The Wandin Valley Estate Rosé has developed somewhat of a cult following over the last few years. This was highlighted last year with the 2006 vintage picking up a trophy at the Boutique Winemakers Show in Sydney and then going on to sell out in a record six months.

An early vintage meant that we began harvesting fruit for the Reserve Semillon ($20) on the 19th of January which was some two weeks earlier than usual. The combination of a compressed growing season and dry conditions meant that the concentration of sugar in the berries rose more rapidly than flavours accumulated so we found ourselves picking at slightly higher sugar levels than we had in the past. The three vineyards that contributed to the Reserve blend, all situated on contrasting sites throughout Pokolbin, were hand picked between 10.8 and 11.5 Baumé. The juice was gently extracted, with only the free-run making it into this blend. The heavily clarified juices were fermented cool over two weeks before being racked off yeast lees. In the Reserve Semillon we aim to produce a Hunter Semillon that is elegant and balanced in style, offering great varietal expression and has the ability to age gracefully. The blended wine has a pH of 2.89, TA of 6.8g/L and an alcohol of 11.0%. The wine will be released in July 07 and then again in four years as a mature release.

The 2006 Single Vineyard Semillon ($20) is the first Semillon Wandin Valley has produced from a single parcel of fruit. Each year we harvest our Semillon vineyards at varying sugar levels to produce a more complete wine with a fuller flavour spectrum. In 2006 one block of fruit from a vineyard on Oaky Creek Rd in Pokolbin showed unique varietal expression and great flavour. We decided to pick this vineyard later than the others and to not adjust the acid pre-ferment. This meant that the resulting wine, with its higher alcohol (11.0%) and lower acid (6.0 g/L), proved to be eminently drinkable. Considering those consumers that find the more traditional guise of young Hunter Semillon too challenging we decided to release the wine six months later than usual to really enhance its overall appeal. Without resorting to obvious sugar additions to soften the palate, we are hoping this style of wine will show another side to the Semillon grape, and encourage less educated wine consumers to experience the virtues of this fantastic variety and perhaps move on to our blended Reserve Semillon which fits the more traditional mold of Hunter Valley Semillon.