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Harkham Wines

2022

‘Aziza’s Semillon’

Hunter Valley - Australia
Shelf Talker Spec Sheet Wine Label Bottle Image

About

The Hunter Valley is known for its unapologetically unblended Sémillon. The traditional way of making it is to harvest at low sugar levels, lightly press it, and then ferment it without skin contact or barrel fermentation. At Harkham, this is done in the exact opposite way (with the exception of maintaining the early picking to retain acidity and low sugar levels). Fourteen years ago, the Harkham family decided to turn the traditional way of making Sémillon on its head by letting the grapes see a short amount of skin contact prior to barrel fermentation and aging.

The grapes are hand harvested early to retain their acidity. Once back at the cellar, they are chilled and left on their skins for about a day and a half before being whole-bunch pressed and racked into aged French oak barrels. The wine remains there for fermentation and aging before being racked back to tank and bottled. There are zero additions, including sulfur, to this delicate, unfiltered, and unfined wine.

Stats

  • Grapes: 100% Sémillon
  • Vineyard: Single vineyard in Pokolbin
  • Vine Age: 31-years-old
  • Soil Type: Sandy alluvial flats and deep loam
  • Viticulture: Sustainable
  • Fermentation: Native — used French oak (100% whole-bunch pressed)
  • Skin Contact: 1.5 days
  • Aging: 6 months in used French oak
  • Alcohol: 10.5%
  • pH: 3.18
  • Total Acidity: 7.3 g/L
  • Total SO2: None added
  • Total Production: 317 cases

Tasting Notes

Lovely texture and weight here. Showing its provenance in the Hunter Valley, this Sémillon has beautiful notes of lemon, lanolin, and sun-drenched hay bale. Vibrant acidity caps it off. Don’t be afraid to age this one; aged Hunter Valley Sémillon is an unmatched vinous pleasure.

Press & Reviews

The Wine Front

93

"Not your usual Semillon here. Real lemonade, green apple and ginger. It’s bright and saline, has a ripe lemon and lemon zing to it, with something of a kombucha tang, a fine powdery texture, and a juicy finish of good length that’s all zesty and tingly. Very good. Feels like a health drink!"

- Gary Walsh

Producer


Harkham Wines

Region


Hunter Valley

Country


Australia

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