Semillon

Not familiar with this one? It’s worth a try! Semillon can now be found throughout several winemaking regions, the most popular being France, South Africa, Australia, Argentina, United States and Chile. It’s a thick-skinned grape that is used to produce white wine. The exact origin of the grape is hard to determine, it arrived in Australia and South Africa in the 19th century.

The grape produces a pale, gold-tinted wine. Semillon wines are low in acidity, so they are often used in blends, most commonly with Sauvignon Blanc. Semillon is also used to produce white Bordeaux style wines. Expect flavours of apricot, peach, citrus and honey with a great blend of sugar. It produces a full-bodied wine, similar to Chardonnay, but its flavours can be compared to Pinot Gris.

Semillon can be vigorous to cultivate, but it produces high yields. Thanks to its thick skin it is resistant to rot and disease, and not particularly fussy about climate which makes it a good grape for the production of Icewine. Pair a drier Semillon with fish and a sweeter version with desserts.

In summary, Semillon has the following characteristics:

• Thick-skinned grape that produces white wine
• Origin is hard to determine, but dates back to the 19th century
• Found throughout several winemaking regions across the world
• Pale, gold-tinted wine
• Low in acidity
• Typically used in blends
• Flavours of apricot, peach, citrus and honey
• Vigorous to cultivate but produces high yields
• Its thick skin makes it resistant to harsh growing conditions and rot
• Used for Icewine