conditions have produced slightly riper/muscular shiraz and generously structured yet beautifully long-lived Semillon.
The pedigree of the Braemore vineyard was evident again this year with the fruit achieving a perfect level of fruit ripeness whilst retaining excellent natural acidity. Clearly the warm and dry conditions allowed us to fine tune our picking decisions without any regard to potential issues arising from rain/humidity/disease pressure. -
In the Winery
Hand-picked on the 1st of February, the grapes were whole-bunch pressed to minimise phenolics and fermented in stainless steel using a neutral yeast to enhance varietal purity. Due to the slightly riper vintage, the wine only spent four weeks resting on its yeast lees prior to fining in preparation for bottling.
Exactly 689 six-packs of this wine have been maturing in our climate-controlled cellar (held at 15°C) destined for release with six years bottle age.10.6% ABV
96 Points - Toni Paterson MW (Halliday Wine Companion)
"Upon a richly flavoured foundation, attractive layers are beginning to build. Intense lemon gelato and lime curd flavours are complemented by a touch of fresh yoghurt and a hint of gunflint. The palate has fabulous generosity, improving the longer it sits in the glass. Take care not to over chill."
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96 Points - Huon Hooke (The Real Review)
"Light, bright yellow; the bouquet suggests lemon-pudding and Sunlight Soap and is faintly buttery, with a grassy/fresh green herb background, while the palate has vibrant acidity that contributes to a clean, firm finish. Reserved and classic, with terrific fruit purity. It's a beautiful drink right now but further ageing will work to its advantage."
View SourceTasting Notes
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Appearance & Aroma
This latest cellar release Braemore has an age-defying bright pale lemon colour,
A complex nose of sunbaked limes, chamomile, toast and lemon grass. Those bottle aged complexities having just started to emerge
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Palate & Finish
It is crispy dry, yet with an enticing fruit core of yuzu, finger lime and star fruit with cascades of sourdough toast, roasted almond, lemon sorbet and poached pear. It’s very long and layered with a savory, mineral spine that hints at oyster shells and wet river stones. Very much worth waiting for, the wine is very long and unfolds in the glass.
WHEN TO DRINK
A unique and seamless wine, and whilst it is in a superb drinking zone right now, it will continue to evolve over the next decade or more.
The Vineyards
Whilst I have always applied a no compromise, attention to detail approach to my winemaking, I truly believe that 90% of the quality lies in the vineyard. The key to great wine is ‘keeping it simple’ to preserve that potential quality from the vine through to the bottle - Andrew Thomas